MANOLOGY
how
COOKING
can make you a
BET TER M AN
A gentleman is one who values hospitality, generosity, intellectual curiosity and, yes, chivalry. Day-in and day-out, all gentlemen should seek to incorporate these traits into their lives. To take it a step further, all of these characteristics can be found, honed, and showcased in the most unlikely of places—the kitchen.
BY ADAM BAILEY
side on the grill. To play off the title of one of Hemingway’s memoirs—A Movable Feast—a kitchen is anywhere you hang your cast-iron skillet.
verybody knows that fast food is an easy, convenient, and generally inexpensive way to stay fed. But it’s also a great way to fill the body with a bunch of unhealthy crap. Want to be a better man? Cooking real food takes time, effort, and skill. Plus, ladies love it— trust me on this one.
Hospitality. Cooking and sharing food with others allows you to perfect this centuries-old practice. Inviting others into your home to sit and enjoy a meal cooked by hand is one of the most simple yet fulfilling forms of hospitality. Your kitchen should serve as an open invitation to friends, family, and strangers—it’s a place to celebrate the joy of friendship, the miracle of birth, the sting of loss, or the settling of differences. Breaking bread with others is one of life’s most primal instincts. It fosters tradition and community, and creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere in your home.
Adventure. Cooking should be viewed much more as an adventure than a task. Whether you are fishing, hunting, or simply acquiring goods at the local market—much of the thrill that comes from cooking lies miles away from any stovetop. The idea of spending more time in the kitchen is all relative. Yes, typically it’s in the home—but, too, it can be on the road, a field at a hunting camp, or out-
Generosity. Generosity is defined as the habit of giving without expecting anything in return. And people often showcase this habit to others by the sharing of gifts— whether it be money, talent, or time to help aid and serve others. The key component is giving freely— without expecting anything in return. Cooking and the sharing of food can easily provide a daily platform to exhibit gener-
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MARCH 2022
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