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.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Fun with Sloppy Joe's!
Lunch time was rapidly approaching and, since I had the day off from work, I decided that I would look for something I could make for the two of us.
Since the wife already had a "plan" for the week, and today was supposed to be "Sloppy Joe" day, I figured, "well, how hard could THAT be?! It's just hamburg and sauce, after all!" She pointed me to HER particular preferenced recipe and I started in shortly there after.
It called for 1/2 cup of onion, and I opened the onion container and found less than half an onion and figured that would be sufficient. I chopped it up as small as I thought I would need, put some Olive Oil in a non-stick frying pan, and put the heat on Medium.
While the pan was heating up, I diced up the required amount of green pepper, and pulled the pound of hamburg from the refridgerator; put the green peppers and the onions in the frying pan and "encorporated" (Emeril's favorite word) everything together.
I gave the current mix in the pan a chance to blend, hearing my wife tell me that she "likes to let the peppers and onions have plenty of time to soften," and perhaps ten minutes later, added the Worchester Sauce, the water and the Ketchup to the mix and "encorporated" yet again.
What did I learn: Don't use so many onions, and dice them smaller. Don't forget to spice up the
mixture a tad with something like a little hot sauce or whatever. I can deviate SOME, from the
written recipe if I know what I'm doing (which I don't, .............yet).
Now for you seasoned veterans out there, I realize that this is small potatoes compared to big meals and
that planning a large meal, or a complex dish is really the challenge, but still.............one small victory at a time, thank you.
Since the wife already had a "plan" for the week, and today was supposed to be "Sloppy Joe" day, I figured, "well, how hard could THAT be?! It's just hamburg and sauce, after all!" She pointed me to HER particular preferenced recipe and I started in shortly there after.
It called for 1/2 cup of onion, and I opened the onion container and found less than half an onion and figured that would be sufficient. I chopped it up as small as I thought I would need, put some Olive Oil in a non-stick frying pan, and put the heat on Medium.
While the pan was heating up, I diced up the required amount of green pepper, and pulled the pound of hamburg from the refridgerator; put the green peppers and the onions in the frying pan and "encorporated" (Emeril's favorite word) everything together.
I gave the current mix in the pan a chance to blend, hearing my wife tell me that she "likes to let the peppers and onions have plenty of time to soften," and perhaps ten minutes later, added the Worchester Sauce, the water and the Ketchup to the mix and "encorporated" yet again.
What did I learn: Don't use so many onions, and dice them smaller. Don't forget to spice up the
mixture a tad with something like a little hot sauce or whatever. I can deviate SOME, from the
written recipe if I know what I'm doing (which I don't, .............yet).
Now for you seasoned veterans out there, I realize that this is small potatoes compared to big meals and
that planning a large meal, or a complex dish is really the challenge, but still.............one small victory at a time, thank you.
The Omelet That Wasn't
My wife and I visited our local kitchen supply store recently, looking for a wire cooling screen that was big enough for the size cakes that my wife makes and decorates.
Since I had been watching videos on YouTube about Omelets, I got the itch to try one. Seeing a short and slightly strange looking fella standing near me, wearing an apron that announced that he worked there, I asked him if there was an "Omelet making tool" on the shelves somewhere.
What he took me over to see, was basically one of those quicky presto type deals, (you know, like the George Foreman stuff), that you can flip over, shaped like an Omelet. I wasn't impressed. Sure, it would "do the trick," but I'm out to learn to do things right; not cheat (which is what these easy bake tools seem to be like). Then with the comment from this strange little man that, "....if you can't make an Omelet there must be something wrong with you," I convinced myself to walk away from both he, and the tool he showed me.
When we got home, I took out my wife's 12 inch cast iron skillet and set to work. I cut about a 1/4 of a green pepper, (the seedless end) and washed it. Diced it up and laid it aside. I cut about the same amount of an onion and diced it, and put both it, and the green pepper in the skillet, after putting some Canola Oil on the pan and turning the heat up to about 3/4 of the way.
