One of the main goals I have, besides the technique (method) and ingredient blends and timing of meals, is to learn to make those dishes that I have always loved but never had a real hand in making.
To "do" rather than just observe, since I learn better that way, is part of this whole "learn to really cook" thing I'm going thru.
There's a Billy Crystal movie I saw once that said that most "guys" order Veal Parmesan when they eat out, but I don't know if that's really true or not, EVEN if "I" do, quite often. I've had lots of experience with the interpretations of that dish, as I've eaten it in a lot of different establishments.
Just like a Turkey Club, or any other dish, I suppose. The more you eat it, in more places, you see the variations on the theme. Some good, and some well...........not so good.
I can't tell you that yesterday's milestone meal was the way I like it best, but there was nothing wrong with the way it came out. It tasted fine. I had checked my two foundational cook books, and I honestly became a bit frustrated with the "go here first" and "see Parmesan" references, so I decided to enlist the input of my wife, who is the REAL "cook" in the house.
With her guidance, and periodic reminders to "let me do it," (because if you are a cook, admittedly it is hard to keep your hands off, ............I understand) I followed her instructions step by step, and was quite surprised how easy and fast it really was to make this dish.
I didn't like using a fork to move the Veal from the flour to the egg wash, and into the bread crumbs, and used my fingers. I had MUCH better control of the meat, even IF it was a tad more messy.
Also, I have to admit that I didn't do a sauce from "scratch" for this dish. I want to, and will learn to make a sauce, but yesterday was not the day. I could have embellished the sauce a bit when I first put it into the frying pan (I didn't deep fry the Veal), but didn't think of it, frankly.
What did I learn:
-Making sauce from scratch would enhance the flavor of the dish.
-Noodles need the full 10 minutes + to be truly soft. El Dante is fine though.
-Forks are not as easy as fingers when working with the uncooked Veal.
-careful spooning of the finished Veal Parmesan from the skillet to the plate, keeps the
colorful visual of the cheese on top, evident.
-I could have gone BACK to the egg wash for a second pass at the corn meal topping
if I wanted, to build up a thicker coating.
-Veal cooks VERY quickly, and is easy to burn. Back off the heat fairly quickly once you
begin to fry the portions.
-I felt like Emeril when I was adding the Olive Oil to the skillet (lol).
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Again with the Apples!!
Something mysterious is driving my passion for fruit these days. I thought I was going to focus on meats, vegetables, and the like. That's true of course, and yet I find the desert section of meals the most fun for some reason.
Perhaps it is the sweet taste, or the joy of the reward after the meal is completed, I'm not sure. Whatever it is, I LIKE the dessert menu (don't we all?!). It has not been uncommon for me to make coffee cakes and the like, from scratch in the past, so it came with no surprise that for Sunday's "roast & potatoes" meal, I would once again try something new.
Jaques Pepin has written a new cookbook called "Essentially Pepin," which I was considering as my "cooking bible" before I went with "The Joy Of Cooking," but the local cookie-cutter bookstore was selling it for double the price, (100% markup is not uncommon as you know), and so I passed on it, opting to record his television shows that were illustrations of the recipes found within it.
This past Sunday morning, I watched a Pepin episode that was taped from the night before, and he made "Apples Bune Fame." (I think I was interested in it as much as for the apples, as for the "Bune Fame" part. My wife and I have French blood streaming thru our veins, and so we call each other Bune Fame and Bune Name all the time).
It was fairly straight forward to make. After seeing his demonstration, I set out to find out if we had the Apricot Jam in house already (and we did, to my surprise). The only thing that was holding me back was the coring tool that I knew we did not have. So with a little help from the wife, who showed me how to use a peeling tool to core an apple, I was on my way.
In spite of a not so great substitution, the Apples Bune Fame came out very tasty!
What did I learn:
-I gotta buy an apple coring tool
-Scoring the skin around the top third of an apple is tricky to get lined up.
-Don't use seeded Rye bread as your base
-The recipe in the book (we finally ordered it online for half the price) doesn't
agree with the abbreviated TV version with regard to basting after 30 minutes
and the use of bread as a base.
-Give it the FULL hour at 375ºF.
