I'm a diehard foodie, so I guess my attraction to cooking is the end (and edible!) result as much as it's the technical challenge to execute a new dish. I don't really have a "favorite", and each year immerse myself in a new cuisine to learn new techniques. This year I'm attempting to master classic French cooking; last year was Cajun/Creole, the year before was Spanish. You get the picture. I'm still confused as to how cooking became such a passion. Nearly everything Mom made came out of a box, and the only time Dad ever touched a stove was to make breakfast. When a particuluarly unimpressable friend refused to believe that my very simple, very homemade chocolate chip cookies weren't from a pre-made dough or box. It was particularly satisfying since I only bake a couple of times per year. Let us not speak of the 'Jambalaya Incident'. Lesson learned: fresh bulk cayenne is far more potent than the typical bottled variety.