Do You Eat At The Cooktop?

TastyReuben

TastyReuben

Nosh 'n' Splosh
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Ok, that may seem like an odd and rather specific question, but this morning, I was making pancakes, and I usually make enough for each of us to have three, and then three or four more to freeze.

I fry them in a cast iron skillet, and that holds three at a time, so that means MrsT gets the first three, then I get the next three, and then the last ones just sit and cool until I wrap them and toss them in the freezer.

This morning, I plated mine up, took the obligatory photos, then poured the next batch of batter in, and stood there and ate my breakfast, standing at the stove all the while, flipping and cooking up the last of the batter.

I realized that I actually do this quite a bit. When we have a first course of salad (which is four or five times a week), I'll plate the salads, hand MrsT hers, while I stay in the kitchen, tending whatever the main course is, and eat my salad there, between turns of stirring this or basting that.

Who else eats while they cook? For some reason, I'm guessing our professional cooks might do that more often? Maybe I'm wrong about that.
 
garlichead said:
Rarely TR. I do nibble while preparing but do not eat a course while continuing to cook while others begin to dine. That is what your getting at?
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Yes, that's it. I think for me, I'm a little kooky about wanting my food right at the moment it's ready to eat (allowing for resting if it's meat, things like that).

I hate the idea of food that's ready to eat, but not being eaten. I feel like every second that's ticking away is one for second for that hot dish to get cold and that cold dish to warm up.

I should probably just eat peanut butter every day. That's fine at room temperature. :laugh:
 
Morning Glory said:
Never, ever. The only thing I do is taste test when cooking.
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Yeah me too.

When I was a pro eating in the kitchen was not done, was considered theft unless you had specific permission to eat a food given to you to try by the chef. We had a family meal when the mise en place was done, usually early in the afternoon before customers came. Then we would eat again after closing. Eating during your shift is considered unhygienic and, for tasting a clean spoon would be used and only once. No contamination of the food!

Anthony Bourdain writes about eating during his shift because American labor laws allow employers to skimp on breaks in certain states, but that's not general practice in Europe.
 
I am totally incapable of eating "proper" food ( I don´t count hotdogs, empanadas,hand-held food,etc) standing up. Or walking around. The few times I´ve worked in a professional kitchen, I´ve seen guys walking around, sitting on the counter, etc., eating. I need to sit down at a table to eat and ( royal pain in the wotsit) the chair has to be at the right height. Maniac.:hyper::hyper::laugh::laugh::laugh:
 
On a sunday with about 10 people here I let the grandkid sit in my seat, I'm more than happy to eat at the bench. I like the kids experiencing adult life.
I'm pretty easy doing that. Usually during the week we both sit at the table.

Russ
 
I sometimes eat at the kitchen counter, or if I'm eating something really messy, over the kitchen sink. This food is almost always hand held food. If I need a knife and fork, I prefer to sit at a table, or at the desk in my office.

CD
 
99 times out of a hundred I eat on the stoep. Yesterday was the first time I've eaten at the kitchen table for an age. I was reluctant to risk spilling my noodles during transfer to the stoep.

My wife usually eats on a mat on the floor or sits on the floor with her food on the coffee table.

We rarely eat more than one course.

Stoep dining.

76549

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TastyReuben said:
Who else eats while they cook? For some reason, I'm guessing our professional cooks might do that more often? Maybe I'm wrong about that.
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No. with pancakes we developed a routine over the years (UK pancakes)... the first goes to hubby. he eats & I set the next one going, I'll serve mine & set his going at the same time. I'll eat at the table, he'll flip his and usually get it to the plate leaving the griddle on the stove to "reheat", sit at table & eat his. I'll set mine going & serve, set his going & eat mine at the table. He'll tend to his, flip & serve, return griddle to heat.
Note 1 pancake per griddle for UK pancakes in this household.

If I'm making pikelets/drop scones which is the closest to US pancakes, I'll cook all of them and wrap them in a tea-towel on the cooling rack.. They get served when all are cooked.

As for salad before mains, that doesn't really exist in this household. We rarely if ever have a starter unless we eat out and frequently don't have anything other than a piece of fruit for dessert unless a certain comp has inspired me to make a dessert!
 
karadekoolaid said:
the chair has to be at the right height.
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Ah - I totally agree on that one. I used to hate it if I went to a restaurant and the seats were too low (they tend to be too low rather than too high). I've never measured what the preferred height is in relation to the table. Maybe there is a formula somewhere for the optimum arrangement.

Come to think of it, I wonder if that varies depending on one's height. :scratchhead:
 
Morning Glory said:
Ah - I totally agree on that one. I used to hate it if I went to a restaurant and the seats were too low (they tend to be too low rather than too high). I've never measured what the preferred height is in relation to the table. Maybe there is a formula somewhere for the optimum arrangement.

Come to think of it, I wonder if that varies depending on one's height. :scratchhead:
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Our Company Chief Estimator was 6'5" tall. I was 6'4". Because my legs were longer that his we were significantly different heights when sat down. I think TWTWTW did a sketch on that many, many years ago. Barker and Cleese I suspect.
 
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