Jamie Oliver; Ministry of Food

Plum_Pie

Georgiabay wrote: »

My friend worked at Sainsburys and someone asked if they stocked 'tepid water' because they needed it for a recipe.

My experience of many supermarket workers is that they would probably go and look for it!

Dont flame me - I've worked in supermarkets and I think the standard of training is appalling.

Supermarkets are also well-known for moving round their stock regularly to increase the amount of time spent in the store by the average shopper and increase the possibility of impulse buys. Of course, if you shop online this doesn't affect you, but there are still people who need to physically visit the supermarket (I'm one of them actually!) in order to buy some or all of their groceries.

This is another thing which increases the time and energy necessary to cook from scratch as well as being another potential aggravation.

thriftlady_2

Fourcandles wrote: »

You can only substitute ingriedience when you feel confident you are swapping something that is going to work and beginners don't. That is the difference between being able to follow a recipe and being able to cook.

That is so true;) the only way you can move on from being able to follow a recipe to being able to cook is by practice. The more you do it, the better you get. Reading lots of cookbooks (libraries are fab;) ) also helps because you get to know what ingredients go together, how dishes are put together and how things can be adapted. Some cookbooks are really fun reads too and have gorgeous pictures.

blueberrypie

Fourcandles wrote: »

Oregano is easy to find IF you know what it is in the first place. Oh it's a herb, it's with the herbs and spices or in the veg section great. The words have to mean something.

Oh yes, definitely. That's why I mentioned where they are - it didn't sound like the person who'd posted knew; at least if she reads my reply, she'll have an idea which bit of the supermarket to look in. As I said, I remember how daunting it was to start with (and I was in North America when I started to cook, so even some of the things I *knew* had different names!)

You can only substitute ingriedience when you feel confident you are swapping something that is going to work and beginners don't. That is the difference between being able to follow a recipe and being able to cook. If you don't know it's incredibly intimidating. It makes you feel stupid as everyone else seems to be able to do this.

Nodnodnod.

As you say, there's a difference between being able to follow a recipe and being a confident cook. It takes a while to get a feel for what will probably work or probably not work. One of the most freeing things someone told me when I started learning was "Baking is a science, cooking is an art" - and it's true. Baking relies heavily on chemical reactions, and if you don't put sugar or baking soda or whatever in when it's needed, what you're making won't work. But with cooking, leaving out a spice or using potato flour rather than cornflour or putting in more veg and less rice - all those things will change the result, but not stop it working. Once you know that, you can start to try little changes, and you gradually build up your confidence - but there really isn't any shortcut to that point. (Having someone experienced who'll answer your questions and not laugh at you is a big help though!)

Beccatje

Georgiabay wrote: »

My friend worked at Sainsburys and someone asked if they stocked 'tepid water' because they needed it for a recipe.

You shouldn't really laugh at people because there can be 100 reasons why someone would not know this as we discussed, but honestly.. this is too funny! I don't know if I could keep a straight face if I got asked that question.

Like a new mom who wanted to give her baby 'fresh' food asked me if she could mash carrots as they were or should she cook them first! :rolleyes:

I find it hard to realize that there really are loads of people all around us who honestly do not know these things! This thread has done one thing for me though... it's made me realize just that!
And they don't know for a hundred million reasons.... so there you go

Beccatje

blueberrypie wrote: »

(Having someone experienced who'll answer your questions and not laugh at you is a big help though!)

True.

I hang my head in shame. ;-)
But sometimes I just can't help but giggle. Even if it's out of sight/earshot of the person asking.

But I can well imagine how daunting it must be to have to ask questions like that.

carriebradshaw

moneysavinmonkey wrote: »

I'm really in a rage about that Julie woman.
Did she just invite herself along to the classes - it had already been discussed that she knew fine well how to cook so why was she there?? She just seemed to be hogging the limelight!

and the fact that after inviting herself into the classes she then starts stirring trouble up amongst everyone about new people coming to the classes and how that is not on? Why not???? As Jamie said it's his class!! I think he should have just asked Julie to leave when she started calling the shots and telling him who he should and shouldn't have in the cooking lessons. If anyone shouldn't be there it is her as she already knows how to cook, doesn't think the pass it on will work, and thinks the recipes are "crap" anyway!

ooh that Julie woman gives me the rage too,just watched the show and she should not be in that class,she can cook,yet she was the one feeding burgers and crisps through the school bars to thos kids in school dinners! Kick her out Jamie!!! She's just getting in the way and making a negative atmosphere in the room all the time,putting the salad down, she was jealous and wanted to be the centre of attention grrr!.They need more blokes like that miner,what a lovely man he is


How lovely it was to see a change in Natasha,she's even growing her own veg now,that was wondeful to see.:T I think she could well end up with a job out of this if she keeps her head and gets some help with child care,I hope she does well & good for her and her family :T

I'm getting tempted to buy the book now too

Skint_Catt

Just watching it online as I missed it Tuesday - feel so sorry for JO - he's trying to do something good and most of them don't want to know inc that Julie!

Edinburghlass_2

thriftlady wrote: »

I'm glad I decided not to watch this series, it sounds more like reality TV than how to cook.

but this is reality for the people in the programme

Minerva69

carriebradshaw wrote: »

I'm getting tempted to buy the book now too

I bought one from Sainsbury's yesterday as it is £9.96 on special offer at the moment (until 15th October). It's very well laid out and there are good photos and instructions. There are lots of things in there I want to try even though I've never really cooked before. I haven't looked at Jamie's website yet but I heard him mention on the radio yesterday that there are also videos on there to watch of him cooking some recipes.

I agree with the comments about Julie on the programme, she had her 15 minutes of fame with the chips through the school gates thing and now she wants it to carry on, plus getting a plug for her daughter's salon by getting her to cut Jamie's hair :rolleyes: He mentioned later on about how bad "his barnet" was looking, I wonder if that bit was filmed before or after the haircut!

Bargain_Rzl

I'm not buying the book (though I might when it turns up in the Book People's stock, as TV chef books always do ). On the website, the fish pie recipe looks really good - much simpler than the way I make fish pie. As I have most of the ingredients already, I just need some prawns and maybe some spinach and I think I'll be making a batch for the freezer at the weekend

The pasta with bacon and peas (that the miner cooked for his family) looked gorgeous too. I'll be trying that soon.