How did you learn to cook?

M.E.

My grandmother and her cousin had a baker's shop in the 1890's - 1920's. Everything by hand. She had seven children, including my mum, so mum could cook. As a family we went camping with Scouts and Guides and mum and I were always the cooks, over an open fire. Brilliant.
Also we learnt at school... domestic science.
Spent some time abroad and can do a mean pasta/ mayonnaise/bolognaise/salad.
At uni I was by far the best cook in our group, so I'd cook for several people. They'd give me the money to buy the ingredients and I'd cook for 10 of us. Excellent company and I'd get my nosh for free. OS or what!!! I'd also have the leftovers!

My daughters can cook and look out for meals OS style, without realizing it. They are so surprised at the "wasteful" shopping habits of their Uni friends.
Have lovely photos of the girls making bread and cakes, covered in flour, when they were 7'ish.

Angelraesunshine

I have pretty much taught myself i would say, i did cooking at school and loved it and i guess it went from there i still have every recipe in a scrap book somewhere with all the things i cooked at school.

redmel1621

I learnt through watching my mum, which was handy as my dad kicked me out just after my 15th birthday and i moved in with my boyf (now husband).

Not only did I have to cook the meals I had to do it in an extremely os way as we were both living off his dole money at the time(I wasn't entitled to a penny cos of my age!!).....i think it was £55ish? for the fortnight(15yrs ago) and we had to pay gas and electric out of that money too.....

Mel x

sammy_kaye18

Well I think it was my dad who taught me to cook - hes an amazing cook - my mum could sdo basics but never really cared for it much, and my nan was alwaysa goo dcook when it came to cakes and puddings.

The otehr grandparents still to this day dont own a cooker/oven - they never have their entire lifes and dont plan to form what i can gather - if you cant cook it in the microwave or george foreman grill it then they dont eat it.

Ishtar

My mum has never enjoyed cooking, so I didn't learn from her. What got me started was cookery class at school...after I left school I asked mum to leave me to cook for myself, which she did (gladly, I would imagine!!) and so I learnt a lot from then. I've always enjoyed it and when I left home managed to accumulate a huge collection of cookery books.

I think I'm at my happiest when I'm pottering in the kitchen...when I used to work I would take holiday just so that I could cook. (Mad, I know!).

D.

sillyvixen

i learned to cook at school in home ecconomics lessons and from books - being the only veggie in a meat eating family (due to allergy reasons) i did not learn to cook from my mum whowould cook for the family and give me somthing out of a tin ar packet with the veg. once i started learning i used got books and tried things at home - it was very trial and error- but better than the stuff my mum used to give me (bless her she tried). i have always baked and my nan taught me this from a small child, again not somthing my mother mastered, my nan used to write the recipes for cakes and biscuits in a notebook for me - mum would supervise and do the hot oven stuff when i was too young to do it myself when we needed a cake when i was small. i have since taught my mum to cook a wide range of veggie stuff, which she does for me when i visit but also does for her and dad occasionally. i still get requests for home made cakes though!!

mrbadexample

lilac_lady wrote: »

How did you learn how to cook?

I [STRIKE]was[/STRIKE] am being taught by a virtual army of mums, dads, grannies, grandads, singletons and assorted others. :T

ravylesley

My mum died when I was born so my Dad was left to cook for 7 kids and himself.His cooking was basic and filling.I was taught the absolute basics by my Dad but everything else I learnt by reading cookbooks.I have to admit to not being overly keen on having my kids in the Kitchen but I also recognise the need for them to learn how to cook so I grit my teeth and encourage their participation

Lesleyxx

Zazen999

My auntie's kitchen was always hot and brimming with goodies; she taught me to cook and make bread when I was about 9 [her 3 were all boys], and I used to watch her cooking all sorts of lovely food that it did come natural to me. I stopped briefly when I worked very very long hours but soon realised that it was unhealthy and started up again. She also taught me how to change a washer, spark plugs, to drill stuff etc as she was a widow and had to do it all herself. No wonder I became a Civil Engineer!

beemuzed

Most of my cooking skills came via my Gran, Mum and books. DH seems to be like his Mum and cooks more by instinct. I used to really love cooking when we were first wed (1970!!) but in recent years DH has really taken over. When I retire in December '08 I intend to do some more - if he'll let me! DS also cooks, fantastically, and like his Dad rarely needs a recipe, just loves creating something delicious.