Anyone can cook!

[zalena]

Had dinner w/June last night. There was a mix up about the time we were supposed to meet, which left me sitting in the middle of a restaurant alone for a half hour. The anxiety wasn't about eating alone, which I do all the time, even in public places. The anxiety ended up being about whether I should spend money earmarked as social money to eat alone.

Despite the awkward beginning, we had a nice time. She told me she'd seen Ratatuille and that she left the movie thinking she should learn how to cook. "Would you teach me?" she asked. "I'll pay for ingredients."

"Um, alright," I said. "What do you want to know how to cook?" I have no idea how to approach the request.

"Something for dinner, like meat, but it shouldn't look like the animal," she responded.

Oh dear.

But I'm thinking of making a weekly thing of it. And we're going to start with some basics. Like an omelette, which I'm obsessed with because I FINALLY learned how to make them. (Thank you Julia!)

I have a hard time thinking about teaching somebody something that feels so organic. Cooking is one of those things you pick up from being around cooks.

Where would you start if someone asked you to teach them to cook?

P.S. The new hot water heater was installed yesterday. Almost 24 hours later the water is cooler than with the old, leaking, one. I guess they'll be a return visit from the repairman today.

P.P.S. The only lover I've had who could cook was Ex, but he was a fussy 'use every dish in the house' kind of cook. It didn't feel erotic or organic; it was a production number. It was also snobbish and exclusive. Everyone else thinks I should be impressed with spaghetti, or claims they can cook, but never has the cajones to prove it. Of course, what constitutes cooking for one person is merely microwaving to another.

Comments

[rg-rothko.livejournal.com]

It's interesting how social pressure can influence a person's desire to cook. I have always made it my mission to not cook as much as possible. My mom tried to teach me to cook once and I put her favorite measuring cup on top of the stove to boil some noodles and shattered it, so she gave up teaching me after that. However, in my defense, neither Neal nor I would actually eat the food that my mother cooks. She's a casserole and boiled meat and potatoes kind of person. When she visits, she likes to tell me what a horrible wife I am for not cooking for my husband after his hard day at work (she started saying this when we were both working full-time jobs, and she continues to say it since I've been a stay-at-home mom). My argument is that he actually likes to cook and he wouldn't eat the stuff that I prepared anyway (my idea of making super is heating up a Campbell's Cup of Soup or pouring a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios).

When I met Neal, I was eating cereal, yogurt and boiled eggs. He coaxed me away from my starches and fake cheese and introduced me to a world of fresh foods and gourmet cooking. I seriously thought that the only good cheese was velveeta and I wouldn't touch a vegetable for less than $50. Of course, I also altered his cooking style, too. He went from making bratwurst and sour-kraut to black beans and rice and grilled tilapia with mango and pineapple salsa.

Secretly, I've actually helped Neal start dinner several nights by lighting the charcoal grill or helping with sauces. I don't like to touch raw meat, but I'll stir something on the stove now and then or pull something out of the freezer to defrost. Every once in a while I'll get a wild hair up my ass and come up with some dish that I have to make and I do pretty well with giving Neal suggestions of improvement on his dishes. I think I would enjoy baking more than cooking, but I'm an exact measurement kind of person. I don't like guessing or doing "dabs" of this or that.

However, when things slow down, you should really come and have dinner with us. Neal is a very good cook and harvest stew season is almost upon us (yams, sausage, african spices, olives, dried apricots...it's really good). Let me know when you're feeling better and if you want to do something soon, too. I don't have to take it easy anymore, but I'm pretty bored and still can't bend down, so the house is a pit and it's depressing.

[zalena.livejournal.com]

I tried calling you today, but no one picked up on the cell and I've misplaced the house number.

I've still got a small cough, but am otherwise decompressing from the visit and feeling much better.