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Rant: My cooking... it's just me...

polgara said:
Good morning, Andalublue. :2wave:

She's adorable! It looks like she's smiling! :thumbs:
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Taken a few months ago, but I think she'd just pooped in my walking boots. Wouldn't you be smiling too?
 
Andalublue said:
Taken a few months ago, but I think she'd just pooped in my walking boots. Wouldn't you be smiling too?
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Heh. Dogs invariably give back. What else could she give you to show you her material appreciation?
 
faithful_servant said:
It's ALL science. I work with a trained cook and he never refers to recipes, always "formulas". Good cooking is a science. The right proportions, the right temps, the right times. As an example, I have a BBQ rub that is INCREDIBLE (seriously, it's the best rub I've ever encountered and I've tried some the best). I have a very specific recipe for it, so that every time I make it, it's always INCREDIBLE. I never get a batch that's better or worse than the last, it's always the same and always great.
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Actually cooking is chemistry. A good sauce is he result of lab work, so is Chinese food, to get the right mix of colors, texture and flavor it takes scientific thinking
 
Fearandloathing said:
Actually cooking is chemistry. A good sauce is he result of lab work, so is Chinese food, to get the right mix of colors, texture and flavor it takes scientific thinking
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If we're talking sauces, for example, it's art until you get to the point where it's perfected, THEN it becomes science/chemistry. And even then, different palates have different likes and needs, especially if you need to alter something to accommodate a special request, then we're back to something of an art.

In cooking/preparing, science only applies to the norm. Deviate from the norm, and again we're back at some level of art and/or nuanced knowledge.
 
faithful_servant said:
One of the best things you can do to get good, consistent results. SET A TIMER!! I think that lot of people don't do it because they think it makes them look like they don't know what they are doing, but in reality, it means that you know EXACTLY what you're doing. You know how long it takes to fry that chicken perfectly golden brown and that's the time you cook it for. It's why recipes have TIMES in them. :clap::clap:
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I haven't used a recipe since I was about 17 years old. I use one for cooking, for watering in the yard, laundry,. ... anything that doesn't require me to hover over and might get forgotten about while I go tend other things. I don't stay still for long, so if I've walked off from the kitchen's simmering pots, I've likely turned to doing something else that needs tending, and sometimes it gets engrossing and I forget all about the kitchen til I smell something burning. Or, the sprinklers stay on hours too long until I walk outside and hear them,... Timers, not just for obedience to recipes, but damned effective reminders, they are just good for what ails some of us, distractions.
 
Summerwind said:
I haven't used a recipe since I was about 17 years old. I use one for cooking, for watering in the yard, laundry,. ... anything that doesn't require me to hover over and might get forgotten about while I go tend other things. I don't stay still for long, so if I've walked off from the kitchen's simmering pots, I've likely turned to doing something else that needs tending, and sometimes it gets engrossing and I forget all about the kitchen til I smell something burning. Or, the sprinklers stay on hours too long until I walk outside and hear them,... Timers, not just for obedience to recipes, but damned effective reminders, they are just good for what ails some of us, distractions.
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I know people who cannot cook without a recipe. That's great. For whatever reason, I am not one of them. If I follow a (new) recipe exactly my success rate is probably below 20%.

Also, for me, part of what I enjoy so much about cooking is precisely my ability to experiment and/or tweak.
 
Andalublue said:
You know, I think I read somewhere that people change their washing machines, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners about 3 times more often than they change their cookers or fridges. I'm not sure why they'd assume food prep goods will function properly and last longer than any other kind of white goods.
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Less moving parts, means less likely to be broken, less likely that an upgrade will make much difference, particularly with gas stoves. Refrigerators, same basic thing, nothing is spinning, water and lints and such aren't accumulating in unreachable areas, a simply cleaning will refresh a frig, but not a stinky washing machine or a dishwasher whose drainage hasn't been properly and regularly maintained. Moved into one house years ago, and the under the water blades of the dishwasher, OMG it was soooo gross, broken glass, chunks of food, Yuck, it got replaced. Also you rarely see ads for new and improved stoves or frigs, but you often see them for other appliances like washers, dryers, dishwashers, etc.
 
radcen said:
I'm usually a pretty damn good cook, but lately... probably the last year or so... I've been overcooking and burning almost everything.

Don't know why, but it's probably a lack of attention to detail, or something. :(

/rant off
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i used to have that problem more often. lately, i rely heavily on my cooking timer. with baking, i have learned that it keeps cooking after you take it out and let it sit. took me a long time to get cookies to look the way they are supposed to. either way, with some foods, it seems like you have like a two minute window between cooked and burned. when i made cookies the other day, i gave them 44 extra seconds after i checked them. in that 44 seconds, the cookies went from not quite done to done. with a window that small, i don't beat myself up as much when i do burn something.
 
radcen said:
If we're talking sauces, for example, it's art until you get to the point where it's perfected, THEN it becomes science/chemistry. And even then, different palates have different likes and needs, especially if you need to alter something to accommodate a special request, then we're back to something of an art.

