Cooking a lost art?

[Miss Z]

I find cooking to be a stress reliever. I love to experiment and I love watching people enjoy my food.

I agree with the above - cooking is a great way to unwind, when it goes right, that is. I'm a bit of a perfectionist with food and like putting effort into giving a dish some aesthetics as well as good flavours, so if it ends up collapsing even just in the slightest, I feel miffed. If I'm going to cook, then I do the whole lot from scratch - no cheating by buying ready made sauces or doughs. Filo pastry.... agony!

I've been cooking 'seriously' for about a year now, and started with a little student vegetarian cookbook in preparation for my uni days. I now have several giant hardback recipe books that are full of scribbles from where I've changed the amounts of ingredients and added new ideas.

In England, all they eat is SPAM.

Heh, but 'I'm a (supposed) Celebrity.... Get me out of Here!' taught me that the main diet of an Australian is witchetty grubs and kangaroo testicles.

[Lady's Human]

Cooking a lost art? Judging from a couple PT threads, I'd say the jury's still out. On one hand, we can't seem to be able to boil eggs, but our cooking and recipe threads tend to run for pages and pages.

[Freedom]

I LOVE SPAM! Make it about once a week!

[pomtzu]

I LOVE SPAM! Make it about once a week!

And everyone thinks I'm crazy when I say I like it............

I don't eat it that often, but every so often it strikes my fancy.

[Medusa]

I didn't even know Spam was still around. Yowza!

[wombat2u2004]

And everyone thinks I'm crazy when I say I like it............

I don't eat it that often, but every so often it strikes my fancy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE

[RICHARD]

On one hand, we can't seem to be able to boil eggs, but our cooking and recipe threads tend to run for pages and pages.

I haven't killed my self yet.

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The easiest thing to do is plan a little and eat for a few days on one meal.

Ready?

Sunday Dinner?

Roast some chicken breasts with veggies.

Make gravy from the drippings, and serve with some of the veggies.

Rip apart the rest of the chicken and put it into the fridge with the veggies.

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Monday lunch?

Shredded chicken, salad from the package sexed up with some tomatoes and onions, dressing?

Monday dinner?

Open a can of beans, grab a few tortillas, cheese and a can of salsa.

Heat up some of the chicken with some bell peppers?

Chicken fajitas!

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Tuesday lunch?

Chicken salad, chop up some veggies the night before, toss with mayo and toast some bread.


By the time Tuesday dinner come you are tired of chicken and you can eat the FISH you cooked with the chicken on Sunday.


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LH,

Remember the people that BAKE and make their own bread...The artisians that take bread recipes and go nuts with them.

And?

A little tree bark (cinnamon) goes along way.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Personally I do almost all my cooking from scratch. I find cooking to be a stress reliever. I love to experiment and I love watching people enjoy my food. Is this really becoming a rareity in the every day home now?

Ummmm....I confess....for me, cooking is a stress producer.
I don't mind baking a few things that I do well, but cooking.....
Let's just say I love microwaves and any short-cut I can take in the kitchen, you can be sure I'll be taking it.

The only things I really spend a lot of time on cooking "from scratch" are the eggplants and zucchini my husband grows in the garden.

[Asiel]

After years of working full time and cooking for hubby and four kids I now take the easiest way out. The kids are grown, hubby loves to eat out or we pick up ready meals at our grocer's or order in. I've had my share of cooking from scratch, done my time in the kitchen. We aren't big eaters so it really isn't worth making meals because we don't like leftovers. I just wish all these handy meals we can get today would have been available when the kids were at home and I came home bushed from working all day. The only thing I make now is homemade soup and I keep some in the freezer for days that we don't feel like anything else. And meatloaf, hubby goes nuts for my meatloaf and I like it too so I will make it every now and then. I've earned my kitchen wings so it's time to relax now that the family is grown.
Lunches consist of salads and I even buy that ready made, must say my kids are all great cooks boys and girls so I guess they must have enjoyed my cooking.

[RICHARD]

I've earned my kitchen wings

Hot, spicy or both?

[K9karen]

I love to cook! My mom was a good cook, but didn't experiment with all the spice I do. I remember when she added oregano to something and was so proud of herself. Remembering all the high fat, cholesterol Polish yummies.....*sigh*

When my mom died, i started experimenting and cooking new every day, or trying to. I also find it relaxing, knowing my brother, at least, will kiss me afterwards and tell me how he can't wait to come home at 11p to something new. He now eats Indian, Mexican and foods he never knew existed. YUM!

I can't bake to save my life. I can do chocolate chip cookies from scratch, that's all. If I follow a recipe, it never seems to come out. John says that is because I hate to be told what to do! So, by hit or miss, I make up my own stuff.

Shame we can't do one massive pot luck party in a neutral place! Richard's in charge of my fave food...hint hint.

[kitten645]

I'm sort of "in the industry" as my job for the last three years involves a family owned grocery store. I was never much of a "foodie" until now. I see a huge shift now with people understanding that the whole big box food industry is really unhealthy and they are better off either buying made food from our kitchens that use high quality ingredients or cooking themselves. I predict there will be a big swing back to cooking at home. I think people are better informed that buying local produce in season is a far better choice both healthwise and for the economy.
My mom hated to cook and made it a big ordeal so I think I picked up on that negativity. My dad loved to cook but of course he didn't do it everydy. I enjoy cooking simple meals. I've always been a good baker (chemistry really) but I'm just now getting to be a good cook (more art than chemistry) I admire anyone that cooks from scratch. Good for you!

[Lady's Human]

LH,

Remember the people that BAKE and make their own bread...The artisians that take bread recipes and go nuts with them.

And?

A little tree bark (cinnamon) goes along way.

Nuts? Not yet, couldn't find any citron or lemon peel to go with them.

[Lilith Cherry]

I cook all the time - like Nicole I use it as a stress reliever LOL - plus I have a fussy Yorkshireman for a husband who hates fast food and packaged stuff. As I live in China (even though I am English/Canadian, Wombat - I hate Spam but then i hate Lamingtons too) I am limited to cooking on two gas rings and a toaster oven; this is the weeks menu so far:


Chocolate sour cream cake ( for my birthday)

Chicken in herbed cream sauce
Chocolate chip and walnut cookies

Spaghetti bolognese
Carrot and raisin muffins


Tourtiere (Canadian minced pork pie)

Pork rib and veggie casserole
Blueberry jam tarts

Roast loin of pork with roast potatoes and nutmegged carrots
Raspberry jam sponge and custard


Cornish pasties ( with minced beef - no lamb in South China)

Tomorrow I am thinking of Cheese and bacon quiche.

By the way, all three of my daughters-in-law are great cooks too!

[wombat2u2004]

Wombat - I hate Spam but then i hate Lamingtons too)

No !!!! That's not possible. You can't possibly dislike lamingtons.
You've spent too long in China. Too much rice, that's what it is.
Lamingtons are the food of the Gods !!!!!!