My mother was a good recreational cook, but what she basically believed about cooking was that if you worked hard and prospered, someone else would do it for you.

Summary

This quote highlights the belief held by the speaker's mother regarding cooking. While she may have been a skilled recreational cook, her mindset was centered around the idea that if one is successful and affluent, they would naturally outsource cooking to others. It suggests that cooking was not seen as a priority or a task to be personally attended to, but rather something to delegate to others due to social status or wealth.