I decided I wanted some ham on this Omelet, so I took out a package of pre-cooked ham from the refrigerator, and diced about 4 modest slices and added it to the peppers and onions in the skillet.
While the skillet was heating up, I got out 4 eggs and beat them (yoke and whites) til blended, adding a little bit of milk because I heard someone in one of the YouTube videos say that it makes the eggs more "puffie." Then I poured the eggs over the peppers and onions in the warming skillet.
I knew I wanted the eggs to begin to stiffen up before I attempted any sort of "flip over" and so I kept playing with the edges of the eggs to see if they were ready, with my wooden spoon. I should have left them alone, frankly, and since I was messing with them all the time, I ended up reverting back to my scrambled eggs mentality, til finally I had no hope of having a solid egg patty to flip at ALL!
Serving up the eggs with the peppers and onions and ham, I apologized for the Scrambled Ala Soupy consistency, and she politely ate the food and said that "at least it TASTES good!"
What did I learn:
a) leave the eggs alone. I might want to tip the skillet and watch the liguid reduction, THEN when
most of the liquidity has gone, add the ingredients and put it under a broiler (about in the middle of
the stove) for about 2 minutes and THEN attempt a slide-n-fold.
What's next:
I still haven't decided what my next attempt will be for a particular dish, but I'm leaning towards
Meat Pie or a Chicken Pot Pie (no bottom crust?)
Since I had been watching videos on YouTube about Omelets, I got the itch to try one. Seeing a short and slightly strange looking fella standing near me, wearing an apron that announced that he worked there, I asked him if there was an "Omelet making tool" on the shelves somewhere.
What he took me over to see, was basically one of those quicky presto type deals, (you know, like the George Foreman stuff), that you can flip over, shaped like an Omelet. I wasn't impressed. Sure, it would "do the trick," but I'm out to learn to do things right; not cheat (which is what these easy bake tools seem to be like). Then with the comment from this strange little man that, "....if you can't make an Omelet there must be something wrong with you," I convinced myself to walk away from both he, and the tool he showed me.
When we got home, I took out my wife's 12 inch cast iron skillet and set to work. I cut about a 1/4 of a green pepper, (the seedless end) and washed it. Diced it up and laid it aside. I cut about the same amount of an onion and diced it, and put both it, and the green pepper in the skillet, after putting some Canola Oil on the pan and turning the heat up to about 3/4 of the way.
I decided I wanted some ham on this Omelet, so I took out a package of pre-cooked ham from the refrigerator, and diced about 4 modest slices and added it to the peppers and onions in the skillet.
While the skillet was heating up, I got out 4 eggs and beat them (yoke and whites) til blended, adding a little bit of milk because I heard someone in one of the YouTube videos say that it makes the eggs more "puffie." Then I poured the eggs over the peppers and onions in the warming skillet.
I knew I wanted the eggs to begin to stiffen up before I attempted any sort of "flip over" and so I kept playing with the edges of the eggs to see if they were ready, with my wooden spoon. I should have left them alone, frankly, and since I was messing with them all the time, I ended up reverting back to my scrambled eggs mentality, til finally I had no hope of having a solid egg patty to flip at ALL!
Serving up the eggs with the peppers and onions and ham, I apologized for the Scrambled Ala Soupy consistency, and she politely ate the food and said that "at least it TASTES good!"
What did I learn:
a) leave the eggs alone. I might want to tip the skillet and watch the liguid reduction, THEN when
most of the liquidity has gone, add the ingredients and put it under a broiler (about in the middle of
the stove) for about 2 minutes and THEN attempt a slide-n-fold.
What's next:
I still haven't decided what my next attempt will be for a particular dish, but I'm leaning towards
Meat Pie or a Chicken Pot Pie (no bottom crust?)
"From Scratch" Hash Browns In A Meal.
It's early morning, (I mean "early") and I'm of the mind to make breakfast for the wife and I. She gets up fairly early as well, and so I have about 1/2 hour or so to prepare.
