Saturday, December 3, 2011

Cooking without worry

                After a particularly rough day in the kitchen, a colleague of mine saw that I was fretting and said to me “It’s only food dude.  We’re not doing brain surgery here.”  That’s sage advice.  I think that all too often with food network soaked ideas and famous chefs constantly speaking of perfection on their newest Bravo Channel show, we forget that it’s only fuel that our body needs in order to run well and our goal is to just make it taste good.  On a non-professional level, dinner is not something that should be stressed over.  Every single self-perceived mistake can instead be looked at as a learning experience and can be used as another brick in each of own our cooking foundations.

                We all know home cooks that seem to be especially gifted in the kitchen.  These imposing figures can somehow seem to be effortless at any given culinary endeavor.  Be it a grandmother or maybe a mother-in-law, they all started somewhere and probably made the same mistakes that you have.  A burnt roast, scorched soup, or under cooked chic ken thigh are all things that commonly happen in the strictest of professional kitchens and during the inattention of the most skilled cooks.  Cooking is not brain surgery, and it should be a fun activity that brings pleasure and countless rewards to those who can maintain a analytical and positive perspective on their culinary adventures.  The most humbling and trust-building thing that a person can do is cook a person a meal.  Try and do it without worry and the experience will be substantially rewarding. 

A glass of wine during the process doesn’t hurt. 

1 comment:

  1. Great cooks want to serve. Satisfaction comes from observing patrons enjoy a meal you have prepared.The image of an overbearing self absorbed chef shouting derogatory comments to a staff of terrified line cooks bears no resemblance to actual conditions. The best professional and amateur chefs are eager to share their knowledge and will generally take time to instruct an eager pupil. Follow a recipe and keep at it until you are satisfied, then make it for some one you love.

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