Perhaps it is the sweet taste, or the joy of the reward after the meal is completed, I'm not sure. Whatever it is, I LIKE the dessert menu (don't we all?!). It has not been uncommon for me to make coffee cakes and the like, from scratch in the past, so it came with no surprise that for Sunday's "roast & potatoes" meal, I would once again try something new.
Jaques Pepin has written a new cookbook called "Essentially Pepin," which I was considering as my "cooking bible" before I went with "The Joy Of Cooking," but the local cookie-cutter bookstore was selling it for double the price, (100% markup is not uncommon as you know), and so I passed on it, opting to record his television shows that were illustrations of the recipes found within it.
This past Sunday morning, I watched a Pepin episode that was taped from the night before, and he made "Apples Bune Fame." (I think I was interested in it as much as for the apples, as for the "Bune Fame" part. My wife and I have French blood streaming thru our veins, and so we call each other Bune Fame and Bune Name all the time).
It was fairly straight forward to make. After seeing his demonstration, I set out to find out if we had the Apricot Jam in house already (and we did, to my surprise). The only thing that was holding me back was the coring tool that I knew we did not have. So with a little help from the wife, who showed me how to use a peeling tool to core an apple, I was on my way.
In spite of a not so great substitution, the Apples Bune Fame came out very tasty!
What did I learn:
-I gotta buy an apple coring tool
-Scoring the skin around the top third of an apple is tricky to get lined up.
-Don't use seeded Rye bread as your base
-The recipe in the book (we finally ordered it online for half the price) doesn't
agree with the abbreviated TV version with regard to basting after 30 minutes
and the use of bread as a base.
-Give it the FULL hour at 375ºF.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
My First "Meal" (of sorts)
The first thing I've learned, is that I will end up making most of my meals on Saturdays and Sundays, just because I have a wife who is willing (and enjoys) making sure that there is a "dinner" ready when I get home from work each day. I'm thankful that she has enough energy to do this, and am very grateful.
Saturdays and Sundays however, being "mine" to use, motivated me to make dinner this evening, since it is indeed "Saturday."
First off, I went looking for an Apple Crisp Recipe in my chosen bible for cooking ("The Joy ........") and found one on page 692 that looked easy enough. I got all the ingredients on the table and pre-heated the oven at 375ºF as the Recipe said.
Washing, peeling and slicing the apples is something I've done before, so I went at it with gusto, and got them all in a square casserole dish (UN-buttered) and got the dry ingredients all measured out and blended in a separate mixing bowl. I cut the butter stick into thin pieces and used a potato masher to incorporate it. It took some doing but I got it done, and spread it over the apples.
The requirement was 55 minutes for the apple dish, so I set the timer and got a pre-cooked chicken (I know, I cheated) into another casserole dish and covered it with tin foil. I wasn't sure if I needed to add just a light dose of water on the bottom or not, and I confess that I consulted with my mother about that (the wife was sleeping, and unaware).
I decided to cheat yet again, and got a can of corn out of the pantry and got it into a pot with water and a chunk of butter, and got that heating up, and decided I would make two baked potatoes. I scrubbed the potatoes and decided to use the "Baked Potato" setting on the microwave, which wanted to cook them for six and a half minutes for two, waiting until I was six minutes away from the end of the baking of the apple dish.
All went well basically. I set the table, got out all the necessary knives and forks and such, and went up to wake the wife up about 10 minutes before the meal would theoretically be "ready." She came down and asked, "what's this," and "what's that," and seemed genuinely impressed.
When I hit the "six minute mark" for the apple crisp, I started the potatoes, and at the 1 minute mark for everything, I drained the corn and got them into a serving dish with another tab of butter, on the table.
In the end everything was warm at the same time.............well.........almost. Seems the potatoes were not quite cooked yet (I had put holes in them before cooking them, in case you were wondering), and so the wife suggested cutting them in half (they were big potatoes) and putting them in for another 3 minutes.
All in all, the chicken (being pre-cooked) was fine, the corn was fine, and the potatoes, although delayed, were fine (albeit still a bit under cooked, but not bad, and great for hash browns tomorrow morning in that condition.
She and I ate half the chicken and saved the OTHER half for a Chicken Pot Pie I will attempt tomorrow, and then served up the golden brown coated Apple Crisp. It was delicious!!! (If I do say so myself).
