| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 2/14/2007 1:55:13 PM | | I taught myself how to cook after first leaving home. Prior to that, my experience and experimentation in the kitchen was quite limited (my mother had issues with allowing anyone to have anything to do with lending a hand in her kitchen and wasn't keen on letting anyone cook for themselves). I started off on my own not even knowing how to boil pasta! I really dove in a learned a lot when I first became a vegetarian in my early university years and started buying used vegetarian cookbooks and reading them from cover to cover. Between learning about what works together and testing things out myself, I developed pretty good instincts and these days I'm comfortable following recipes as well as whipping things together using acquired knowledge / instincts / senses. At least nobody's complained yet when I've fed them something I've concocted. | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 2/14/2007 2:01:50 PM | I've just sort of had a natural way with putting the right spices with the right foods.Over the years I've cooked for weddings,birthday parties.anniversaries,general parties for up to 160 people.Enjoying the kitchen as well as sharing recipies and the time with those interested spending time with the cook.Oh and of course the cooks wine lol.
I once invited my landlord for dinner,to find later he was the head chef for hotel Toronto.Must have been OK he asked for the recipe lol and he's still alive. | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 2/14/2007 2:31:26 PM | | My ex used to like to eat out every night, so when I left him I had no idea how to cook. I played around with some recipes, asked friends and clients, and talked "shop" with people. Now I can cook almost anything and I've found I have a little talent for it. I love trying difficult recipes and playing around with food. Cooking is one of my favorite things to do. | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 2/15/2007 4:36:28 PM | | I got really hungry . Then I started cooking and it was bad......so very bad........so I started watching cooking shows and reading cook books..........and it got better....and after much practice and experimentation it's pretty tasty! | |
|
Mia828
|
Joined: 1/26/2007
Msg: 105 | |
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 2/15/2007 7:32:58 PM | I would say the one that really taught me how to cook would be both my parents and grandparents. What make's this extra special to me is that all of them are from different counties. Dad and his family came from Italy, I've learn to make Italian food from them. From my mother and her family they are from Cuba and that is where I learn my Cuban food. And because I'm 1st. generation of American I've learn the rest from books and friends and their families.  | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/19/2007 9:09:58 AM | Hong Kong Charlie or California Eddy when he is in California is the one that taught me to cook. He grew up in Hong Kong and he could cook! We both worked in a power plant, I was an auxillary operator and then moved up to assitant control operator, and while everyone else worked he cooked. We feasted on his foods! when he was cooking I was taking notes! His food was exquisite.
I could cook yummy Chinese foods until I moved and no one was interested in Chinese cooking. Then I lost my recipes!
My mom and dad are two of the worst cooks you can imagine. My mom thought food was safe to eat and good for you if it was burnt to a crisp. Pitch black toast is terrible especially when you have to eat it. Everything else was boiled to death. her meats were also pitch black.
As a kid I learned how to can and butcher since she needed the help. Other than that I avoided the kitchen.
Could not say anything nice about anyone elses cooking or she would bawl her eyes out.
My dad, ha, his food was even worse. He had chunks of baking soda and salt in everything he baked. His choice of foods was not sanitary either.
I always thought I was adopted!
I started reading cookbooks when I was in my early twenties since I had no idea how to cook. I knew how to can and butcher.
I had a huge collection of cookbooks for years. Moved and they went by by. I practised making the foods that I liked. I spent over a year going to a chinese restaurarnt just to keep tasting their sweet and sour chicken. Took me that long to get the recipe just right.
When I did cook I always cooked from scratch. I am an excellent cook now but I have worked hard to get there.
My experiments are a different story. I mention the word experiment in regards to a dish and no one will touch it. I made candy once and told the kids it was an experiment. It took me three hours to convince my son to try it. His cousin never would touch it.
I cant leave a recipe alone. I am always changing it a bit. I do the same thing with dress patterns.
My son started cooking when he was four. could not keep him out of the kitchen. He is one excellent cook. He is 29 now. I am very glad he is a good cook. I have a heart problem and do not have the energy to cook anything. He cooks for me. He even cleans my house! My home is always immactulate. Jed likes the house the same way since that is what he grew up in. So when he cleans it is as clean as if I had cleaned it myself.
