Two Threads & Cooking

[PeckhamRose]

Anything on YouTube?

[Brendan]

Never cooked anything to a recipe before in my life. Partly because I fucking hate rules and partly because I?m just generally crap at following them, which is probably why I hate them so much.

I can normally figure out what goes into something and how it?s cooked from eating it. If not I will look up about 3 or 4 different takes on the recipe and read these to get the general idea and the different variations. I then chuck them away and I work out the way I want to do it.

Then it?s open a bottle of wine or beer, secure the pinny, knives, fire and away we go.

I would be lying if I said that this method hasn?t produced some spectacular failures. Normally it works quite well though and I feel that trial and error helps me get a proper intuitive feel for what I?m cooking. This seems to work better for me than following a regimented checklist.

As for lopping off digits, I try to stick to this rule: ?Don?t cut your fingers off numb-nuts!?

[The Scorpion]

I've been reading this thread with much interest.

It takes me back in time a lot and I would like to share some of my childhood and life experiences - mainly learning to cook but some other ramblings too - with anyone who cares to read :)

It's a long post, but maybe some of you will relate to it, or, if it looks too much for you, click "back" now ::o

I learnt to cook by watching my Mom and sisters (and also "me nan" (Irish, and she made the best Scofa ever! but also anything cooked in her "magic" frying pan tasted gorgeous!) and I could put a basic (eg. cold meats, grated cheese, boiled potatoes, salad etc or liver and onions with mash) meal together, on my own, from about the age of 8. I was trained well on being safe in the kitchen and never had an accident or set fire to the house - it was the done thing then, that you pulled your weight in the family. I also did many other chores such as taking care of family pets, cleaning and, of course, the tidying of my own bedroom ("Tidy it now or everything on the floor will go in the bin!" - and it did, once, never to be repeated ;-) lol)

I'm from the old school kind of family - kids brought up by two working class parents, and along with my sisters (we had no brothers but if we had have had, they would have had to get stuck in too, and too right!) we had our set chores to do each day, after school, before playing, homework etc. as Mom and Dad never returned home until after 6pm.

We would get the dinner prepared and on the go (most times but not always, if we had an after-school club or somewhere else important to be - and we got there by our own steam, not through lifts from the parents all the time!) lay the table, take out the rubbish, go get shopping from the local shop, if needed etc.

It was second nature to me to peel potatoes, prepare veg and cook food from scratch (not much of the ready-meal stuff around when I was a girl LOL plus take-aways and junk food (usually Cod and Chips or eat-in at a Wimpy etc) were a definite once a week treat, if even that often)

Joints of pork, lamb chops, an Irish Stew, boiled bacon, roast chicken with all the trimmings and other food stuffs were prepared and cooked by us girls, totally unsupervised and often solo (my sisters each left the family nest, over time, till there was just me) along with many other dishes (sausage and mash and onions, faggots (yeuck! lol) and also bubble and squeak being fav's of my Dad - a building trade worker - were on the menu at least once a week.

We always were making coffee for them too (I inherited my addiction from coffee from dear old Mom and Dad)

In those days, Housecraft (as it was called in my school) Classes were given to all pupils in Secondary School - boys and girls - so it was easy to rustle up a Victoria Sponge, sausage rolls or some other treat or snack.

I find it hard to believe that some people just don't know how to cook, but then again, from being a "little housewife in training" through my school days, I went on to become an independant young woman without the fall-back on family that many people are fortunate enough to have when they need it (my parents both passed on at fairly young ages - both under retirement age, sadly) in '89 and '92) then I became a wife and mother, and, naturally, have always had to cook to feed my family, so its all second nature.