What did I learn:
-I could have wrapped the potatoes in aluminum foil and put them into the oven when I put in the Apple Crisp, and they would have been cooked enough when the whole meal was served.
-I need to remember NOT to take the potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil, and put them in the microwave.
-A cold cooked chicken can go into the same 375ºF oven with the Apple Crisp, and be ready to eat
at the same time as the Apple Crisp is ready to come out.
Saturdays and Sundays however, being "mine" to use, motivated me to make dinner this evening, since it is indeed "Saturday."
First off, I went looking for an Apple Crisp Recipe in my chosen bible for cooking ("The Joy ........") and found one on page 692 that looked easy enough. I got all the ingredients on the table and pre-heated the oven at 375ºF as the Recipe said.
Washing, peeling and slicing the apples is something I've done before, so I went at it with gusto, and got them all in a square casserole dish (UN-buttered) and got the dry ingredients all measured out and blended in a separate mixing bowl. I cut the butter stick into thin pieces and used a potato masher to incorporate it. It took some doing but I got it done, and spread it over the apples.
The requirement was 55 minutes for the apple dish, so I set the timer and got a pre-cooked chicken (I know, I cheated) into another casserole dish and covered it with tin foil. I wasn't sure if I needed to add just a light dose of water on the bottom or not, and I confess that I consulted with my mother about that (the wife was sleeping, and unaware).
I decided to cheat yet again, and got a can of corn out of the pantry and got it into a pot with water and a chunk of butter, and got that heating up, and decided I would make two baked potatoes. I scrubbed the potatoes and decided to use the "Baked Potato" setting on the microwave, which wanted to cook them for six and a half minutes for two, waiting until I was six minutes away from the end of the baking of the apple dish.
All went well basically. I set the table, got out all the necessary knives and forks and such, and went up to wake the wife up about 10 minutes before the meal would theoretically be "ready." She came down and asked, "what's this," and "what's that," and seemed genuinely impressed.
When I hit the "six minute mark" for the apple crisp, I started the potatoes, and at the 1 minute mark for everything, I drained the corn and got them into a serving dish with another tab of butter, on the table.
In the end everything was warm at the same time.............well.........almost. Seems the potatoes were not quite cooked yet (I had put holes in them before cooking them, in case you were wondering), and so the wife suggested cutting them in half (they were big potatoes) and putting them in for another 3 minutes.
All in all, the chicken (being pre-cooked) was fine, the corn was fine, and the potatoes, although delayed, were fine (albeit still a bit under cooked, but not bad, and great for hash browns tomorrow morning in that condition.
She and I ate half the chicken and saved the OTHER half for a Chicken Pot Pie I will attempt tomorrow, and then served up the golden brown coated Apple Crisp. It was delicious!!! (If I do say so myself).
What did I learn:
-I could have wrapped the potatoes in aluminum foil and put them into the oven when I put in the Apple Crisp, and they would have been cooked enough when the whole meal was served.
-I need to remember NOT to take the potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil, and put them in the microwave.
-A cold cooked chicken can go into the same 375ºF oven with the Apple Crisp, and be ready to eat
at the same time as the Apple Crisp is ready to come out.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Sausages and Griddle Cakes
The recipe in "Joy Of Cooking" for Griddle cakes is notably lighter than a regular pancake. Less flour anyway. I got the mix all set while the griddle was heating up, and the sausages (not pre-cooked) started cooking. It's that "timing" thing I was shooting for.
I put the oven on warm so that when the sausages were done, I could keep them warm on a plate with a paper towel (for the excess oil) while I cooked the griddle cakes.
Cooking these items is not foreign to me, but as I had been saying in other posts, I'm focusing now on timing and technique. So starting the sausages first and giving them time to cook before starting the griddle cakes was logical, since the sausages would take the longest.
The batter for the griddle cakes was light, (I sifted the flour), and I cut back the heat on the griddle, not wanting to burn them (I had been running the heat up at about 375ºF for the sausages), and tried to check one just a tad too soon. It broke in half on me. So I waited a minute more and flipped the half dozen I had been cooking. They were brown, but not as brown as I thought I would like, and I gave a little less time for the second side of them. When I served them, they were thin, light, and modestly brown, but cooked all the way thru.