Grand daughters. My son finally got custody of his daughter and is adopting her sister. They have no idea how to cook. So Kitrara wanted to make chocolate pudding. giggle. She was thinking open box and stir. She could not understand why I was pulling out containers of cocoa,cornstarch and sugar. Kitara is 13. I had her measure everything out and then had her stir the mix. She griped and grumbled and did her best to get me to do it for her. Nope. She wanted to make chocolate pudding so she was going to finish what she started. She took one bite and was ready to make more. Then it was Widgets turn, age 6. They both now know how to make chocolate pudding.
Chocolate Pudding
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
blend until completely smooth.
2 3/4 cup of milk
Pour about 1/2 a cup of the milk into the dry ingredients to make paste. Add a bit more until the paste is like syrup then add rest of milk. This way it keeps the lumps out.
Cook over low heat stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Boil about a minute. Remove from heat.
add
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp butter, not margarine
Until he set up his own home we had this chocolate pudding every saturday. About 20 years of saturdays with its chocolate pudding.
keela | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/19/2007 9:48:13 AM | | Everybody in family knows how to cook. So I started throwing stuff together at a young age. I learned to cook for others (outside of me). When I did the Katimavik volunteer group when I was 21. I was the only one in the house who could cook edible food and bake cookies. Katimavik inspired me to get real training in restaurant industry. Where I was a cook for a couple years. | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/19/2007 9:58:52 AM | I learned by watching my mother, primarily the later my friends parents, and others.
school etc.. never mastered baking. My mother was a baking wizz. And she did everything from scratch including cakes and stuff. laugh.. | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/19/2007 10:17:00 AM | | Single mom always working,,,and I was a very hungry growing boy,,,,not to brag but once ate seven prime rib at an all you can eat contest, not including three salads and the sides...of course my metabolism has slowed slightly since then..and I didnt touch prime rib for a number of months...but had a room mate a number of years ago that would prep all the food specials for this bar,,,,and definately learned alot from him over the years, | |
|
KKLuv
|
Joined: 9/7/2007
Msg: 110 | |
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 2:48:30 PM | | I started learning from my mother but then in highschool worked with my grandmother in her deli. Great cajun food! | |
|
daisie
|
Joined: 9/22/2004
Msg: 111 | |
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 2:58:36 PM | Dont you mean WHEN will I learn to cook?
or How WILL I ever learn to cook?
I did finally break down and buy a stove....so things are lookin up!!!! one step closer. now where is that TAKE HOME CHEF guy???
merry xmas
| |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 3:13:12 PM | I first started cooking in the summers when I visited my aunt. She lived on a farm and had anything you wanted to cook..and lots of patience to teach. From there, I started helping my mom, then took home economics in school.
The first time I moved out...I cooked and my roommates cleaned.
After I married, I took specialty courses at the tech school and got to practice with dinner
parties, etc.
One of the neatest things I've ever done was backstage help at a Southern Living Cooking
Schoool that my Pilot Club sponsored. I did tablescapes and actual prep of foods. Lots of
fun. Now I'm a great cook but seldom cook....it is just no fun for one.
I love to watch the cooking shows..to learn about technique as well as ingredients.
Becca | |
|
| |
Skyy54
|
Joined: 5/16/2006
Msg: 114 | |
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 4:15:24 PM | I'm from a family of 12 kids, I'm next to the oldest.. so at a young age my Mom and Gram taught me how to cook. Which I'm greatful for as I love to cook and have been told many times that I'm a good cook. Most of my cooking I do from scratch as that is how I was taught. Once in a while I cheat and use boxed food, but it depends on what it is. Most boxed foods I don't like. I prefer cooking from scratch. If I can help anyone please feel free to contact me... have a great day and happy cooking!  | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 4:34:19 PM | | I was in university and was trying to cook without much success. I asked a female friend how to cook pasta. She knew I was a slow learner, so she explained to me exactly how to cook pasta, bit by bit, for a full 10 minutes. I tried what she said for a few times, and got the hang of it. By the end of the year, I was quite happy cooking pasta and even made up my own sauces. | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 4:53:09 PM | Hmmm. I remember a grandfather who was a widower for a time learned to cook. He pretty much had too. For someone who was brought up with traditional gender roles he actually was pretty good.
As for me, when I went off to school I very quickly learned about cooking. Some things I could do others I could not. A strict budget is a real eye opener for creativity. No particular style; some asian, some classic American, some Cajun, etc. Whatever fit the budget was allright by me. Later on I simply enjoyed doing it. Thankfully, I'm not the type who singes water. To this day I still get a kick out of watching re-runs of Julia Child in her kitchen.
