Cooking and Me

pic from http://dinnersforayear.blogspot.com/

In case you haven't noticed other comments of the sort, cooking and me aren't exactly friends. I figured I'd take a second to explain, and maybe vent about it ;)

What is the big deal?

• I grew up with a mother who is a great cook, but who didn't cook all the time. With a family of 11 that all had different schedules, we didn't get many sit-down-all-together- dinners. We just ate whatever was around, and had big family dinners a few times a week. I'd tell my mom to show me how to cook, but when she tried, I got annoyed with the way she went about it. Point number ONE- it's my own fault that I can't cook, because I was too prideful to listen to my mother!
• For awhile I was anti-guy, and had pro-feminist ideals. I couldn't see why any woman would want to get married, because once you do, it was like you become a servant in the household. Cooking represented being stuck in a hot kitchen, slaving away at something that is consumed in seconds, and then having to clean up the dishes etc. afterwards- while the rest of the family enjoyed each other's company, playing games and what-not. Who would want to do that for the rest of their lives? I purposely didn't want to learn the "joys" of cooking because of that paradigm. Point number TWO Why is it that the woman has to cook?
• Because of the above, I never really learned much, and now I'm VERY INSECURE about my cooking skills. I'm nervous that everything I try will turn out bad and I'll be made fun of, or the eaters will suffer in silence- which could be worse. Just ask me about the scrambled ( I DO know how to make them, just not that day :S ) egg disaster last year! The idea of cooking for a group of people still freaks me out- yet past boyfriends, after I had just barely explained this, said things like, "If I invite some guys over for the game or something, can you make up some food?" Seriously, this did not help matters. It might not be a big deal to them, but it it is to me! Point number THREE, insecurities and other people's comments don't make me any more excited about the idea.
• The smell of meat cooking, cutting off the heads/tails of fish, and the IDEA of plucking feathers off of a chicken make me want to throw up! Point number FOUR, how do you cook for others what you hate?
• Point number FIVE it takes forever to make a "real" meal!!!!!

That's all I have. Now, how do I get over it?

• Well, this tourist season I've eaten food that I never thought I would, in unimaginable quantities- and I'm beginning to get to the point where it will be nice to make my own food again.
• I taste other people's food and want to know what spices they use- a good sign that I might be moving toward learning how to make things more tasty :)
• My sisters, who didn't cook at home, are now cooking for their families- and passing me by on the knowledge train! I always did like a good competition. Maybe if they had purple ribbons for dinner meals at the next reunion...
• I read a little of the book, "My life in France" by Julia Child. Just reading her book makes my mouth water, and I realized that cooking was enjoyable for her, and might possibly, someday be for me!
• Maybe the time consuming part of cooking will give me time to ponder on the vicissitudes of life. I could always use more ponder time.
• My friend Kelly is a fantastic cook, and she has a blog dedicated to that and other projects. I found a link on her blog for "Meals for a year" (See side bar link, "Cool Sites."). It seems pretty exciting actually, to make those things.
• Then I went to the mall yesterday, found the books, "My life in France, "Julie and Julia" and, "The Art of French Cooking." On the same shelf was Rachel Ray's "30 Minute Meals." Yipee, it doesn't need to take 10 hours :D I just might like this.
• last of all, people shouldn't make un-needed comments about cooking! That would make it easier to get over my issues with it.