Who's into cooking?

[Zak33]

Lo lovely people

Simple question for you IT Hardware and PC / gaming loving dudes and dudettes.

Do you enjoy food and cooking?

[Zak33]

4 loves so far .....foodie people

[scaryjim]

Who doesn't love cooking? There's no better thing in the world, IMNSHO.

I even occasionally have people love the things I cook, which is even better

[Zak33]

Who doesn't love cooking? There's no better thing in the world, IMNSHO.

I even occasionally have people love the things I cook, which is even better

yup.. agree

[Ttaskmaster]

Well... I do heat food up before eating it...

TBH, since getting married and having people like in-laws, friends and 'dinner guests' round to impress on a more regular basis, I have started putting more effort in. I can generally chuck something edible together on a spur of the moment. I do also at least read through some recipes, before ignoring half of them and adding my own twist on things. I'm generally regarded as better at fry-ups, braas/barbecues, stir fry, stews, sandwiches and South African recipes than my wife, but she is still the queen of salads, roasts and Christmas dinners.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Can there be another option?? I cook to eat but sometimes like to cook for pleasure too??

[Saracen]

Who doesn't love cooking? There's no better thing in the world, IMNSHO.

...

Both the wife and mum-in-law regard cooking as chore. Neither do it for pleasure.

I, on the other hand, love it provided :-

- I have time, and
- with some health issues, I'm not feeling crappy.

There's another difference between me and both mum-in-law and wife .... they cook what they know, either rigidly from memory, or strictly from recipe. I regard as recipe as a guide, a starting point, and from there I experiment :-

- what happens if you use this instead of that?
- what about adding a bit of this?
- what about cooking it differently?
- etc.

Example (simple one).

Toast some bread, bung cheese on top and grill. Voila, cheese on toast.

Now, try different types of bread.
Next, different types of cheese.
What about ham (or bacon), then cheese and grill?
Now, as above with basil. Or oregano? Or chilli.
Or, with cheese half-melted, Worcester sauce?
Some lightly fried mushrooms, grated cheese and grill?
Don't forget tomatoes. Try them.
Toast, lightly spread with marmite, a little cheese, sliced tomatoes and grill.

Some of the above work better than others, but I've tried all these, and more. And that's just cheese on toast variants. It's also my take on lesson one from "Cooking 101 for Impoverished Students with Little Money and Less Time".

For me, cooking requires, above all, curiosity, a need to understand how and why things work, because that leads to technique, which leads to the right result.

Two other things are essential basics :- some very sharp knives AND the skill to use them without minor (or major) unintended self-surgery, and

- ABOVE ALL, cleanliness, neatness and hygiene awareness.

From that basis, cooking is a life-long learning and improving exercise. And that's why I love it.

[peterb]

I cook to eat for myself - but I do enjoy cooking for other people and trying new things.

But I do prepare food from scratch - no ready meals for me - and I bake my own bread

[Zak33]

nearly twice as many people like it to dislike or not bothered...

A very food orientated forum....

keep voting please :-)

We have something rather cool about to hit :-)

[Saracen]

nearly twice as many people like it to dislike or not bothered...

A very food orientated forum....

keep voting please :-)

We have something rather cool about to hit :-)

Free strawberries and cream for life for long-term Admins?



Where'd I put my drool smiley?

[virtuo]

I prefer to eat than cook, I do like to cook "properly" when I have time, but usually it's just throw something together in the little time I have.

[shaithis]

Make a large chilli every week for brunch at work.

Cook most evenings.

Yes, I'm into cooking - and eating! For the last year or so I have been low-carb though, which has tied my hands quite harshly in terms of what I can cook, which is a shame.

[Hoonigan]

I enjoy cooking, though I'm not great at it.

Me and the missus have recently started receiving little "cook boxes" from https://www.simplycook.com/ - They taste awesome and make the cooking part much less stressful

[Zak33]

I enjoy cooking, though I'm not great at it.

Me and the missus have recently started receiving little "cook boxes" from https://www.simplycook.com/ - They taste awesome and make the cooking part much less stressful

hey.. you can cook with help.
www.cranble.com

[g8ina]

As long as Im not having a bad day there is nothing better to restore my calmer karma...

I love the tactileness of it all, the sharpness of my knives (including a new ceramic !), the smells of freshly chopped herbs straight from our garden, the smoke coming off my pan with a pair of ribeye steaks for me and her indoors

and then I get to eat it

[TheAnimus]

www.chefsteps.com have very well produced videos that even the most useless person in the kitchen could follow.

I think sauces are a good "gateway" to being a better cook. People who are using bisto or similar with your roast, be amazed at the difference a few minutes of effort can yield.