There were "issues" for me like..........do I scrape away the fatty oils from the griddle that the sausages produced, ........"yes" came the answer from somewhere back in my memory banks, not wanting the griddle cakes to taste like sausage. But the residual (very light) oils were enough on the non-stick surface after scraping, to need to add more butter to the griddle, before pouring the griddle cake batter onto the cooking surface.
I was able to then take out the sausages being kept warm in the oven, and serve the hot griddle cakes with the hot sausages together. A small victory for me, to be able to keep everything warm at presentation time.
The "breakfast" meal, depending on the folks in attendance and the time of the morning, need not be heavy and overwhelming. I'm glad I only fried up half a dozen of the sausages for the two of us, and only 3 griddle cakes each (about 4 inches in diameter). That was more than enough food for a Sunday morning at 7 AM.
What did I learn: cook the griddle cakes just a tad longer so they are not quite so "white" (although cooked all the way thru); try a different sausage manufacturer on the next run, since these were a bit too salty (I didn't add any salt).
I put the oven on warm so that when the sausages were done, I could keep them warm on a plate with a paper towel (for the excess oil) while I cooked the griddle cakes.
Cooking these items is not foreign to me, but as I had been saying in other posts, I'm focusing now on timing and technique. So starting the sausages first and giving them time to cook before starting the griddle cakes was logical, since the sausages would take the longest.
The batter for the griddle cakes was light, (I sifted the flour), and I cut back the heat on the griddle, not wanting to burn them (I had been running the heat up at about 375ºF for the sausages), and tried to check one just a tad too soon. It broke in half on me. So I waited a minute more and flipped the half dozen I had been cooking. They were brown, but not as brown as I thought I would like, and I gave a little less time for the second side of them. When I served them, they were thin, light, and modestly brown, but cooked all the way thru.
There were "issues" for me like..........do I scrape away the fatty oils from the griddle that the sausages produced, ........"yes" came the answer from somewhere back in my memory banks, not wanting the griddle cakes to taste like sausage. But the residual (very light) oils were enough on the non-stick surface after scraping, to need to add more butter to the griddle, before pouring the griddle cake batter onto the cooking surface.
I was able to then take out the sausages being kept warm in the oven, and serve the hot griddle cakes with the hot sausages together. A small victory for me, to be able to keep everything warm at presentation time.
The "breakfast" meal, depending on the folks in attendance and the time of the morning, need not be heavy and overwhelming. I'm glad I only fried up half a dozen of the sausages for the two of us, and only 3 griddle cakes each (about 4 inches in diameter). That was more than enough food for a Sunday morning at 7 AM.
What did I learn: cook the griddle cakes just a tad longer so they are not quite so "white" (although cooked all the way thru); try a different sausage manufacturer on the next run, since these were a bit too salty (I didn't add any salt).
Friday, January 6, 2012
Knives, Pots, Pans
I mentioned a griddle that I was given not long ago. That's a beautiful thing! Having been married for 33 plus years to a real "cook" is another "beautiful thing! She has accumulated all the necessary tools for preparing meals, and is willing to "share."
I thought about going out to the local kitchen supply store (a very well-stocked place with competitive prices) and getting a set of my own cutlery, and am tempted to do so, but it is not really necessary. So I'm resisting the temptation for now.
There is a video (many of them actually), that talks about the essential knives needed, and this particular individual states that there are 5 "essential" knives:
A) A Chef's knife (10 inch with good depth)
B) A Boning Knife (7 inch, Straight or curved or both)
C) A Paring Knife (3 inch)
D) A Bread Knife (10 inch)
E) A Roast Slicing Knife (10 inch)
Many years ago, I bought my wife a set of knives that came in a wood block, (the typical sets like we all have) that included all but the last two knives listed above, and also came with a pair of meat scissors and one of those long rods that you run your knife over to get rid of burrs with.
(I was amazed that it came with about 8 knives that all appeared to be about the size and construction of a straight boning knife. Why do we need "8" of these? For table settings?)
That set of knives and tools has served us quite well over the years, but I'm sure we could use a replacement set (I'll keep convincing myself of that anyway), and we have the Bread and Roast Knives as well in our drawer of kitchen tools, along with many other gadgets and tools.
