Second lesson

Times goes by and it's been two years after my father's first lesson. I already learn many things and now allowed to help him in the kitchen, although only doing something simple. But for the first year of his teaching, my father only introduces me to various ingredients and spices. One day, I ever ask him to let me touch the cooking equipment and start to learn how to cook

"Father, when you start teaches me using a knife and cook the dish?"

"Little Ben, do you want to cook?"

"Yes, father"

"What do you want to cook?"

"Anything! Maybe phoenix wings dish like father made for the customer"

"And what are you going to do with that dish after you make it?"

"Make people eat it"

"Do you know how to make it?"

"I think I know father…I've see you make phoenix wings many times"

"Alright…what needed to make phoenix wings dish?

"Chicken or duck's wings"

"What else?"

"Spices!, cooking oil, soy sauces"

"What kind of spices I used to make phoenix wings?"

"Red chili, green pepper, something that like a nut, I don't know what its name"

I ask that question when following my father buys spices in the market. My father smiles when I said I don't know the spices names.

"If you don't know the names of that spice, how can you cook it? How are you going to buy it if you don't know its name?"

"I can point the spice in the seller shop and say I want to buy that"

"Hahaha…okay. Is that spice is what you meant?"

My father is pointing at a spice box in one of the spice merchant in the market. Its shape is like a nut and seems like what my father usually used to make phoenix wings

"Yes, that's the spice father"

"This spice is called nutmeg my son, it came from a place in far south from here. Do you think this spice is dangerous or not?"

"How come a spice can be dangerous for people father?"

"Haha…for those who don't know about this spice, the wrong amount during using this spice can do harm to the people"

"Really, father?"

"Um, two or three teaspoons of this spice powder can make people feel dizzy, drowsiness, palpitations, nausea, thirst, dry mouth and hallucinating which can lead to death if take more than 2-3 teaspoons nutmeg"

"So scary….and that just because a spice that as tiny as a nut like this?"

"Remember this well my son, people eat to live, and a chef is cooking a food for people to eat. In other words, people trust their lives to us, so you just can't cook because you want to cook. In your hands, lies their life and death, remember that"

"Yes, father. I will always remember that"

"That's why your father loves to cook, my son. In my eyes, it's a noble profession, just like a doctor, because we held people lives in our hand"

"It's also can make people happy, father. I always feel happy every time I eat your cooking"

"Hahaha…that's right, my son. I can see your talent to become a great cook, more than me. Now, do you still want to use a knife and cook?"

"No, father. You are right…there're many things I have to learn first before I can hold the knife"

"Um, glad you realize that. Now let's finish our shopping today and go to the restaurant. There are many things that need to do there"

"Yes, father"

So, I still keep learning from my father about ingredients and spices since then. I'm no longer ask my father to let me hold the knife because I know when the time is ripe, he will let me hold the knife. Until that time comes, I will keep learn and learn more from my father.