Cooking is a creative process, identical to creating jewelry or painting or clothing. You begin with an idea, you work with flavors as a palette, and there is a definite aesthetic. A few days ago I cooked up half a dozen jars of my chipotle salsa - and I think it is a good example of Food as Art: the flavor palette includes spicy fresh jalapenos, smokey chipotles (smoke-dried jalapenos) reconstituted in a homemade sweet-vinegary adobo sauce, tart onions, and acidic tomatoes. The aesthetic includes a not-quite-smooth texture, with small bits of onion and chile and tomato, and a color that is deep oxblood red.