Although I occasionally use ready meals, and, maybe, once a fortnight get in a take-away, there is nothing like making a nutritious and tasty home-made meal from scratch and watching people devour and enjoy it. Also, financially, it's been through necessity, not choice, that I make most of our meals, do all the shopping and pay all the bills etc. It's not been possible to just say "Oh I can't be bothered to cook tonight, let's get a take-away or go out to eat" - well, on rare occasions, yes, but then that is a very special treat and made the most of)

I love cooking, although there have been times (because of fussy primary-school age or teenage years kids, mostly - they do go through stages) that I get fed up with doing the daily slaving over the stove, but mostly, I enjoy a lot of "me" time in the kitchen, especially when, time-allowing, of an evening I retreat to the calm and peace and quiet, away from all family noises and distractions, with some music playing or the portable TV providing background distraction, pour a glass of wine or crack open a beer - on occasion, say, when preparing and cooking a home-made Asian feast (I love Asian, Mexican, Italian, Chinese and many other nationalities non-bland (like a lot of British food is, but NOT all) food, especially spicy, tasty dishes and accompaniments; and my boys will eat and are used to such meals being served up, and rarely refuse a new dish/experiment, often asking for more or repeat meals of the same, often - plus, making it yourself saves a small fortune!) while I happily prepare a meal that we will all, later that evening (or the next day if preparing something in advance) sit down together, to eat.

My kids have grown up with a good knowledge and taste for many world-wide varieties of meals and food and rather than having a plate full of takeaway chips and fried chicken etc. (example) everyday, they appreciate decent home-cooked food more than the usual junk or convenience foods that many of their peers seem to live on.

Eating out has always been a rare thing for us as a family and when it happens, I for one totally enjoy having a meal served up to me, for a change and my boys respect the fact that this is, indeed, a special meal and approach it with gusto (and good table manners, bless them)

I thank my parents and upbringing (also school) for helping to make me a decent cook, along with a fairly balanced and independant human being. Even my Dad (an ex-serviceman at a young age and born from a Mother who brought him up to take care of himself) cooked a lot, in those days. He often made dinner for us all, himself, when time allowed (AND he always ironed his own work shirts! Plus he used to do the cleaning, polishing and hoovering on Saturday morning, accompanied by 'Ol Blue Eyes on the stereo) and my Mom always made a Sunday roast.

I hope that, by the time my boys leave the nest (they will not be here till well into their 30's! Muahaha! >:D< ) they will be fully self-sufficient, with the needed cooking and domestic skills under their belt, taught by me (and maybe school IF they ever make it compulsory again for kids to have Homecraft/Domestic Science etc. classes) that will make them very desirable as future mates or partners :D

I think Jamie's mission is a good one, and hope many learn by it. I know many professionals etc. don't have lots of time to cook a whole meal, but for some people, there is no other option, and it's a daily, natural necessity but also, many people, once they actually know how to do it, find cooking very therapuetic and it can be fun. I know I do, my children have spent some happy times in the kitchen too, growing up, assisting Mom etc. and I hope, that through programmes and schemes like the one mentioned in the thread, many others discover the joy of cooking themselves, too.

Sue

(sorry for rambling on but some of it is relevant to the thread LOL)

[SeanMacGabhann]

I might have just fallen in love a little bit

[PeckhamRose]

My Mum thought opening a Vesta Beef Curry for Dad's dinner that night, was posh.

Sadder still, my Dad thought so too.

[Ant]

...there is nothing like making a nutritious and tasty home-made meal from scratch and watching people devour and enjoy it.

Too right! I think that's one of the biggest pleasures, although I do also enjoy the actual cooking for its own sake. 'Me time in the kitchen': yes, that too. Listening to Just A Minute while I chop veg - ahh, there's lovely. Also, I love making big portions of stuff that'll feed the family twice. Much better than a ready meal and no extra effort. Made a big spicy red lentil soup the other day and got about 5 meals out of it, most of which is now frozen until the next time I can't be arsed to make summat from scratch. That one worked out at about 50p per serving. Result!

[CamberwellOz]

I have taught two of my best friends how to cook. The hardest one (a man) ate only bananas, meat, pasta, other various carbs and tomatoes. I taught him how to hide food from himself to begin with. (Grating courgettes and carrots into a pasta sauce, etc) And I also taught him how to make food he loved that also could impress the ladies if he were to cook. (Beef Wellington) It was so nice to watch the transformation (over the months he camped out in our front room.... he was Australian)from this person who said he hated all food to 'if you don't tell me what's in it, I'll eat it' and then the last stage of ringing me up to tell me about the wonders of Lemons and how they 'really brought out the taste of so much'.