I took out the griddle I had just been given, plugged it in to heat up, and turned the dial to Max (something like 400ºF on this particular one).
First off, I washed a couple of potatoes and peeled em. No big deal.........going good so far. I pulled a grater from the drawer with all the kitchen tools; the one with the biggest holes I could find (we have three types of various hole sizes), and ran the peeled potatoes thru it, with ease, on to a plate.
Meanwhile, I sprinkled a little Olive Oil on the griddle (I've GOT to get a plastic Ketchup dispenser (you know.....the ones with the little narrow nozzle on top), and after attempting to squeeze out any water from the potatoes (none came out), I put them on the griddle in about a 1/4 inch height pile, about 6 to seven inches in diameter.
Realizing that I had to do the eggs last, I had them warming to room temperature on the counter and cracked them into a bowl with just a little milk, and whisked them together, white and yokes combined.
My wife wanted me to griddle an English Muffin so I cut it in half and set it aside for a while.
The Hash Browns seemed to take forever, and I started the scrambled eggs too soon. On top of that, the English muffin was buttered and put on the grill too soon and taken off before being truly "toasted."
We have a Bacon Press, and I used that on the hash browns, which didn't seem to want to form into one piece for quite some time. They were cooked when I took them off, and even slightly browned, but certainly not "browned" like you would expect.
What did I learn:
a) Make sure you cook the foods that take the longest, as completely as possible, before starting
the parts of the meal that only take 5 minutes. It's a "timing" thing, so that all the foods you
present are fully cooked, and all "hot" at the same time.
b) The largest size grater is not necessarily helpful. I might have had a shorter time cooking
the hash browns if they were smaller in size (haven't proven this out yet).
c) Having a griddle (we've not had one til now, and it's been thirty-three years) is a wonderful
addition to any kitchen.
What's next:
a) I'll tell you about the Omelet I attempted, and what the result was. (not very successful).
b) Choosing and planning for my first "Main Dish" creation.
I took out the griddle I had just been given, plugged it in to heat up, and turned the dial to Max (something like 400ºF on this particular one).
First off, I washed a couple of potatoes and peeled em. No big deal.........going good so far. I pulled a grater from the drawer with all the kitchen tools; the one with the biggest holes I could find (we have three types of various hole sizes), and ran the peeled potatoes thru it, with ease, on to a plate.
Meanwhile, I sprinkled a little Olive Oil on the griddle (I've GOT to get a plastic Ketchup dispenser (you know.....the ones with the little narrow nozzle on top), and after attempting to squeeze out any water from the potatoes (none came out), I put them on the griddle in about a 1/4 inch height pile, about 6 to seven inches in diameter.
Realizing that I had to do the eggs last, I had them warming to room temperature on the counter and cracked them into a bowl with just a little milk, and whisked them together, white and yokes combined.
My wife wanted me to griddle an English Muffin so I cut it in half and set it aside for a while.
The Hash Browns seemed to take forever, and I started the scrambled eggs too soon. On top of that, the English muffin was buttered and put on the grill too soon and taken off before being truly "toasted."
We have a Bacon Press, and I used that on the hash browns, which didn't seem to want to form into one piece for quite some time. They were cooked when I took them off, and even slightly browned, but certainly not "browned" like you would expect.
What did I learn:
a) Make sure you cook the foods that take the longest, as completely as possible, before starting
the parts of the meal that only take 5 minutes. It's a "timing" thing, so that all the foods you
present are fully cooked, and all "hot" at the same time.
b) The largest size grater is not necessarily helpful. I might have had a shorter time cooking
the hash browns if they were smaller in size (haven't proven this out yet).
c) Having a griddle (we've not had one til now, and it's been thirty-three years) is a wonderful
addition to any kitchen.
What's next:
a) I'll tell you about the Omelet I attempted, and what the result was. (not very successful).
b) Choosing and planning for my first "Main Dish" creation.
