Amateur Hour: Home cooks’ mistaeks that you never make

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I sure as hell hope you aren’t one of my friends who I invite over for dinner.

I think it’s fun and I might learn something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol, “mistaeks”

People who are both bad at spelling and like to judge other people is my pet peeve

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ask your guests about allergies. Showed up to a friend’s house with the whole family for dinner, she had made amazing looking pad Thai and sprinkled it liberally with crushed peanuts. My oldest has an anaphylactic allergy and carries an epipen. We ended up going out to eat. My friend did know about the allergy, but forgot.

That’s on you. When invited you should mention it, same as if you were a vegan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was teaching a friend some very basic recipes. We made chocolate chip cookies together and she didn't believe me that you need to combine ingredients in a certain order and though I was being super fussy to not just dump everything in and mix.

Baking you can’t, cooking you can.

[Anonymous]

Right after college my roommate had her boyfriend over for a home made meal. She made spaghetti and for sauce used a bottle of ketchup! Obviously not a cook, we still laugh about it and 20 years later she is still married to the guy.

[Anonymous]

Under salt. Too many people are afraid to season their food.

[Anonymous]

I never left the plastic bag of gizzards in the turkey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Under salt. Too many people are afraid to season their food.

Given how many people worry about this and the differing quality of people's tastebuds, I have started to do this more. It is easy to for you to add salt to your liking at the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Under salt. Too many people are afraid to season their food.

Some do it for diet reasons. I have a neighbor who throws parties constantly and is on a low salt diet - the food is so bland and awful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1) Over-boiling vegetables: I hate it when people boil ever ounce of flavor, texture and nutrients out of simple vegetables. A quick boil or steam or sauté is all you need.

2) Serving food boiling hot: Not just meat needs to rest, people. So do lasagnas, casseroles, side dishes and anything that comes out piping hot. This is not just about temperature, it’s about flavors and allowing textures to settle in the case of melted cheese, etc.

I would never serve these, but I love eating the carrots that have given their lives in the name of chicken stock.

I hate it when people use cloth napkins, like they're so sophisticated, and when you use them you smear fabric softener, scented laundry detergent and dryer sheets residue all over your lips. Really disgusting. You can only air kiss with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:hygiene stuff: handling raw chicken and then not cleaning; same plate for raw/cooked.

not balancing acid/salt/sweet.

undersalting as much as oversalting.

Why do so many otherwise reasonably sophisticated people serve dinners at dinner parties and NEVER serve water. Does no one else drink water? It's like every single friend we have who have had us over we practically have to beg for water.

Overcooked meat.

Not having enough food for the number of people you are serving.

Inviting people over for dinner and not having snacks or starters and then having dinner 2-3 hours later and then underserving.

As many hospitality issues as cooking issues!

That is so funny: I’ve never not been served water, but that sounds awful, honestly!

I agree with not having enough food. My MIL routinely underestimates and then frantically flies around the kitchen and I’m like dude…you could have just remembered this from last time and bought more than one chicken leg for each person.

Here’s one another one—season. Your. Meat. Season it! There is nothing worse than an unseasoned drumstick or sad piece of fish.

I understand the water thing (or rather I've been guilty of the not offering water). You're cooking, you're trying to get everything to the table at the same time at roughly the same temp, you've already spent the time to get people drinks, poured wine, etc - and then suddenly you have to fill all the water glasses from your filter and it.......takes......forever..........

So I've learned to fill a pitcher of water in advance, keep in fridge, and put on table, with all places set with a water glass. Or, assign it to the person hovering asking how they can help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never left the plastic bag of gizzards in the turkey.

Ha ha, this is not uncommon. I did this once when I was young. I called poison control. They were ready for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) Over-boiling vegetables: I hate it when people boil ever ounce of flavor, texture and nutrients out of simple vegetables. A quick boil or steam or sauté is all you need.

2) Serving food boiling hot: Not just meat needs to rest, people. So do lasagnas, casseroles, side dishes and anything that comes out piping hot. This is not just about temperature, it’s about flavors and allowing textures to settle in the case of melted cheese, etc.

I would never serve these, but I love eating the carrots that have given their lives in the name of chicken stock.

I hate it when people use cloth napkins, like they're so sophisticated, and when you use them you smear fabric softener, scented laundry detergent and dryer sheets residue all over your lips. Really disgusting. You can only air kiss with them.

Oh yes, I love these carrots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Under salt. Too many people are afraid to season their food.

Given how many people worry about this and the differing quality of people's tastebuds, I have started to do this more. It is easy to for you to add salt to your liking at the table.

Salting at the table is terrible. I can't remember the last time I added salt to a cooked dish, you should season the dish and serve it.

[Anonymous]

I spell mistakes correctly! LOL