Quite often people tell me they are afraid to cook. They’ve overcooked, burned, or ruined enough dishes that they’ve designated themselves incapable in the kitchen. This always amazes me because I sort of think of cooking the way I think of anything else in life. If you don’t get it right the first time, you give it another try. There is no magic to cooking; no sorcery to putting a great tasting dish together.
Sure, there are classically trained professionals who can dice better than you or whip a meringue blindfolded with one hand tied behind their backs, but there is no shame in trial and error – every recipe in every cookbook went down the same path. So occasionally you have to order some pizza because your chicken and potatoes looks like a burnt offering – you’ll get it right the next time.
That being said, every cook or chef has some dish that deep down inside they dread making. A dish with a history. Too many trials. Too many errors. Ironically, for me it’s rice. Yes, you heard correctly – rice.
When I started cooking I was so so excited to make all of my favourite restaurant dishes at home – grilled this, fried that… that I never paid any attention to the rice. Inevitably, I’d end up with this awesome dish served up on a sticky mushy pile of goop, or be crunching into undercooked grains. Entirely disappointing, I know.
Since then I’ve taken the time to learn about different types of rice and how to prepare them best (Thanks Rube’s Rice and Ciao Florentina!) – but every time I turn that water on to boil, a little voice says “uh oh. here comes trouble.” So, you’re not alone – be brave! If it doesn’t work out once, don’t go running for the hills.
What scares you in the kitchen?
I have been cooking for over 30 years and was also hating of pie crust until I found this one many years ago.
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1 egg lightly beaten, with enough milk to make 2/3 cup
Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening until you have a course mixture. Stir in egg mixture until combined. Knead enough to bring dough together. It makes a large batch, depending on how thick you want your crust, it is probably large for a 9″ round.
I find a lot of people have trouble with cooking because a recipe isn’t written correctly. Now with blogs and such on the internet everyone wants to have a recipe column. I have given up on many because of such reasons. Yours, Gav are the exception. I have seen recipes written with the ingredients out of order, missing from the method and of course wrong measures. No wonder new cooks have trouble cooking!
Baking. Exact measurements, precise baking times, and all the equipment needed intimidates me.
Also…get a rice cooker!
True Story: Last week was the first time I’ve made grilled cheese in a skillet on the stove and had it come out NOT charred. Oh I have such a long long way to go. 🙂
I’m totally one of those people that’s afraid of cooking. (To be fair, this is based in reason: I am, as far as I know, the only person who not only failed Home Ec three times, but was actually expelled from the class in eighth grade after I blew up an oven.) I’m always so impressed with what you post on here… My big thing is that I’m vegetarian– borderline vegan– and no one else in my family is. So I guess my fear is… meat? Heh. I’ve attempted to cook it for them so many times, and failed miserably. Since I pretty much know nothing about how any form of meat it supposed to look or taste, it probably won’t improve. :-/
(I’m pretty awesome at rice, though! Heh.)
Pie pasty. I’ve never made it! I remember hearing my conservative Christian mother SWEARING as her pie crusts would crumble like rubble as she tried to lift them from the counter the pan and I guess it’s just always stuck with. Funny thing is, I’m an excellent baker and love making all sorts for delicious treats, but I won’t touch pie pastry with a ten foot pole!
I used to be afraid of anything involving yeast…but I got over that fear and now I LOVE to use it…challah, cinnamon buns etc. YUM.
Ya…it’s gotta be rice.
Risotto more specifically. It’s a big commitment to stand by the pot and continuously stir it.
And pork. I’m terrified of under cooking therefore I inevitably over cook and it’s always too dry. Terrible.