2012 Begins the Journey!!
Christmas was brief and relatively painless. The wife and I set up a few of our decorations, trying not to "overdo" this year, and New Years went by without a hitch.
In MY world, all the meals I've eaten at home for thirty-three years and counting, have almost always been creations my wife has prepared. Right from the "get-go" back in our College days, she showed me that her background and influences had prepared her for cooking, and her love of it is quite strong. It isn't that she always "loves" to cook, but she has learned the art of knowing what goes together and what doesn't; how to eat healthy, and how to be creative in her preparations.
Back in 2006, an active Registered Nurse (recently promoted to Nursing Management), my wife had an incident that landed her in the hospital. At first we thought it was a stroke, but as time went on, we learned that it was Multiple Sclerosis (M.S.). Since 2006 she has been able (since M.S. symptoms are different for every M.S. patient), to be somewhat functional, thanks in part to the plethora of medications that she must take every day.
All of this went together to create a situation where her ability to prepare meals was hindered with various levels of trouble. Some days, it's all she can do to get up and make a meal, and other days, she's decided to take on a meal for she and I, our kids and their husbands, the grand kids and my parents. I'm amazed, (frankly) how she does it sometimes!
As for me, I've worked on a breakfast crew at a summer camp year ago, working a three by eight grill, making French Toast and Scrambled Eggs for five hundred hungry campers; cooked breakfast foods on the rivers of Maine in the middle of nowhere over an open fire; cooked breakfasts (beginning to see a trend here?) for men in our church; and made some foods at home from scratch.
I've been known to put together a coffee cake of various types from scratch on a Sunday morning, or make a basic meat-n-potatoes meal with Mashed Potatoes (no gravy), canned vegetables and hamburger patties. I've worked an outdoor grill to cook chicken and hot dogs, hamburgers and pork, but that's about it. I figure that that description is true of about 80% of most American males, when it comes to food.
Now, because of the decreased functionality of my wife, I want to be more like her, and fill the gap. She's a very patient teacher, and is encouraging to me, even when what I attempt (like my most recent "first attempt" at an Omelet and Hash Browns), turns out "not quite right."
I have the itch, so why not scratch it. I want to be able to look in the cupboard and see the possibilities. I want to learn what spices go together and which ones don't. I want to learn the fundamentals of timing a meal, so that everything gets to the plate together and hot, and to learn the basics of "method."
YouTube has been an inspiration. I 've watched a number of cooking videos lately, and find myself running upstairs to see if I can replicate what I've just watched. There are a lot of different voices out there, and I'm struggling to find the right source for me. Probably my best one is my wife, and I'm very priviledged to have her nearby to watch over my shoulder.
Unlike that gal who was learning to cook from the Julia Child's book, I have been looking at a couple of sources for inspiration in book form. A trip to Barnes & Nobles recently, yielded a couple of interesting starts, and I'll list them in just a moment. The wife has a TON of cookbooks around, (not the least of which is the "family cooking bible" that everyone has; filled with lots of personal family favorites), which I'm sure I'll look thru when trying to find a particular food to prepare. But I am not interested in damaging or putting notes in her collection (even though everything we have is "ours" together and I know that), as much as I am having my own to ruin and write in.
I watched a few videos about how to handle a kitchen tools, and even had a griddle donated to me that works just fine, from a family member who happened to have one that had only "been used once." In our house we have never really had a "griddle" as such. Everything that has been prepared has been in Cast Iron Skillets or pans. There are some aluminum pans here as well. I won't be buying my own pans though. I've learned to use her choice of tools.
Just this morning (sad to say) I was putting away a wooden spatula that is her "favorite" after it was washed, and I accidentally dropped it behind the stove. Now I'll have to move the stove which is glove-fitted in the kitchen counter, to get it out. Not a great way to start this adventure (although perhaps a good excuse to go buy more wooden kitchen tools!).
