Being able to make a spag bol,chilli con carne or shepherd's pie doesn't make you a good cook,it simply means you can cook.
I'm not pooh-pooing it,I make all of these and many more besides.I make my own stock and demi-glace,Bernaise and Hollandaise sauce etc,but does this make me a good cook? No.
As someone said earlier:If you can read,you can cook
What do you think makes a good cook?
Good question,er...
Essentially,someone who has an innate understanding of what ingredients marry with each other,or when tasting whatever,instinctively knows it needs lifting/tempering with this,and is able to achieve it.A good palette - something I destroyed with years of boozing and smoking.
And love.
I don't know really,I just know good food.
*Edit: Just seen you started this thread, Dave.I'd recommend Nigel Slater's Appetite as a recipe book to start with.It's basic,very well written,is not draconian in its approach and the results are fab.
Agree 100% with the recommendation for Appetite. Simple, adaptable and enthusiastic - a great starting point to improving your repertoire.
I find it strange when people say they can't cook, I think it's probably more like can't be bothered or consider it to be woman's role.
I'm an ok cook, I'm not necessarily an instinctive cook but I can follow a recipe anyone can, if they bother to try!
the only thing that pisses me off with it is that it can take awhile to prepare but eaten in 5 mins.
I stayed overnight at a pals house and the next morning his wife had to do a morning work shift and i couldn't believe it when my pal said we'd have to wait till his wife came home from work before we could have breakfast because he couldn't cook a fry up. so I did it.
Being able to make a spag bol,chilli con carne or shepherd's pie doesn't make you a good cook,it simply means you can cook.
I'm not pooh-pooing it,I make all of these and many more besides.I make my own stock and demi-glace,Bernaise and Hollandaise sauce etc,but does this make me a good cook? No.
As someone said earlier:If you can read,you can cook
What do you think makes a good cook?
Good question,er...
Essentially,someone who has an innate understanding of what ingredients marry with each other,or when tasting whatever,instinctively knows it needs lifting/tempering with this,and is able to achieve it.A good palette - something I destroyed with years of boozing and smoking.
And love.
I don't know really,I just know good food.
*Edit: Just seen you started this thread, Dave.I'd recommend Nigel Slater's Appetite as a recipe book to start with.It's basic,very well written,is not draconian in its approach and the results are fab.
As well as the above I think a good cook can also look at a recipe and will know what the result will taste like.
Comments
I'm an ok cook, I'm not necessarily an instinctive cook but I can follow a recipe anyone can, if they bother to try!
the only thing that pisses me off with it is that it can take awhile to prepare but eaten in 5 mins.
I stayed overnight at a pals house and the next morning his wife had to do a morning work shift and i couldn't believe it when my pal said we'd have to wait till his wife came home from work before we could have breakfast because he couldn't cook a fry up. so I did it.