All the possible size pots and pans are already in house, so I'm not at a deficit there either. Different types, from aluminum to stainless; cast iron to non-stick. There really isn't any reason to think there is nothing I can't get done, with what's already here.
If you are reading this and you have not yet set up your kitchen, you'll probably want to take some time and watch videos about "essential cooking tools" or something like that, to get your shopping list ready, and fill your cabinets.
What have I learned: I'm probably gonna go out and buy myself a set of 5 knives, as an inducement to continue on this quest to learn how to cook, even though I don't need them. Perhaps I shouldn't give them to myself until I have "graduated" from my wife's cooking classes?!
I thought about going out to the local kitchen supply store (a very well-stocked place with competitive prices) and getting a set of my own cutlery, and am tempted to do so, but it is not really necessary. So I'm resisting the temptation for now.
There is a video (many of them actually), that talks about the essential knives needed, and this particular individual states that there are 5 "essential" knives:
A) A Chef's knife (10 inch with good depth)
B) A Boning Knife (7 inch, Straight or curved or both)
C) A Paring Knife (3 inch)
D) A Bread Knife (10 inch)
E) A Roast Slicing Knife (10 inch)
Many years ago, I bought my wife a set of knives that came in a wood block, (the typical sets like we all have) that included all but the last two knives listed above, and also came with a pair of meat scissors and one of those long rods that you run your knife over to get rid of burrs with.
(I was amazed that it came with about 8 knives that all appeared to be about the size and construction of a straight boning knife. Why do we need "8" of these? For table settings?)
That set of knives and tools has served us quite well over the years, but I'm sure we could use a replacement set (I'll keep convincing myself of that anyway), and we have the Bread and Roast Knives as well in our drawer of kitchen tools, along with many other gadgets and tools.
All the possible size pots and pans are already in house, so I'm not at a deficit there either. Different types, from aluminum to stainless; cast iron to non-stick. There really isn't any reason to think there is nothing I can't get done, with what's already here.
If you are reading this and you have not yet set up your kitchen, you'll probably want to take some time and watch videos about "essential cooking tools" or something like that, to get your shopping list ready, and fill your cabinets.
What have I learned: I'm probably gonna go out and buy myself a set of 5 knives, as an inducement to continue on this quest to learn how to cook, even though I don't need them. Perhaps I shouldn't give them to myself until I have "graduated" from my wife's cooking classes?!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
That Dreaded Bird!
It doesn't matter if I am referring to a Chicken or a Turkey, or any other kind of wild or domesticated "bird." All of them sorta scare me. In the refrigerator there sits a Chicken that the wife had out from from the freezer, thawing. Obviously what's available to cook is what is cooked, and so I'm thinking that it's "next" on the agenda.
The fear of the bird is the Salmonella police I guess, and not wanting my bird to fall to pieces. I'm also under the gun because I work, and the wife is at home. She'll naturally assume to start dinner before I get home, so I 'll have to specifically request that she leave it to me, in order to have any hope of attempting a "meal" for us. (Ever notice how every cook book talks about serving sizes for "6 to 8" people?). It's not hard to figure really.........a vegetable (we like a lot of different types) and some mashed potatoes (sounds rather "typical," eh?) and "the bird." Handling and washing and not cross-contaminating things is apparently a big deal, so I'll just have to become even MORE neurotic about my habits with food than I already am in other areas of my life.
My notes here are focused on the planning, as opposed to after the fact, because I want you to be able to share my learning thru ALL the process. I watch these cooking shows of course, and I see they have all their ingredients pre-cut, pre-diced, pre-sliced, etc.. It's not the reality of the time and effort that goes into preparing a meal. I'm sure that many of you are forced to prepare a meal after a long day at work, and that explains why there are so many who eat so dang late at night! When there IS someone home who cooks and is home a good part of the day, meals tend to be more around the 5 PM hour.
So there's that "now thawed" bird in the ice box. I'll look thru the recipe's I can find (I'd LOVE to make Southern Fried Chicken but we don't have a deep fryer and I don't think we have enough oil to pan fry it in the twelve inch cast iron skillet), so I'm guessing that the wife will suggest broiling or cooking it like a turkey, or something along those lines. Thinking of the chicken as just a smaller version of a turkey is helpful on some level. I've seen the stuffing made and injected, and the basting and covering tricks. How much different can this "chicken" BE?! I'm sure the time is less in the oven, and the slicing must be the same after it's done, right?
