How did you learn to cook?

MadDogWoman_2

I was taught by my mum, asking loads of questions when I was in the kitchen wanting to know when tea was ready - wanting to speed the cooking up really.

I also read and lots of recipes/cookbooks, I have an addiction.

My mum isn't the best at baking, and freely admits it, so I'm self taught in that respect.

I did have cookery lessons at school but I had already been making what was taught for a long time so was a doddle.

I'm currently getting to grips with adapting recipes so they are suitable for a baby to eat, no added salt, sugar etc.

MDW

mollymunchkin

My mum hardly cooked at all so I've learnt through trial and error from the tv/books/internet. I'm not brilliant at it but the muffins get eaten without complaint when I take them into work

jannyannie

I learnt to cook by watching my Mum cook. She never used recipies and did everything by eye. I used to sit on a stool and watch her. She always knew what things to put with what. She's 81 now and I still lust after her roast potatoes Mum did a lot of what I call poverty cooking, she'd have three ingredients and turn it into something wonderful. BY the time I was 11 I could cook most things including a full roast dinner. I hated cookery lessons, we never made anything that tasted as good as my Mum's and I wanted to do woodwork.

I have recipie books and I look at them every now and then for ideas when I'm stuck. Then I go and throw something together. DS also likes to sit and watch me cook. Hopefully he will be the same. x

Benthosboy

Am I ashamed or what .

I've never learnt :eek: . Any suggestions??

Martyn.

soappie

I learnt by osmosis - i.e. I watched my Mum do the rubber chicken thing and my Granny. Plus I was taught the rudimentaries of "Domestic Science" at school and have an 'O' level in it.

I'm older than a lot of you and my parents were of the 'rationing' mentality from WW2 which meant they were conditioned to save carrier bags, paper bags, bits of string and stretched the food according to the budget. And it was all home cooked rather than ready made.

Maybe we should extend this thread to do a statistical analysis via a poll on who learnt how and what age they are?

arkonite_babe

Mum, Dad, Granny and school. Then a bit of pottering on my own with various books

champys

I was 'thrown into the deep end' at the age of 13 when my mother suddenly started being taken into hospital - at regular intervals, and sometimes for several months at a time. There were no convenience foods or takeaways available, and my Dad, myself and two brothers to feed. Although my mother was a very competent cook, she did not tolerate anyone in the kitchen while she was cooking, and cookery was not taught in school where I grew up. My Dad and I muddled through and learned by doing. Sometimes aunties came to look after us for a while, and they taught me things as well. I learned about doing the washing and cleaning the house at the same time - but cooking has been my favourite activity ever since.

noonesperfect

Benthosboy wrote: »

Am I ashamed or what .

I've never learnt :eek: . Any suggestions??

Martyn.

I'm sure there are cookery evening classes for men (local tech type college).
Even if they're not specifically aimed at men, you're all there to learn to cook.
HTH

noonesperfect

I always enjoyed watching Mum cook and would "help" given the opportunity (but I was slow and held her up usually!)
Learnt some cookery in domestic science at school, but rock cakes won't take you far....
Did a cordon bleu course (tres posh) in my late teens, but things like yorkshire pud and meringues never work for me!:mad:, so it didn't help me much from a point of view of run-of-the-mill everyday food. I never do any fancy cooking and all the cordon bleu type food involved alot of full cream dairy produce, bleuruuuugh _pale_

arkonite_babe

Benthosboy wrote: »

Am I ashamed or what .

I've never learnt :eek: . Any suggestions??

Martyn.

We helped MrBadExample so if you want to learn, let us know what you want to do and we'll all help you through it

He's made a birthday cake

He's had baking tips

He's made french stuff

Veggie Stuff

Confectionery

He's made stuff with sloes

He's made meatloaf

Used gooseberries

He's made carrot cake

Kedgeree for a bloke

Chick Pea curry for a bloke

Cauliflower Cheese


And I think there was another one "Mrbadexamples cooking thread" but I can't find it.


So if he can do it so can you