Cooking is much more than just providing sustenance. It is a creative endeavor, a science experiment, a tribute to people and times past, an act of caring, a practical education, a feast for the senses, a path to self-knowledge, a meditative practice. Most cooks have shelves overflowing with cookbooks and files filled with recipes, not to mention digital bookmarks and recipe boxes where the instructions for making their favorite or hoped-for future dishes reside. With so much going on, sometimes it can be hard to recall where a favorite recipe lives. In addition, many of those recipes are marked up with notes, comments, and suggestions. Sometimes they are not, however, because you tell yourself, "Oh, I'll remember." (Honestly? You probably won't.) Which is just one of the many good reasons to keep a cooking journal.

The purpose of this journal is to help make your cooking journey more meaningful and memorable. Use it to enhance your experiences in the kitchen (or at the grill, the camp stove, or wherever you are preparing meals.) Don't be too concerned about your prose--jot down ideas, scribble notes, tear out recipes and tuck or glue them in--have fun with it, and it will reward you with meaningful memories, exciting ideas, helpful reminders, and a keepsake to be treasured.