Your Journey As A Cook

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morning glory said:
I like that about this topic too.



What a great story. I'm glad we are part of it. The great thing about cooking is that you can share it with friends and family, its creative and its a continual learning experience. That is what you story demonstrates so well. :D
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I love cooking for people. Now I'm confident enough in my abilities to try brand new dishes to serve my family and friends. I don't feel that I need a "test run" first :)
 
Well for me I've been interested in cooking since my late teen years really. We weren't particularly well off when I was younger although we certainly weren't poor. Mum tended to cycle the same meals around with very little variation so there was no real chance for me to experiment. Dad and I would go fishing and crabbing in the summer and rabbiting in the winter. So rabbit stews and simple fried fish were the order of the day.
Mum was convinced that eating at restaurants was a waste of time and expensive, with the restaurants serving tiny tiny portions of 'la di da' food.
I had flipped through some cookery books and they did interest me but with Dad not being interested in 'foreign food' I had no chance of trying recipes out.

I moved out of home into a series of flats (apartments) and I'm afraid most thoughts of cooking took a back seat to leading the single life. I did try a few roasts and similar but nothing much more than that. I wasn't very successful with the ladies and I do wonder that if I had had a girlfriend I might have been more inclined to cook for her. Besides which, work, pubs and a new found interest in archaeology left little time for cooking although I did indulge my interest in food by eating in restaurants and the like.
I eventually got married and in divvying up the household chores it was decided that I would do the bulk of the cooking. It was only then that I got interested in the process of cooking and started trying new recipes.
And once I started my current job the odd hours that I work made it a no brainer for me to do the cooking, the only time I don't cook is when I'm on a late. It makes more sense for me to cook if I'm home at 2pm to 4:30pm.
 
My siblings used to poke fun at my cooking. It was so embarrassing!!! I knew that I'd get better though, eventually. They used to tell me that cooking was for girls & women only!! :headshake:

I DID get better! Now they love it!!! :wink:
 
I actually started when in the Boy Scouts. Seriously when I went to college. At first it wasn't very good. Ok, I admit it was awful, but I made myself eat it. That led to vast improvements rather quickly and I haven't looked back since!

BTW, when I was in high school, they had replaced Home Ec with Family Living.
 
Duck59 said:
I don't think there's any kind of strategy, you just have to get on with things. Perhaps the one small consolation you take is that things can only get better.
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My father left home when I was 3 years old, when I was about 9 years old I started worrying about where me and my brothers would go if something happened to my mum. It really worried me. Not so much when I started work. I admire your fortitude.

Russ
 
Lullabelle said:
Unfortunately home economics are becoming a thing of the past over here, schools are closing their kitchens so basic cooking skills are not being taught, most parents work so don't have time or want to teach.
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Sad but true. I heard Greg Wallace being interviewed on the radio this week. He is adamant that unless cooking returns to the school syllabus we will be consigned as a nation to living off ready meals.
 
Cooking Journey
Mine is story of necessity. 20 years ago I was diagnosed with a digestive disorder. Doctor gave me two choices: Surgery or change your diet. I looked out the window and saw the doctors' brand new Mercedes and decided I would choose "Change my Diet". One tiny problem. I knew nothing about cooking. Zero skills. Basically, I knew how to open a can of soup and how to call the local pizza shop.
Public Broadcasting
Before the explosion of Streaming TV and a seemingly endless supply of cooking shows, Public Broadcasting had 4 hours per week set aside for cooking. I learned a lot from these shows especially about technique. As I experimented I also began to build my set of kitchen tools. I kept getting better in the kitchen.
Shopping
Another piece of the puzzle was learning how to shop for food. Learning how to navigate the produce area, fresh bakeries, deli shops and butcher shops.
Healthy Ingredients
About the same time I was learning how to shop, I learned how to read nutritional labels. Amazing some of the stuff you find on labels.
I am a Computer Geek
Above all else, I am a geek. So, starting my own food blog came very natural to me. Since my first blog (called Chef Mancave), I have created several blogs that have...how should I put this...FAILED. I won't bore you with my latest attempt, but I am producing more engaging video recipes and much better food photography techniques.
What's Next?
Becoming a valuable member on CookingBites. :happy:
 
TodayInTheKitchen said:
Cooking Journey
Mine is story of necessity. 20 years ago I was diagnosed with a digestive disorder. Doctor gave me two choices: Surgery or change your diet. I looked out the window and saw the doctors' brand new Mercedes and decided I would choose "Change my Diet". One tiny problem. I knew nothing about cooking. Zero skills. Basically, I knew how to open a can of soup and how to call the local pizza shop.
Public Broadcasting
Before the explosion of Streaming TV and a seemingly endless supply of cooking shows, Public Broadcasting had 4 hours per week set aside for cooking. I learned a lot from these shows especially about technique. As I experimented I also began to build my set of kitchen tools. I kept getting better in the kitchen.
Shopping
Another piece of the puzzle was learning how to shop for food. Learning how to navigate the produce area, fresh bakeries, deli shops and butcher shops.
Healthy Ingredients
About the same time I was learning how to shop, I learned how to read nutritional labels. Amazing some of the stuff you find on labels.
I am a Computer Geek
Above all else, I am a geek. So, starting my own food blog came very natural to me. Since my first blog (called Chef Mancave), I have created several blogs that have...how should I put this...FAILED. I won't bore you with my latest attempt, but I am producing more engaging video recipes and much better food photography techniques.
What's Next?
Becoming a valuable member on CookingBites. :happy:
Click to expand...

That is a huge learning curve. Its great that you took so much on board and are presumably healthier? Since being on CookingBites I've learned a a huge amount and honed my food photography skills beyond belief. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
 
TodayInTheKitchen said:
Cooking Journey
Mine is story of necessity. 20 years ago I was diagnosed with a digestive disorder. Doctor gave me two choices: Surgery or change your diet. I looked out the window and saw the doctors' brand new Mercedes and decided I would choose "Change my Diet". One tiny problem. I knew nothing about cooking. Zero skills. Basically, I knew how to open a can of soup and how to call the local pizza shop.
Public Broadcasting
Before the explosion of Streaming TV and a seemingly endless supply of cooking shows, Public Broadcasting had 4 hours per week set aside for cooking. I learned a lot from these shows especially about technique. As I experimented I also began to build my set of kitchen tools. I kept getting better in the kitchen.
Shopping
Another piece of the puzzle was learning how to shop for food. Learning how to navigate the produce area, fresh bakeries, deli shops and butcher shops.
Healthy Ingredients
About the same time I was learning how to shop, I learned how to read nutritional labels. Amazing some of the stuff you find on labels.
I am a Computer Geek
Above all else, I am a geek. So, starting my own food blog came very natural to me. Since my first blog (called Chef Mancave), I have created several blogs that have...how should I put this...FAILED. I won't bore you with my latest attempt, but I am producing more engaging video recipes and much better food photography techniques.
What's Next?
Becoming a valuable member on CookingBites. :happy:
Click to expand...


:welcome:
 
morning glory said:
That is a huge learning curve. Its great that you took so much on board and are presumably healthier? Since being on CookingBites I've learned a a huge amount and honed my food photography skills beyond belief. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
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Thanks for the encouragement and...yes...I am much healthier today. Thank you for asking. I noticed you talk about Food Photography. Is there a forum on CookingBites dedicated to photography?
 
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