“I don’t look at a knife the way I used to. I’m more aware of what it is.” -Neil Young

Since leaving my career, I have made some sporadic attempts at becoming more skilled in the kitchen. Garth has always been the cook, and I’ve been the cleaner-upper! So with more time on my hands, I thought this would be a new hobby, an exciting challenge, and a way to help out.

I took to watching cooking shows/competitions; Masterchef, Jamie Oliver, and the Great Canadian/British Baking Challenge. Always completely impressed by, and envious of, the skill, speed, and knowledge each chef/competitor possessed.

I have discovered that Parkinson’s Disease adds a whole different set of challenges to being effective (and safe!) in the kitchen. Just now, I laughed at the thought of a new reality show; “Masterchef – Parkinson’s Edition!”

• Knife skills: there is constant worry that the tremor or the dyskinesia is going interfere and result in slicing/dicing off my fingers instead of the onion!

• Speed: the rigidity, stiffness, and slow movement turn Jamie Oliver’s 40-minute meals into 400-minute meals.

• Loss of smell: is something burning? I don’t know!

• Multi-tasking: those multi-step recipes are killers. I’m better off making soups or one-dish meals to help with focus.

• Peeling, paring, grating: Anything that requires my two hands to perform different tasks simultaneously takes time, concentration, and patience. ( I wrote about this in An Apple a Day )

• Knife skills: yes, I said that already, but I cannot emphasize enough how scary this part is

My food processors (large and small) have become my best friends in the kitchen and I ask for help with other tasks when my symptoms just won’t cooperate. Other helpful tips are here: Helpful Mealtime Tips

The happiness that I get when my family loves the meal is a wonderful reward.