In cooking/preparing, science only applies to the norm. Deviate from the norm, and again we're back at some level of art and/or nuanced knowledge.
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And sometimes it's just plain luck, like when you run out of something and have to substitute, and it turns out better than the original or even the upgraded. An example is, and this very basic, but makes the point, cheese sauce packages whether independent or with rice or pasta boxed side dishes, every one requires essentially 1/4 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of butter. Well I don't keep milk anymore, I quit drinking coffee and without that my usage of milk is under a cup a month. So I've used yogurt, it's better than milk and I can reduce the butter to 1/8, but sometimes I don't have yogurt handy either... So one day too lazy to go get yogurt and needing food, looked around and all I had choices of really were mayo or handsqueezed from the tree outside unsweetened lemon juice. I chose option #2 and it makes a really good cheese sauce whether it's Kraft MacnCheese, or just McCormicks 4 cheese powdered packet, or even the FreshnEasy "adult" macncheeses.
 
Summerwind said:
And sometimes it's just plain luck, like when you run out of something and have to substitute, and it turns out better than the original or even the upgraded. An example is, and this very basic, but makes the point, cheese sauce packages whether independent or with rice or pasta boxed side dishes, every one requires essentially 1/4 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of butter. Well I don't keep milk anymore, I quit drinking coffee and without that my usage of milk is under a cup a month. So I've used yogurt, it's better than milk and I can reduce the butter to 1/8, but sometimes I don't have yogurt handy either... So one day too lazy to go get yogurt and needing food, looked around and all I had choices of really were mayo or handsqueezed from the tree outside unsweetened lemon juice. I chose option #2 and it makes a really good cheese sauce whether it's Kraft MacnCheese, or just McCormicks 4 cheese powdered packet, or even the FreshnEasy "adult" macncheeses.
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I used to make Broccoli rice and cheese with velveeta. One day no velveeta,
I used the cheese sauce packet from a mac and cheese box, The kids loved it.
Now that they are adults with their own kids, that is one of the recipes they asked about, go figure!
 
longview said:
I used to make Broccoli rice and cheese with velveeta. One day no velveeta,
I used the cheese sauce packet from a mac and cheese box, The kids loved it.
Now that they are adults with their own kids, that is one of the recipes they asked about, go figure!
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I made both my kids learn how to cook from scratch so they could be more financially secure as young adults. Cooking your own meals cost considerably less than ready-processed or restaurant/fast food, and is better for you. My daughter is now really heading off in directions even I never considered, and my son, well he's an extreme sports guide now, but previously did a 3 years stint as a sou (sp?) chef at an upscale restaurant in Portland, OR. So they don't ask me much anymore. Every once in a while, rarely very rarely.
 
Summerwind said:
And sometimes it's just plain luck, like when you run out of something and have to substitute, and it turns out better than the original or even the upgraded. An example is, and this very basic, but makes the point, cheese sauce packages whether independent or with rice or pasta boxed side dishes, every one requires essentially 1/4 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of butter. Well I don't keep milk anymore, I quit drinking coffee and without that my usage of milk is under a cup a month. So I've used yogurt, it's better than milk and I can reduce the butter to 1/8, but sometimes I don't have yogurt handy either... So one day too lazy to go get yogurt and needing food, looked around and all I had choices of really were mayo or handsqueezed from the tree outside unsweetened lemon juice. I chose option #2 and it makes a really good cheese sauce whether it's Kraft MacnCheese, or just McCormicks 4 cheese powdered packet, or even the FreshnEasy "adult" macncheeses.
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One time I realized (too late) that I was out of butter. Substituted a small amount of olive oil. Was pretty good.

(Fake cheese sauce)
 
radcen said:
I'm usually a pretty damn good cook, but lately... probably the last year or so... I've been overcooking and burning almost everything.

Don't know why, but it's probably a lack of attention to detail, or something. :(

/rant off
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I do the same thing. In my case, it's because I don't have the patience to stay in the kitchen and watch it carefully enough. SERENITY NOW!!
 
radcen said:
I'm usually a pretty damn good cook, but lately... probably the last year or so... I've been overcooking and burning almost everything.

Don't know why, but it's probably a lack of attention to detail, or something. :(

/rant off
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Instant read thermometer.
 
radcen said:
I'm usually a pretty damn good cook, but lately... probably the last year or so... I've been overcooking and burning almost everything.



Don't know why, but it's probably a lack of attention to detail, or something. :(



/rant off
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I'm a big fan of leave-in digital thermometers that have an alarm relative to temp instead of time. Instareads are ok for grilling, but for roasts, they're a pain and a waste of heat.

If you're talking steaks you could always try the reverse-sear.

Might need to try something new. Try jerk spicing a pork shoulder and smoking it. Its harder to burn something at 225 ;)
 
try cooking new things (that you in theory would/do like)

you'll have to pay more attention to details.
of course, mis en place is key.
 
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