The wife's copy of "The Joy Of Cooking" sits on the shelf with her other cookbooks, and I wanted my own copy of that, so the 75th Anniversary Edition has been ordered from Amazon.com, and I await my own copy. She has a cookbook entitled, "The American International Encyclopedic Cookbook" that I've used over the years for Master Recipe help, but I haven't ordered my own copy of that.
Here are the other two cookbooks that I recently picked up, (although I don't really think that they are exactly what I'm looking for):
1. "Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen Cookbook" (isbn: 978-1-58816-905-1)
I liked the way the binding was, since it lays out rather flat. When working with a recipe book
in the kitchen, I have found that a book that lays out well, is less aggravation. There are some interesting meals in there, but I can't say that it really walks me thru many of the basics with regard to ingredient mixing do's and dont's, or has much in the way of covering the basics of methodology.
2. "One Big Table" (isbn: 9780-7432-3270-8)
I liked the way this book takes me to recipe's that are regional. There is also a story that goes
along with the recipe's that makes it more interesting. Regular "Recipe" books with no diatribe bore me to death. If all I want is the Master Recipe, that's one thing, but generally I like to read the history behind a dish, and a bit about the development of the dish.
So there you have it..........my opening blog. Hopefully as time goes on, I'll achieve a level of competancy in the kitchen that comes somewhere close to the skills that my wife has. I'm not out to become a Master Chef or learn how to make exotic foods. I just want to understand the chemistry and skill sets that it takes to feed my wife and I with food that are good for us. I want to be able to look in any cupboard and refridgerator and see the potential meals and combinations, and know by instinct how to put them together.
To "have fun" in the kitchen is a concept that is not entirely strange to me, but I see that it can also be a drudgery, and I'm interested in avoiding that. I'll be reporting the "gutt feelings" about what I'm doing, just so you can get the full impact of what it's like on this journey.
For some of you, this journey of mine will be a walk down memory lane, and for others of you, it will be an eye-opener. I hope that you enjoy these rants, which I intend to post regularly. I haven't given myself a time limit for completion, as had the gal who wanted to be like Julia Child. Post any questions or comments as you feel compelled, and I will respond.
-Nutmegger1957
In MY world, all the meals I've eaten at home for thirty-three years and counting, have almost always been creations my wife has prepared. Right from the "get-go" back in our College days, she showed me that her background and influences had prepared her for cooking, and her love of it is quite strong. It isn't that she always "loves" to cook, but she has learned the art of knowing what goes together and what doesn't; how to eat healthy, and how to be creative in her preparations.
Back in 2006, an active Registered Nurse (recently promoted to Nursing Management), my wife had an incident that landed her in the hospital. At first we thought it was a stroke, but as time went on, we learned that it was Multiple Sclerosis (M.S.). Since 2006 she has been able (since M.S. symptoms are different for every M.S. patient), to be somewhat functional, thanks in part to the plethora of medications that she must take every day.
All of this went together to create a situation where her ability to prepare meals was hindered with various levels of trouble. Some days, it's all she can do to get up and make a meal, and other days, she's decided to take on a meal for she and I, our kids and their husbands, the grand kids and my parents. I'm amazed, (frankly) how she does it sometimes!
As for me, I've worked on a breakfast crew at a summer camp year ago, working a three by eight grill, making French Toast and Scrambled Eggs for five hundred hungry campers; cooked breakfast foods on the rivers of Maine in the middle of nowhere over an open fire; cooked breakfasts (beginning to see a trend here?) for men in our church; and made some foods at home from scratch.
I've been known to put together a coffee cake of various types from scratch on a Sunday morning, or make a basic meat-n-potatoes meal with Mashed Potatoes (no gravy), canned vegetables and hamburger patties. I've worked an outdoor grill to cook chicken and hot dogs, hamburgers and pork, but that's about it. I figure that that description is true of about 80% of most American males, when it comes to food.
Now, because of the decreased functionality of my wife, I want to be more like her, and fill the gap. She's a very patient teacher, and is encouraging to me, even when what I attempt (like my most recent "first attempt" at an Omelet and Hash Browns), turns out "not quite right."