In a couple of days, when we go to the grocery store, I'm sure I'll be looking at even more "birds" for the upcoming week's menu, and that'll be a whole OTHER aspect to all this...........choosing the right "bird" to begin with. What size (don't need a HUGE one really), what flavor (seems like everyone and their uncle are selling chickens these days and I have no idea which one is best or better than most). I'll try and buy things like fresh vegetables instead of canned ones, (the wife does this as well, most of the time, but I'm seeing more "cans" these days, it seems), and potatoes, potatoes, potatoes (seems like everything has either eggs, or potatoes in it or with it; what's THAT about????).
A video I saw recently, was made by a Chef who was discussing the "Five Phobia's of Cooking." I don't remember all five, but I DO remember one of them. It was the "Phobia" of potentially poisoning yourself or others who eat your food. Given the Salmonella Police and the potentials with birds, I think that is a healthy Phobia frankly. The Chef stated that the reason most foods are overcooked, is that folks are so afraid of poisoning themselves or others, that they overcook to absolutely avoid any trouble. I personally want to respect the fear, but cook something that is not only palatable but easy to eat. There is nothing more flattering than a plate that comes back to the sink with nothing on it.
If cooking a chicken is as easy as the pepperoni bread I made at Thanksgiving, and is eaten as voraciously by others..........I'll deem my efforts "sucessful."
What I've learned:
1. Bird preparation requires strict attention to the cleaning.
2. Learn to use what you have on hand.
The fear of the bird is the Salmonella police I guess, and not wanting my bird to fall to pieces. I'm also under the gun because I work, and the wife is at home. She'll naturally assume to start dinner before I get home, so I 'll have to specifically request that she leave it to me, in order to have any hope of attempting a "meal" for us. (Ever notice how every cook book talks about serving sizes for "6 to 8" people?). It's not hard to figure really.........a vegetable (we like a lot of different types) and some mashed potatoes (sounds rather "typical," eh?) and "the bird." Handling and washing and not cross-contaminating things is apparently a big deal, so I'll just have to become even MORE neurotic about my habits with food than I already am in other areas of my life.
My notes here are focused on the planning, as opposed to after the fact, because I want you to be able to share my learning thru ALL the process. I watch these cooking shows of course, and I see they have all their ingredients pre-cut, pre-diced, pre-sliced, etc.. It's not the reality of the time and effort that goes into preparing a meal. I'm sure that many of you are forced to prepare a meal after a long day at work, and that explains why there are so many who eat so dang late at night! When there IS someone home who cooks and is home a good part of the day, meals tend to be more around the 5 PM hour.
So there's that "now thawed" bird in the ice box. I'll look thru the recipe's I can find (I'd LOVE to make Southern Fried Chicken but we don't have a deep fryer and I don't think we have enough oil to pan fry it in the twelve inch cast iron skillet), so I'm guessing that the wife will suggest broiling or cooking it like a turkey, or something along those lines. Thinking of the chicken as just a smaller version of a turkey is helpful on some level. I've seen the stuffing made and injected, and the basting and covering tricks. How much different can this "chicken" BE?! I'm sure the time is less in the oven, and the slicing must be the same after it's done, right?
In a couple of days, when we go to the grocery store, I'm sure I'll be looking at even more "birds" for the upcoming week's menu, and that'll be a whole OTHER aspect to all this...........choosing the right "bird" to begin with. What size (don't need a HUGE one really), what flavor (seems like everyone and their uncle are selling chickens these days and I have no idea which one is best or better than most). I'll try and buy things like fresh vegetables instead of canned ones, (the wife does this as well, most of the time, but I'm seeing more "cans" these days, it seems), and potatoes, potatoes, potatoes (seems like everything has either eggs, or potatoes in it or with it; what's THAT about????).