One additional question not asked by the OP was "OK, you learned to cook, but do you also clean the pots and pans afterwards?" Or do you the type who lets them sit in the sink for a while?
My response is: I made it, I enjoyed it, I can clean it up. | |
|
libbyv
|
Joined: 8/17/2005
Msg: 117 | |
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 4:54:29 PM | My mother taught me to cook and my nephew showed me as well ,who was a cook at restaurants.
You have to be able to make your own meals to survive. Going to restaurants often would be too expensive, so you need to learn how to cook and bake meals.
| |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 5:14:42 PM | My parents were big on cooking, and they cooked most of the family meals at home. So growing up in that environment, I picked up on things, mostly from observing my mom cook. As a result, I could make snacks and breakfast foods by the age of 6 (with some supervision, obviously). As I grew older, I learned more cooking methods, and by the time I started high school, I could make a complete meal by myself.
Now, living on my own, I'm so glad I learned to cook. It's cheaper than restaurants, and I get a kick out of actually making something. Most of the stuff I usually make are my own twists or simplified versions of family classics. But on nights when the fridge is empty and my brain is fried from work, nothing can beat a good take-out meal. | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 5:39:12 PM | | Wow, for all the people on the first page saying "no parent would allow a 4 y/o to cook" I say you are wrong!!! My mother worked nights and my father didn't care what we did. I was cooking long before I could reach the stove. Drag over a chair and turn it on. I actually learned left and right by the burners on the stove......was the only way I could remember it for the longest time. I HAD to know which burner I was turning on. I made some nasty stuff in the early years but I got better and better and better. Now about 90% of my cooking is my own recipes and I am an excellent cook. I also have several pretty deep scars from being burned (my hand, my stomach, my arm......) | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 6:03:15 PM | I am still learning. I know for sure the fire alarms in my kitchen works and my neighbors know that too. | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/29/2007 6:43:37 PM | I'm not trying saying this because I'm bitter or that all things in relationships have been bad. It's just the truth in my case.
I learned how to cook because I moved in with my first gf and she couldn't cook and didn't clean. Every woman I have been with since didn't cook or clean very much. If I didn't learn it wasn't going to happen. Now i have gotten to the point if you can't cook or clean I'm not with you. I actually love to cook now and it's a hobby for me. | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/31/2007 12:17:54 AM | | I learnd to cook by experimenting. I just tryed difernt stuff together till it comes out great lol. All my friends seem to almost fight over anything i cook lol | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 10/31/2007 9:30:23 PM | I was 14 when I ended up in food. Right in Chatham. My parents were slightly abusive, so I hit the streets early, and worked very young in life. I know...boo hhoo.
But 10 yrs into my cooking, a family who was very succesful took me in. They employed me and taught me so much. An Italian Family here in Chatham. It was with them that I learned about excellence, about creativity and taking pride in one's work.
I still compare alot of other restaurants to them, because they did it so well. (and still do)I have a passion for food, but it took the kindness and patience of that family to share what they knew with me. I will always think fondly of those days. | |
|
Tarnj
|
Joined: 7/11/2007
Msg: 124 | |
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 11/1/2007 5:20:05 AM | My family were pretty poor and my mom and dad both had to work despite there being four kids to look after. I was 8, a very fussy eater and the eldest, I was responsible for looking after all the other tykes. So I kinda just took it upon myself to marinate some chicken and bung it in the oven or heat up some beans and throw them on toast or bacon and eggs (simple stuff). By 12 I was being pushed to cook for visitors so the folks could show me off :D Nowadays I make international dishes for friends and family, theyre enough of a handfull for me not to pursue cheffing as a career  | |
|
| How did you learn to cook?
Posted: 11/4/2007 6:20:29 AM | | I love food! can eat it every day! I started cooking soup at 5 and my sister pushed me into the burner and my cotton shirt cought on fire and burnt off my body while my parents were chasing me around the house. They couldn't catch me. I have a light scar from that but it didn't stop me from cooking. I can make about anything I put my mind to. Like healthy food better but those white flour pie crusts made with crisco shortning mmmm. well I wish I had time to cook as much as I would like to but have to work too much. If I ever do meet a nice girl hope she cooks too. Luke, | |
|
Home
login 
