What is a Kitchen Witch?

I am a self-proclaimed kitchen witch. This means, among other things, that I get a bunch of funny stares when people ask me what I am. Occasionally, bowls are pushed to the side until I promise them that no, this -particular- stew will not turn you into a hoppy-toad.
Yeah, I'm mean, and love to mess with mundane people and their insecurities, which have an odd balance of not believing in anything, and being terrified of what they insist is not real. But that is a rant for another day.
In essence, a kitchen witch is someone who utilizes the natural properties in things encountered in everyday life to bring about desired results.
Wow, that sounds text-booky.
What I mean by this is that I live with awareness and intent. When I poor my morning cup of coffee, I do so with a push of will- of energy- to coax out the properties to help me be awake and alert and hopefully to have a productive day. When I cook a pot of soup, I make sure my ingredients and my will all align to something that will nourish both body and soul. When I sweep at the days end, I am sweeping that day out of my life- emphasis on negativity, but really, no one should live in the past.

I believe that everyone should strive to live with awareness of both material and immaterial things they bring into their lives. Ever notice how if you are, say, to stick with the cooking metaphors, making a meal you have made a dozen times, a hundred times, maybe more... it is a favorite and it always turns out well. Only this time, you don't want to. You don't like the person coming over- you are just trying to be hospitable, but you really aren't feeling it. You dread the work, the company, the cleanup... you would much rather avoid the whole thing. I bet you anything, it did not turn out right. Did you forget an ingredient? Not stir long enough- stir too long? Maybe something is just a bit off...
That is what happens when you poor your negativity into what you are doing. Great for art- not for dinner (Some exception being made for kneading bread, but only if pounding the dough grants you some level of satisfaction).

This is being a Kitchen Witch. Knowing these things, admitting them, using them to your advantage. I personally do very little "ritual", and most people wouldn't recognize it if they saw me "cast a spell"- for me it is simply living. I plan to follow this post with more detailed explanations and, of course, recipes. If you have any specific questions, or if you would like to share experiences, thoughts and opinions of your own, please feel free to share! I look forward to hearing from you.