How did you learn to cook?

[Anonymous]

Cooking wasn't big in my house growing up. Both parents prepared meals, but pretty basic stuff and not with a love of the craft of it.

To satisfy my own curiosity, I started baking in junior high. Once I left home for college, I started watching friends who knew how to cook (mostly girls I wanted to date) and asking lots of questions. After that, I just kept paying attention and asking more questions. I didn't start reading cookbooks or watching food tv until my forties.

I also worked in fast food and college dining service, but that just taught me to multitask and stay busy. It didn't really teach me much about the food.

[Anonymous]

My dad is a restauranteur, so I grew up helping him in the kitchen, both at home and at the restaurant. He didn't teach me recipes as much as technique. He taught me how to develop flavors and how to enhance and balance out the inherent qualities of the food I was working with.

Because the skills are so versatile, I've always been comfortable in the kitchen, working with whatever is fresh and in season. So thankful for my dad's patience and enthusiasm in having us in the kitchen with him!

[Anonymous]

Ina Garten recipes have about a 99.99% success rate for me, and I cook alot. However, they are not for the neophyte. The Joy of Cooking is a good primer. Reading recipes and cookbooks and food magazines is essential - you start to learn what "goes together" in various cuisines and then can improvise on your own. Mostly, you really have to invest time in cooking. I don't think anyone can become a great cook when their goal is to just get dinner on the table in 20 minutes. (NOT saying good dinners can't be made in 20 minutes - just that the learning process takes time, and is an investment that will eventually mean you CAN put a great dinner on the table in as much, or as little, time as you like to spend on it.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The OP asked "How did you learn to cook?" Not, "what exotic, trendy food are you cooking and how do you do it?"

If I were to cook Japanese shrimp and cabbage pancake, I would absolutely follow a recipe because I'm not Japanese and wouldn't know the first thing about trying to make that.

BUT I do know how to cook all the traditional Asian foods from my mother's side of the family without cookbooks or recipes because they are dishes that have been passed down in our family just by being in the kitchen and helping with meal prep.

Haha, it's not exotic or hard.

Consommé is.

[Anonymous]

My father had traveled the globe and loved all kinds of foods; exotic and mundane, and he enjoyed cooking. I was slow to warm up to things like sushi and kimchi and anything involving beef heart, but enjoyed the fruits of his labors otherwise and enjoyed helping him do prep work. About 10 years after I graduated from college I realized that I enjoyed the zen of cooking more than I did my then-current career (science field), so I took the plunge and went to culinary school. I have since worked in some some great kitchens and set up shop for myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in the kitchen with my mom from the time I could stand on the stool and see over the counter top. I would mix, measure, add ingredients, etc... As I got older she added more tasks that I could do.

My boys are the same way. I've even been teaching my 7yr old knife skills. he really is so proud having the responsibility. Also he is a great help. he is learning fractions in school so the measuring is going along with EXACTLY what he is doing in school. Looking forward to when my boys can prepare the entire meal. I think probably by 10yrs old they might be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ina Garten recipes have about a 99.99% success rate for me, and I cook alot. However, they are not for the neophyte. The Joy of Cooking is a good primer. Reading recipes and cookbooks and food magazines is essential - you start to learn what "goes together" in various cuisines and then can improvise on your own. Mostly, you really have to invest time in cooking. I don't think anyone can become a great cook when their goal is to just get dinner on the table in 20 minutes. (NOT saying good dinners can't be made in 20 minutes - just that the learning process takes time, and is an investment that will eventually mean you CAN put a great dinner on the table in as much, or as little, time as you like to spend on it.)

what is great about JOC is that it is not just recipes, but TECHNIQUE.

Don't underestimate the complexity that JOC can offer. There are quite a few difficult recipes in there, ,but they also include the building blocks.

Here is an AWESOME cooking forum, I use it all the time. Professional Chefs are many of the posters and I've gotten the most complex questions answered.

http://www.cheftalk.com/

These folks know what they are talking about.

[Anonymous]

I learned a lot from my mom, just helping her cook dinner every night growing up. At some point she took a French cooking class (mid 70s?), and her cooking definitely improved after that, she became more confident in her own creativity and was able to stray from recipes into making something great out of what was available.

Home Ec was also required for ~6 weeks in 6th-8th grade (for both boys and girls). Mostly focused on measuring, a little on technique and a lot on food safety and cleaning. Wish my DH had had the cleaning part, he is not a great dishwasher.

And a love of cookbooks and eating. Bittman, Fannie Farmer and Joy of Cooking are great for "how long and what temp". Others are more inspirational for flavorings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trial and error. Mostly error.

So true!!

[Anonymous]

My mom was a good cook and I spent a decent amount of time helping her in the kitchen. She gave me confidence in the kitchen and encouraged experimentation, so that by middle and high school I didn't think twice about trying to make some elaborate dish for international day or a fancy cake for someone's birthday - though I didn't think of cooking as a particular skill or hobby of mine by that point.

In college and grad school I got a reputation for being a good cook (probably undeserved) and started cooking more because I felt I had to uphold it.

For me, it's mostly a confidence and experience thing. I try making lots of different kinds of things, pay attention to what works well, and enjoy experimenting with what I have on hand as well as trying new recipes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The OP asked "How did you learn to cook?" Not, "what exotic, trendy food are you cooking and how do you do it?"

If I were to cook Japanese shrimp and cabbage pancake, I would absolutely follow a recipe because I'm not Japanese and wouldn't know the first thing about trying to make that.

BUT I do know how to cook all the traditional Asian foods from my mother's side of the family without cookbooks or recipes because they are dishes that have been passed down in our family just by being in the kitchen and helping with meal prep.

Haha, it's not exotic or hard.

Consommé is.

I don't understand this. No one said anything about hard, and exotic because we aren't in Japan so yes, traditional Japanese food is more exotic than, say, a hamburger.

[Anonymous]

My parents always cooked a lot and I grew up cooking along side them. I used to watch Julia Child cook on PBS. As I got older and went to college I began to cook for myself and roommates. Then Food network came along and I started watching a lot of 30 minute meals which I think is a really helpful show to learn the timing of getting a meal together. I really love cooking and I hope I can pass that on to my kids!

[Anonymous]

I learned through a combination of ways. First, I lived in Paris for a while and was forced to buy food pretty munch daily since their idea of a fridge is what you find in a hotel. So, I became familiar with food in general. Second, I took cooking classes at that Bethesda cooking school. It was a while ago and reasonably priced, I'm sure the prices have gone up. You can find cooking classes through rec centers and private instructors. Third, I research recipes and combine ingredients to make the perfect one recipe. I usually have a particular bias. For example, I love garlic if a recipe calls for three cloves I may put close to the whole bulb. I tweak recipes here and there, which ends up making it "your own."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you take classes?

Did you learn from videos or books? Did someone teach you?

Was it frustrating at first? What sort of mistakes did you make in the beginning?

My grandma taught me some things. Girl Scout activities taught me some things. Cookbooks taught me a lot. Watching Alton Brown's Good Eats taught me a lot. (I hate his recipes, but his technique is excellent.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Watching the Food Network endlessly. I also have a collection of cookbooks I bought/read for fun.

My mom never let us near "her" kitchen when we were kids so everything I know I learned on my own in my 20s and 30s. I've always been jealous of those who grew up learning long-held family recipes from their relatives.

+1 for the entire post.

Glad I'm not the only one! Wanted to add that since my DD turned one I've made a conscious effort to include her in the kitchen bc I feel like I missed out. She can't do much yet, but she helps dump ingredients in bowls and stir batter. It makes me so happy to share this with her and I hope she continues to enjoy it as she grows.