From Saved Recipes to Shared Dinners

There is a saying I once heard: “If someone asks you, ‘Why go that far?’ then that is probably your thing.” After hearing that, I started wondering what I personally “go that far” or "being extra"  for. I think, for me, it is cooking. Technically, I could just make something simple with whatever happens to be in my fridge. But if I suddenly decide that I want to make an apple, Brie, and arugula sandwich, I am absolutely the kind of person who needs to run to grocery to have every single ingredient.

Some of my friends find cooking annoying. One type of friend says it feels like a waste of time to spend thirty minutes cooking something that will be eaten in ten. Another says they honestly do not care much about taste, so as long as something goes into their mouth, they are fine eating whatever is available. But I think about cooking very differently.

To me, cooking is a full cycle of happiness: finding the freshest seasonal ingredients, spending 15 to 30 minutes making something with care, plating it beautifully, and then treating myself as someone worth serving.

Because I have this much passion for cooking, I found myself thinking, “Wait, I already do this,” while reading the articles on networked knowledge. For example, when I look at the posts saved on my Instagram account, about 65% are delicious or new recipes, and about 20% are introductions to new tempting restaurants. These probably fall under collect and curate among the six networked knowledge activities. When I send a recipe to a friend who loves a particular dish and say, “You should try making it this way!” that becomes sharing. When I screen-record a cooking video and send it to my mom, who does not use Instagram, that might be brokering.

Sometimes I see dishes made with ingredients I really want but cannot easily get, especially when I am trying to make Korean food in the United States or when certain dishes are simply unavailable in Tallahassee. In those moments, I use what I already know to substitute ingredients or add a small twist, which could be seen as negotiating and constructing knowledge.

However, there is one missing piece. As I wrote in my previous lurker post, I do not usually share my know-how online. Instead, I invite my offline friends over and serve them new dishes. Occasionally, friends who are active in online communities ask me, “Can I post your recipe?” In those moments, I feel like a full circle of networked knowledge is indirectly formed.

Comments

  1. MnLVJune 19, 2026 at 9:14 PM

    Enjoyed your post! You have me thinking about what my 'thing' is! When it comes to anything in a kitchen, no one has ever asked me, why go that far? I sit in awe of anyone who enjoys cooking. It's funny, but I've asked myself the 'go that far' question when it comes to working out or training for a sport. This has been a lifetime lifestyle choice for me and I've never really considered it this way. Thanks for giving me a much needed push in the right direction!

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  2. Maria HJune 21, 2026 at 5:05 PM

    I can totally understand you. In the past, I used to share recipes I found on Instagram with my two oldest children. It nearly drove them crazy. My son was complaining how stressful it was for him to hear his phone beep ten times within twenty minutes. The fact is, I miss those times when my children were younger and we were able to sit at the table together sharing a good meal.

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