I have the itch, so why not scratch it. I want to be able to look in the cupboard and see the possibilities. I want to learn what spices go together and which ones don't. I want to learn the fundamentals of timing a meal, so that everything gets to the plate together and hot, and to learn the basics of "method."
YouTube has been an inspiration. I 've watched a number of cooking videos lately, and find myself running upstairs to see if I can replicate what I've just watched. There are a lot of different voices out there, and I'm struggling to find the right source for me. Probably my best one is my wife, and I'm very priviledged to have her nearby to watch over my shoulder.
Unlike that gal who was learning to cook from the Julia Child's book, I have been looking at a couple of sources for inspiration in book form. A trip to Barnes & Nobles recently, yielded a couple of interesting starts, and I'll list them in just a moment. The wife has a TON of cookbooks around, (not the least of which is the "family cooking bible" that everyone has; filled with lots of personal family favorites), which I'm sure I'll look thru when trying to find a particular food to prepare. But I am not interested in damaging or putting notes in her collection (even though everything we have is "ours" together and I know that), as much as I am having my own to ruin and write in.
I watched a few videos about how to handle a kitchen tools, and even had a griddle donated to me that works just fine, from a family member who happened to have one that had only "been used once." In our house we have never really had a "griddle" as such. Everything that has been prepared has been in Cast Iron Skillets or pans. There are some aluminum pans here as well. I won't be buying my own pans though. I've learned to use her choice of tools.
Just this morning (sad to say) I was putting away a wooden spatula that is her "favorite" after it was washed, and I accidentally dropped it behind the stove. Now I'll have to move the stove which is glove-fitted in the kitchen counter, to get it out. Not a great way to start this adventure (although perhaps a good excuse to go buy more wooden kitchen tools!).
The wife's copy of "The Joy Of Cooking" sits on the shelf with her other cookbooks, and I wanted my own copy of that, so the 75th Anniversary Edition has been ordered from Amazon.com, and I await my own copy. She has a cookbook entitled, "The American International Encyclopedic Cookbook" that I've used over the years for Master Recipe help, but I haven't ordered my own copy of that.
Here are the other two cookbooks that I recently picked up, (although I don't really think that they are exactly what I'm looking for):
1. "Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen Cookbook" (isbn: 978-1-58816-905-1)
I liked the way the binding was, since it lays out rather flat. When working with a recipe book
in the kitchen, I have found that a book that lays out well, is less aggravation. There are some interesting meals in there, but I can't say that it really walks me thru many of the basics with regard to ingredient mixing do's and dont's, or has much in the way of covering the basics of methodology.
2. "One Big Table" (isbn: 9780-7432-3270-8)
I liked the way this book takes me to recipe's that are regional. There is also a story that goes
along with the recipe's that makes it more interesting. Regular "Recipe" books with no diatribe bore me to death. If all I want is the Master Recipe, that's one thing, but generally I like to read the history behind a dish, and a bit about the development of the dish.
So there you have it..........my opening blog. Hopefully as time goes on, I'll achieve a level of competancy in the kitchen that comes somewhere close to the skills that my wife has. I'm not out to become a Master Chef or learn how to make exotic foods. I just want to understand the chemistry and skill sets that it takes to feed my wife and I with food that are good for us. I want to be able to look in any cupboard and refridgerator and see the potential meals and combinations, and know by instinct how to put them together.
To "have fun" in the kitchen is a concept that is not entirely strange to me, but I see that it can also be a drudgery, and I'm interested in avoiding that. I'll be reporting the "gutt feelings" about what I'm doing, just so you can get the full impact of what it's like on this journey.
For some of you, this journey of mine will be a walk down memory lane, and for others of you, it will be an eye-opener. I hope that you enjoy these rants, which I intend to post regularly. I haven't given myself a time limit for completion, as had the gal who wanted to be like Julia Child. Post any questions or comments as you feel compelled, and I will respond.
-Nutmegger1957
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