--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once learnt, this business of cooking was…" description: "\"Once learnt, this business of cooking was to prove an ever growing burden. It scarcely bears thinking about, the time and labour that man and womankind..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/rose-macaulay-8071_air_once-learnt-this-business-of-cooking-was_328304.png" --- # Once learnt, this business of cooking was to prove an ever… ![“Once learnt, this business of cooking was to prove an ever growing burden. It scarcely bears thinking about, the time and labour that man and womankind has devoted to the preparation of dishes that are to melt and vanish in a moment like smoke or a dream, like a shadow, and as a post that hastes…” quote by Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/rose-macaulay-8071_air_once-learnt-this-business-of-cooking-was_328304.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/rose-macaulay-8071_air_once-learnt-this-business-of-cooking-was_328304.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c9/rose-macaulay-8071_air_once-learnt-this-business-of-cooking-was_328304.png) > “Once learnt, this business of cooking was to prove an ever growing burden. It scarcely bears thinking about, the time and labour that man and womankind has devoted to the preparation of dishes that are to melt and vanish in a moment like smoke or a dream, like a shadow, and as a post that hastes by, and the air closes behind them, afterwards no sign where they went is to be found.” [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cooking is a fleeting, labor‑intensive art that disappears quickly, reflecting life's transience. **In simple terms:** Food preparation is temporary and demanding. Key Takeaway Appreciate the effort behind everyday meals. Themes transience labor ephemerality Mood reflective nostalgic Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - home cooking - restaurant kitchens - cultural food rituals Key Concepts culinary arts philosophy of impermanence Questions to Reflect On - What does the act of cooking reveal about our values? - How can we honor the effort behind fleeting moments? A Different Perspective The focus on labor may overlook joy and cultural significance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Cooking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Haste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/haste/) [Labour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labour/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) [Smoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoke/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Everything we possess that is not necessary for life or happiness becomes a burden, and scarcely a day passes that we do not add…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/everything-we-possess-that-is-not-necessary-for-life-or-happiness/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Though I am always in haste, I am never in a hurry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/though-i-am-always-in-haste-i-am-never-in-a-hurry/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [Lo! while we are gazing, in swifter haste Stream down the snows, till the air is white, As, myriads by myriads madly chased, They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-bryant/lo-while-we-are-gazing-in-swifter-haste-stream-down-the-snows-till/) [William C. 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