It's been a couple of months since I started this blog and I have to say, I am so glad I did.
Reading a book, not only with a "reader's lens", but also through a "food lens" has really enhanced my reading experience.
I've always enjoyed reading. As a kid, I devoured books and couldn't wait to go to the library and check out new ones or for my school's Scholastic Book Fair (as a teacher the book fair is still one of my most anticipated events of the school year haha). As an adult and an elementary school teacher, my love of reading has just grown. But with a career came a paycheck and with a paycheck came the ability to buy all the books I wanted. Enter the new dilemma: the never-ending, overwhelming...TBR list. I can't be the only one whose TBR stack causes them some anxiety, right? I found myself not fully engaging with the book I was reading because I was focused on how quickly I could read it so I could attempt to read down all the books I had but hadn't read (and therefore justify the fact that I kept buying more).
That's not the point of reading. In the beginning, this blog and the corresponding Instagram (and now Pinterest) was just about giving me something to do during quarantine and a way to combine some of my hobbies. It has become more than that to me. It has become a way to access books in a different way.
Here a couple of ways this experience has already enhanced my reading life:
Focus on the details. - Authors fill their fictional worlds with all sorts of rich details. Since I'm looking for dishes to recreate from the books or a style of cuisine to research and find a recipe or restaurant, I'm forced to pay closer attention to all those delicious (pun intended ha!) details buried in the storyline.
Food Adventures. - I have experienced dishes and cuisines I might never have if it wasn't for this blog. The biggest one (as of now) being Puerta Rican food. I explored my city in a way I hadn't in a while and now that I've moved to a new city, I immediately have a way to explore and interact with my new surroundings.
A renewed love of cooking. - My love of baking, specifically, has been rekindled. Living by myself for so long kind of made me forget how much I loved making treats for others.
Amazing People. - If it wasn't for this blog, I probably never would have created a Bookstagram account. There was no purpose to beforehand. Because I did create my Bookstagram (@another_chapter_another_dish), I found a Zoom book club that I absolutely adore! I've met some fantastic people and gotten to discuss some really great books. This book club is put on by @the.librar.ian and we'd love for you to join us!
Confidence. - Sometimes I get a little self-conscious about just how much I love reading and all things books. Being a part of this community, practicing writing reviews, eating and cooking outside my normal every day, and finding my photography aesthetic have helped me embrace this huge part of my life and personality.
I encourage you to find your own detail to focus on. Maybe you have a green thumb and want to do something with the plants and flowers mentioned throughout the stories you read. Maybe you have a passion for fashion and you want to style or create outfits inspired by the characters in a book. There are so many amazing details hidden in a story if we just take the time to look. :)
Thanks for stopping by!
-Kim
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