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Melissa Clark’s cauliflower shawarma with spicy tahini. Credit...Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Though there are plenty of obvious upsides to being an interim restaurant critic for The New York Times, I’ve found one major drawback: I cook less. As much as I adore the convivial adventures of dining out, I still miss the cozy cadence of nights in with my family — dicing onions, mincing herbs, mixing our own drinks while spilling the tea. Cooking has been my creative, therapeutic and family time for as long as I can remember, and doing less of it has only made it more precious.