I’ve just been making some toffee cupcakes [a new recipe – I’ll post it if they turn out okay!] and got to wondering about people who can and cannot cook.
So, I’ve got a question for you to answer down in the comments section…
Do you think you can cook, and if not, why not?
I really appreciate my mum teaching me to cook. I’ve grown up eating good home-made food and I’ve been cooking on my own since I was about ten years old. I wouldn’t say I’m an amazing cook but I can confidently put a meal together for guests and I enjoy making new things.
However, I know people that get in a cold sweat when they think about preparing a meal and don’t have the first clue about how to cook certain things, or about portion sizes.
Why do you think this is? Surely anyone can follow a recipe? Maybe it’s just a case inexperience? Or are there simply just people who cannot cook?
I look forward to hearing what you think…!
Dreaming of the Country 
I would not consider myself a master cook, but I do believe I can cook when it comes to certain foods. For example, I have found delicious ways to modify macaroni and cheese that make it more than a simple meal in the end. My favorite so far has been a mix of chili con carne with Mrs. Dash table mix. Even though most of my cooking experience comes from basic dishes that are often in the college diet…I do believe I can cook.
I struggle to understand why people can’t cook – as generally speaking if you follow the recipe things should turn out OK. But having said that there are some cook books that assume a lot – they use jargon, or else they miss out ‘obvious’ steps. If you’re going to write down how to make something then you need to include all the instructions. Having said all that I don’t often cook cakes etc. and I think there is a lot more scope for disaster when baking a cake, as compared to some chicken, sauce, pasta combo.
I can cook if I’ve got a recipe but I rarely cook everything from scratch. It’s laziness I guess!
Having mentioned earlier about following a recipe – managed a wrong ingredient tonight! Supposed to be making Mixed Bean Chilli – instead it turned out as Mixed Bean Curry – for some reason I read chilli powder but then got curry powder out of the cupboard. But it was still very nice. Definitely one to go on the ‘make again’ list – and I’ll probably stick with the curry version!
Okay, I guess I can cook, because MJ loves the food I cook. And my parents want to know my secret recipes and are always asking me to make something for them (apple pie, or pasta, or white chocolate coconut balls…).
So I guess I can cook… But I think I have still lots of things to learn…
Do you remember when Keith sieved an egg?! The recipe said to sieve the flour but didn’t tell you to take the sieve away before the next stage!!! He does better now!
Hahahahahaaha. That has cheered my day xx
did i ever tell you about the first meal keith cooked for me? The instructions on the crumble clearly said remove all packaging – how was he supposed to know that didn’t include the foil tray the crumble was sitting in!! however he definately comes into the ‘can’ cook catagory these days!
Just wondering whether anyone else wants to add any stories about my cooking?
A late addition to the comments. I have a reputation of being able to cook and the pressure is trying to keep up to it. The most important skill of a cook, I think, is rectifying mistakes. That’s one thing I’m good at.
Hmm, I love cooking, and confidently make food for myself, but I think I do worry a bit about making food for other people, partly because I was brought up to eat what I was given and to like it, but a lot of people my age and younger seem to be rather fussy, so, especially being a veggie, I worry that people just won’t like the kind of thing I cook. Also, in terms of portions, I tend to aim for too much and stick leftovers in the fridge/freezer. I also think planning ahead is useful, because I never seem to have all the stuff in recipes, so then I never use them, and then can’t keep track of what is disastrous and what is brilliant, because there was never a recipe involved…
I like using recipes though on special occasions. Everyone can cook, it’s just that not everyone does. xxxxx