Were you taught cooking at school?

Herbie

Herbie

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I had 'home economics' classes from age 11-15 where we were taught cooking, nutrition and household budgeting.

I didnt learn much that my mum had not taught me esp. as most of the recipes taught were traditional British - Cornish pasties, shepherds pie, Victoria sponge, etc.


I branched out to other cuisines by learning from friends and family; and now cooking bites.
 
Similar to you Herbie, had home economics class where they us taught basic cooking, setting a table, sewing. Learned most of my cooking from my mom and grandmom(s). Nothing out of the originary just traditional Midwest meals some of which I still make today.
 
3rd and 4th form at high school, age 13 and 14. Home economics as well. First thing I made was pineapple upside down pudding. I was hooked from then.

Russ
 
Yep, from the age of 11. The teacher concerned was a terror, a spinster who never had kids and was feared by all. She was weird, known for throwing things at you when she got angry.

Ironically I didn't learn much about cooking from her, I knew that from my Grannie, but I did learn about hygiene and nutrition, just not actually cooking!
 
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pocofan said:
No. Way back when I was in school a guy taking a home ec class would not have been acceptable. Glad times have changed. My grandmother was a good cook but if I would have asked her to teach me how to cook.......she would have flipped out.
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Pre high school all pupils took tests to define what class you went into. I was in the top class, although I didn't know it until after I left the school.
That included French German and home economics. I had no say in it. Home ec was boys and girls. A mix not from my form class.

Russ
 
Sadly, no. At a very old-fashioned, boys only school learning to cook was not deemed necessary. Really useful stuff, like conjugating Latin verbs was far more important than learning to feed ourselves. That task was best left to the strange, and rather scary tabard wearing ladies of the dining halls. My earliest introduction to cooking was in my grandmother's kitchen, a simple farmhouse kitchen supported by an extensive vegetable garden and orchard. Starting at a very early age, I progressed from 'runner' ( as in, "go and fetch such and such from the garden"), through 'pot washer', to 'potato peeler' and the heady heights of 'egg beater'. Happy days.
 
Sadly, all i can remember is Toad In The Hole (always wondered where the toad was, and why it was called a toad, and still don't get it to this day), and a Victoria sponge.
 
Mewmew said:
Sadly, all i can remember is Toad In The Hole (always wondered where the toad was, and why it was called a toad, and still don't get it to this day), and a Victoria sponge.
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That sounds about right for what they used to teach... I wonder what happens now. I have a feeling its not even on most school curriculums in the UK.
 
epicuric said:
At a very old-fashioned, boys only school learning to cook was not deemed necessary. Really useful stuff, like conjugating Latin verbs was far more important than learning to feed ourselves
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Curiously I went to an old fashioned girls school. But even though it was 3 years compulsory Latin, all 7 years compulsory French, (English language, English literature, and Maths were the other compulsory subjects) Home Economics was only compulsory for 2 years. Mind you so was sewing, including using a sewing machine (at age 11), reading patterns to make your own clothes and making them. However they also included woodwork, metal work, and a number of other skills such as wiring a plug (that was physics) which everyone of us had to do and be able to do safely.
 
I had one year of Home Ec. One semester was learning to sew, the other cooking. The only recipe I remember from then was a coffee cake that I still make today from time to time. I learned to cook partly from my mother, some from my grandmother, and the rest was self-taught and watching cooking shows.
 
Not a hint. I went to an all boys' grammar school and cooking was something that happened in the canteen, sorry, refectory. Or at least that was the idea. Most of what was put in front of us appeared to have been salvaged from dustbins and served lukewarm.

I also did Latin. I even won a prize one year. That was as good as it got.
 
Mewmew said:
Sadly, all i can remember is Toad In The Hole (always wondered where the toad was, and why it was called a toad, and still don't get it to this day), and a Victoria sponge.
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morning glory said:
That sounds about right for what they used to teach... I wonder what happens now. I have a feeling its not even on most school curriculums in the UK.
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You may well be right there - I very much doubt it too.
 
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