Know when to say when
No, I’m not talking about the consumption of alcoholic beverages. I’m talking about cooking.
I’m not a good cook. I never stood alongside my mother in the kitchen, watching as she prepared meals. If I was in there with her, it was because I needed to ask her for something. Otherwise, I left her alone in the kitchen because, frankly, cooking didn’t exactly put her in a good mood.
Not that I could blame her. My brother and I weren’t the most appreciative audience for her dinners. And my father, while appreciative, will eat damn near anything. I grew up believing that cooking was a thankless chore.
Fortunately, by the time I moved out of the house, microwave ovens were commonplace, and I had long since perfected the art of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The only cookbooks I owned were gifts that had been politely placed on a shelf and summarily forgotten. My cookbook was the back of the Lipton noodles-n-sauce packet.
Then I met Kyle, who loved to cook. I have no idea where his love of cooking originated, because to hear him tell it, you’d think his mother tried to burn down the house each night when she prepared dinner. The meat was always blackened – which is delicious when it’s fish, but not when it’s pot roast – and the vegetables were fit for consumption by a six month old. Kyle teases his mother about a lot of things, but her cooking tops the list.
So I married him knowing that I would never have to cook another meal if I didn’t want to. And yet, for whatever reason, I still bang the pots and pans now and then. I suppose I just need to remind myself occasionally why I don’t like cooking.
Because when it comes down to it, I really am a lousy cook. I can follow an easy recipe – meaning a recipe on foodnetwork.com that’s marked “EASY” – but anything beyond that completely flummoxes me. Seriously, foodnetwork.com ought have a FAQ for those of us nitwits who don’t understand how corn starch works.
I tried to make butterscotch pudding for Kyle’s birthday the year he had his wisdom teeth out. That and cheese fondue. The fondue was fine – how hard is it to melt cheese? – but the pudding turned into butterscotch syrup. We put it on ice cream instead.
It’s been at least a year since I tried a new recipe myself. I’ve found recipes and presented them to Kyle for him to make (yes, I know I’m lucky – but hey, I do the dishes), but it’s been ages since I rolled up my sleeves, donned an apron, and made dinner for my family.
And it’s not because I don’t love them. It’s because I know when to say when.
——————————
Are you Rachael Ray at heart? Or are you a cooking school dropout like me? Either way, I’m betting you’ve flubbed up at least once (or twice). Write about it anytime this weekend – you can win a bunch of cooking supplies and a $100 gift card to spend at the grocery. I won’t tell anyone if you spend it on Lipton noodles-n-sauce, promise. Check out PBN for all the details.
——————————
Don’t forget my Build-a-Bear $25 Bear Bucks giveaway! I’m telling you, that cat is so huggable – I’m going to sleep with her tonight. If I can pry her out of Tacy’s arms, that is.
June 6th, 2008 at 5:59 am
I go through cooking periods where I want to try new recipes all the time, then I go through slumps where I wish I didn’t have to cook at all.
Of course I’m doing nothing right now since I’m recovering from a c-section…and that’s okay too. (The not cooking anyway!)
Heathers last blog post..The End is the New Beginning and Other Stuff
June 6th, 2008 at 7:09 am
I absolutely LOATHE doing the dishes.
But I cook. Where’s my token dishwasher as reward?!!? Damn it.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:18 am
according to Kate Beckinsale…“I’m the worst wife in the cooking department. I always thought you can’t be good at food and sex, but you can always order the food in.” hahaha. apparently, you get one or the other. because, of course, celebrities are always right. or something.
alis last blog post..beast of burden. and the soccer field.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:29 am
I have the same “problem.” My husband loves to cook. The only meal I make is Thanksgiving Dinner every year.
I figure, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Danas last blog post..Haiku Friday: NKOTB, My Sister and Me
June 6th, 2008 at 7:34 am
[...] Know When to Say When [...]
June 6th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Thank goodness I married a good cook too. Unfortunately, he’s never home in time to make dinner!
mayberrys last blog post..Kindergarten closing time
June 6th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Haha! It’s funny how things don’t turn out how you plan AT ALL sometimes. I tried making a rum whipped cream once and it tasted, well, like rum. In a really, really, bad way.
That’s so great that he loves to cook!
Check out my kitchen disaster story!
June 6th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I love to cook and have a cookbook collection that may outnumber the library at this point. Not everything turns out every time though…I remember making a chocolate cake from scratch for my husband’s birthday. I used a Martha Stewart recipe that she raved about on her old show. The cake came out dry and way overdone around the edges but no problem, I’ll just slather on the icing and it will be fine, right? So I made the icing she said to use for this cake and it would.not.set.up. It was running off the cake, over the edge of the plate, onto the counter. I kept scooping it up and putting it back on the cake and by now, the layers of the cake wouldn’t stay put because of the slippery icing either. After 30 minutes of this torture I finally rammed a wooden spoon down through the center of the entire cake so that at least the layers would still be on the plate later and called it quits.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Rachel Ray is a piker. I want to be Jacques Pepin! Or Michel Richard!
I love to cook and I HATE BAD FOOD. Bad food pisses me off. All you need to make good food is good ingredients, attention to detail, patience and WILL. It has to matter to you. And it matters a great deal to me. Getting just the right flavor is magical. Good food brings people together, makes happy memories. Good food is important in every culture in the world.
June 7th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I don’t do the cooking thing. I use to feel bad about it but now i rejoice in the things I love to do. or at least that’s what I tell people.
the mama bird diariess last blog post..us girls and the city
June 7th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Seriously, we need to consider how to clone this Kyle.
Motherhood Uncensoreds last blog post..At Least I Can Cross "Ticket to Hell" Off My To-Do List
June 7th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
I’m terrible in the kitchen. Once, in college, I was making Kool-Aid and it didn’t turn out right. My roommate had to remind me to stir it!
June 8th, 2008 at 2:35 am
I love to cook, it feels like art..and my husband likes to help..he is my assistant we have a ball..we sip wine…talk and he chops and cleans as I add all the spices and fresh herbs. Each of us loves our place..So don’t fight it have fun, and drink wine like Julia Child…she made quit a living sipping and enjoying good food…
Sounds like a great team effort to me..
Dorothy from grammology
remember to call gram
http://www.grammology.com
Dorothy Stahlneckers last blog post..Memories make them today….
June 8th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Summer is approaching, and that’s the season I actually have time to cook some decent meals. During the school year, I depend on easy recipes and my crockpot so I can throw something on the table after a full day of teaching.
Daisys last blog post..anonymity
June 8th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
People always ask if I cook. They never believe me when I say I don’t.
I mean, I will if I have to, and I can cook a few easy dishes without mishap, but for the most part, Boo or the kids cook.
I’m okay with that. Nobody is starving and nobody is dying of food poisoning.
Win-win all around.
Redneck Mommys last blog post..A Banquet of Tears
June 10th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I’m not into cooking. I’m good at chili, meatloaf, and lasagna. I love a day when the kids say “Yea!!! Chicken nuggets!!!!!”
I didn’t watch my mom cook….my idea was just to stay out of her way.
kimmies last blog post..Day 2 of Summer Break