A video I saw recently, was made by a Chef who was discussing the "Five Phobia's of Cooking." I don't remember all five, but I DO remember one of them. It was the "Phobia" of potentially poisoning yourself or others who eat your food. Given the Salmonella Police and the potentials with birds, I think that is a healthy Phobia frankly. The Chef stated that the reason most foods are overcooked, is that folks are so afraid of poisoning themselves or others, that they overcook to absolutely avoid any trouble. I personally want to respect the fear, but cook something that is not only palatable but easy to eat. There is nothing more flattering than a plate that comes back to the sink with nothing on it.
If cooking a chicken is as easy as the pepperoni bread I made at Thanksgiving, and is eaten as voraciously by others..........I'll deem my efforts "sucessful."
What I've learned:
1. Bird preparation requires strict attention to the cleaning.
2. Learn to use what you have on hand.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Cook Books Out The Wazoo!!
I guess I knew that my wife had a ton of cook books in the house, but I didn't know quite how MANY until I began to show some interest in learning to cook!
In a previous blog entry here, I discussed the three books that I had acquired for myself, and of these three, the "Joy Of Cooking" was the one that seemed the most logical to use. Constantly updated for the "times" and logically laid out, I figure it to be the basic book of choice for "me" on this journey.
Last night my wife showed me two books from the 1940's or so. The thing is, although there was info there to learn from, there was also terminology that was ancient and confusing. Who ever heard of "dredging" food, for example. I know, I know........some of you already have an understanding of that term. Remember, I'm a newbie. "Dredging," to ME, is something that the Department of Fish & Game does to a lake, to remove silt from the bottom of a pond or lake. I don't equate that term with food.
It would seem that I could set myself up for a real headache, trying to use an older cook book for learning, if the terminology is antiquated. It's sorta like trying to help someone understand the King James version of the Bible, as opposed to the New International Version. You can get your point across, and understanding will come, only when you can get past the intended meaning and phrasing of the older text.
I had mentioned a copy of "The American International Encyclopedic Cookbook" that we have here. I was REALLY surprised recently to see that to acquire a copy of that book today (at least according to Amazon.com), it will cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $275.00 (hardcover, new)!! Geez!! I think I paid (back in 1978 or so) about $50.00 for that book!! I didn't know that cook books gained in value like a rare sports car?!
There is no limit, based on what we already have here, to information. But it's obviously about taking that information, absorbing it, and making it second nature. As I listen to my wife discuss various food preparation methods with me, I'm frankly in awe of the information stashed away in her brain. Maybe I could find a doctor somewhere who knows how to do a brain connection between us, that would allow me to download all that she knows (lol).
What have I learned: The older the cook book, the more you have to translate for today's methods, and the slower the learning.
In a previous blog entry here, I discussed the three books that I had acquired for myself, and of these three, the "Joy Of Cooking" was the one that seemed the most logical to use. Constantly updated for the "times" and logically laid out, I figure it to be the basic book of choice for "me" on this journey.
Last night my wife showed me two books from the 1940's or so. The thing is, although there was info there to learn from, there was also terminology that was ancient and confusing. Who ever heard of "dredging" food, for example. I know, I know........some of you already have an understanding of that term. Remember, I'm a newbie. "Dredging," to ME, is something that the Department of Fish & Game does to a lake, to remove silt from the bottom of a pond or lake. I don't equate that term with food.
It would seem that I could set myself up for a real headache, trying to use an older cook book for learning, if the terminology is antiquated. It's sorta like trying to help someone understand the King James version of the Bible, as opposed to the New International Version. You can get your point across, and understanding will come, only when you can get past the intended meaning and phrasing of the older text.
I had mentioned a copy of "The American International Encyclopedic Cookbook" that we have here. I was REALLY surprised recently to see that to acquire a copy of that book today (at least according to Amazon.com), it will cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $275.00 (hardcover, new)!! Geez!! I think I paid (back in 1978 or so) about $50.00 for that book!! I didn't know that cook books gained in value like a rare sports car?!
There is no limit, based on what we already have here, to information. But it's obviously about taking that information, absorbing it, and making it second nature. As I listen to my wife discuss various food preparation methods with me, I'm frankly in awe of the information stashed away in her brain. Maybe I could find a doctor somewhere who knows how to do a brain connection between us, that would allow me to download all that she knows (lol).
What have I learned: The older the cook book, the more you have to translate for today's methods, and the slower the learning.
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