The other girl - now still rings me when she is making a dish asking me questions like.... remember when we cooked that chicken dish.

I'll offer myself and my house once a week to teach people how to cook. I'd actually really enjoy it.

[CamberwellOz]

Forgot to mention... Here, here! to The Scorpian. I only wish I had parents like yours. My mum was a dreadful cook and I looked like a sickly child for most of my younger life. My memories are of burnt sausages and soggy, soggy brocolli. I'm dry reaching just thinking about it. Poor Mum - she just had no passion for food. It was just fuel to her.

Needless to say - I watched a lot of cooking programmes when I was little. Floyd has to be up there as inspirational to me as a child. I don't know if you got 'Yan Can Cook' over here - but he was great too. By the time I was 12, I was cooking dinner for the family on most nights. (I would swap washing the dishes for it.... which I thought was brilliant)

My parents came out for seven weeks last year and I cooked up a storm every night. I'd just had a baby - so I'd place her in Mum and Dad's room - they would play and sing to her and I'd slink off in the kitchen, put on my favourite album and relax into it. I would cook 2-3 courses a night (come on... I was breast feeding) and my Mum told me when she got home, she had gone down two dress sizes and my father's blood pressure had gone down. I couldn't believe it.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I fondly remember the Galloping Gourmet and follow his precepts when I can: one glass for the pot, one for me.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Nice offer CamberwellOz - let me know how much interest you get

I would need a bigger kitchen before I could offer to do the same mind you

[Cassius]

My mother had no patience so everything was burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. She really was a disgracefully bad example. I think I lived on bread (white) and honey until about 11.

[Pandora]

The WI (not the ED branch, but the organisation in general) is doing a project where WI members teach people to cook, there's information here: Cooking project

[Keef]

I wish I could have learnt some of my nan's recipies, she really is an amazing cook of traditional dishes! I just learnt by chucking things in and seeing what happened.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I have only three recipes from my Nana - all for rabbit.

[Marmora Man]

caberwell oz said: "I'll offer myself and my house once a week to teach people how to cook. I'd actually really enjoy it."

this is what I was proposing at the beginning - I would do the same for interested volunteers.

[CamberwellOz]

Your house is bigger Marmora Man. Maybe we should swap recipes? :)-D

[Moos]

Judging from the responses to this thread, MM, only Bellenden Belle and I qualify for the teaching and although I think your offer is very kind, I need curing of my phobia before I'd benefit from the lessons!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I cannot cook steak however much I try. That's a real bummer because it's so expensive. I have it rarely (in both senses) but bugger it up each time no matter that I pinch my mount of venus black and blue, or try every other method in the cook book. (not to be confused with mons which would be really painful)

[SeanMacGabhann]

That can't be allowed to continue any longer PGC - I'm herby offering to cook you steak and show you how

[Keef]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I cannot cook steak however much I try. That's a

> real bummer because it's so expensive. I have it

> rarely (in both senses) but bugger it up each time

> no matter that I pinch my mount of venus black and

> blue, or try every other method in the cook book.

> (not to be confused with mons which would be

> really painful)

Get yourself a cast iron skillet pan. Leave it on the heat for about 15 minutes until the handle is too hot to touch, then chuck the steak on, then turn the steak, then put it on a plate and eat it!

Obviously you can do more flash things, but that's the basics!

Do not do steak under a grill!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.culinaris-shop.com/WebRoot/Store17/Shops/61562434/485F/9174/A2C8/BFB6/9D94/C0A8/28BA/B051/grillpfanne_schwarz_m.jpg

Cost us a few quid, but worth EVERY penny!

[Brendan]

I bought one from a shop on Rye lane for ?5 about 4 years ago.

[mockney piers]

"I'm herby offering to cook you steak"

Freudian for sure, but flavours or volkswagens?

[Keef]

Really? Mrs Keef spent about ?60 on ours, it Le Creuset though darling!

Either way, it's the bo!!ocks!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Aw shucks, guys. All offers greatfully received.

I have one of those skillety things and still can't do it.

[SeanMacGabhann]

We did a massive shop in a great place on Rye Lane about a year ago for all sorts of pans, stock pots etc - recommended it to everyone then they went and closed down - bah

Yours

Herbie