Are you a naturally good cook or do you have to put in a lot of effort?

winterybella

winterybella

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At the risk of sounding cocky I have to say I am a naturally good cook. When the person who gave birth to you calls you up for some help with a dish that says a lot. Granted I call her from time to time as well, but a vote of confidence from your kitchen hero is like a gold medal.

From as far back as I can remember I was trying my hand at something in the kitchen and most times it came out quite well. I had a few "fouls" ups but never "chickened" out. I would always look for a fix for the foul ups and move on to the next challenge.

That said, I wouldn't be surprise if persons who had to put in a lot of effort really made for better cooks.
 
I think that would all depend on the meal & dish that I'm making.

For instance, just now, I just took some steak out of the oven that I was cooking. I thickened it with some roux. Or so I thought But the liquid didn't seem to thicken. Put some leftover potatoes in it that I cooked the other day, but had too much pepper in them. Potatoes usually thicken a liquid, but still, the gravy didn't seem thick enough!!:eek:

So I had to make a slurry of flour and water and added it to the gravy. It was then & ONLY then, that the gravy had finally thicken to the consistency that I was looking for! :eek:

Sometimes, things are easy, other times, those things that you've done so many times with good results, needs more doctoring up to get it right!! :eek:
 
I'm afraid I'm not naturally skilled in the kitchen; simple stuff that doesn't challenge me (like beans on toast or rice and curry [from a jar]) is fine, but that's not really cooking. I suppose if I get the chance, later in life, to spend some time trying things out then I might hope to develop some skills or at least be able to push the boundaries a bit - but it is a joy to watch someone who is a natural cook and "at home" in the kitchen; they make it look so effortless!! :)
 
Shaun said:
I'm afraid I'm not naturally skilled in the kitchen; simple stuff that doesn't challenge me (like beans on toast or rice and curry [from a jar]) is fine, but that's not really cooking. I suppose if I get the chance, later in life, to spend some time trying things out then I might hope to develop some skills or at least be able to push the boundaries a bit - but it is a joy to watch someone who is a natural cook and "at home" in the kitchen; they make it look so effortless!! :)
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Usually, learning how to cook begins at home.

That is where most of us get started with it, because back then, and even today, everyone should learn how to put their master culinary skills at work in the kitchen. Because one day, they'll be leaving the nest, and they'll have to fend for themselves when it comes to cooking meals or to just whip up something quick, fast & in a hurry.

My grand nephew is headed in the right direction, since he wants to be a chef when he grows up!!
 
I would love to think that I am a naturally good cook. I would also like to think that it's a skill that has been passed on from generations to generations. :)
 
I would say that I am a naturally good cook since I have been at it for years now. When I first started to cook, I had to put in some extra effort, and it took me a longer time in the kitchen to finish a meal. Nowadays I finish my meals in half the time it took me before. I would say that I cook rather simple meals though; I do not go overboard with the cooking. I learned to cook from my mother who I would say was a really fantastic cook and she seemed to enjoy cooking. I follow most of the things she taught me, although I would change it up a little bit here and there, and those I cook for always enjoy my meals.
 
I am lucky enough to be a natural cook. My sister and I had the same experiences growing up, both of us learning with my mum and grandma. I am an excellent cook now (even if I do say so myself) and my sister is appalling, by her own admission.
 
lizzief79 said:
I am lucky enough to be a natural cook. My sister and I had the same experiences growing up, both of us learning with my mum and grandma. I am an excellent cook now (even if I do say so myself) and my sister is appalling, by her own admission.
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:happy: Happy for you and:cry: for your sister. You are going to have to help her out. I am the youngest in my family and I have always been the best cook. My sister has no problem telling people I am better than she is. She is not " appalling though".There might actually be one or two dishes that I think she can cook better than I can and one is our local soup .

While I know my way around the kitchen very well with cooking, I can't say the same about my baking. That subject to be continued.:(
 
I do not do a whole lot of baking except for savoury dishes, like, for instance, chicken. The last sweet thing I baked was rock cakes. These usually come out very nice.. One thing I love to bake though, is bread pudding, even though I have not done this in a while. It is simple and straightforward. It does not call for a whole lot of ingredients. Once I have my butter, sugar, raisins, milk, essence, and of course the main ingredient, the bread, I am good to go. In a very short time I have my bread pudding ready for the oven. Other things like cake and sweet bread take more planning, and more time has to be spent when preparing the ingredients for these.
 
I spent a lot of time watching the food network in high school. Like, probably about 4-5 hours a week as my "workout" was a nice hour long walk on the treadmill in front of the TV, usually watching food network. I learned a lot from watching it about what kind of flavors go together, what kind of seasonings go best with what foods. Granted that was now 8 years ago, so some of that information is a little foggy and I don't have access to a wide range of ingredients anymore, but I think I became at least a decent cook from that. I would not call myself an expert, but given a handful of good ingredients I can usually come up with something that tastes pretty OK.
 
I'm a natural cook, but I watch and learn from others too, their tips and tricks and incorporate them into my own style. We all learn from each other and all the shows and books. I like to substitute ingredients and sometimes adapt stages to what I am more comfortable doing. It works for me!

I am a little impatient, so sometimes cakes don't rise because I've opened the door too early (some ovens I can't see into) or my toad in the hole didn't rise as much as I hoped because my hand was tired from beating the batter. I know where I went wrong and how to remedy it!
 
I am back to tap myself on the back for a recipe I picked up online and tried out. It was a Tilapia recipe. I will share it sometime when I have enough time. I substituted one or two things and was thrilled at the outcome. It was so good that I am repeating it today with a twist.
Truth be told I think it is so simple even the "not naturals" should get it right. It was "effortless".
 
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