I Want My Cooking To Be Legendary

[Wynona]

Help me! No more fast food. And restaurants in my area are terrible.

I'm actually a fairly decent cook already. I tend to not measure and use a lot of spices. My husband and his friends tend to compliment my cooking.

But since Im getting help with cleaning, I have energy to consider my ways. Im interested in dishes from Asian, Creole, Hatian, Nigerian, and Southern United States. Soul food.

Tell me about the best food youve ever had. Do you have a signature recipe? I want to knooowww

Im convinced food is the 6th love language.

 

[JohnDB]

Help me! No more fast food. And restaurants in my area are terrible.

I'm actually a fairly decent cook already. I tend to not measure and use a lot of spices. My husband and his friends tend to compliment my cooking.

But since Im getting help with cleaning, I have energy to consider my ways. Im interested in dishes from Asian, Creole, Hatian, Nigerian, and Southern United States. Soul food.

Tell me about the best food youve ever had. Do you have a signature recipe? I want to knooowww

Im convinced food is the 6th love language.

Food is as good as you make it.

Freshness counts extreme. There are fresh spices and stale spices. Most sold in the supermarket are from 2 years ago. Meaning...they have lost an incredible amount of flavor and nuance from being so old.

Fresh cardamom is incredible...good stuff. But it's expensive when whole and fresh instead of institutional and ground on a massive scale. (Like coffee....there is institutional grade and specialty grade as found in boutique coffee shops)

The best way to deal with most spices is to purchase what are called "Turkish coffee mills". These brass clad gizmos can hold the whole fresh spices and have a bottom that can hold fresh ground spice. One grinder per spice.

 

[Pearl]

Food is as good as you make it.

Freshness counts extreme. There are fresh spices and stale spices. Most sold in the supermarket are from 2 years ago. Meaning...they have lost an incredible amount of flavor and nuance from being so old.

Fresh cardamom is incredible...good stuff. But it's expensive when whole and fresh instead of institutional and ground on a massive scale. (Like coffee....there is institutional grade and specialty grade as found in boutique coffee shops)

The best way to deal with most spices is to purchase what are called "Turkish coffee mills". These brass clad gizmos can hold the whole fresh spices and have a bottom that can hold fresh ground spice. One grinder per spice.

View attachment 44444

I use whole nutmegs and have a tiny little grater. All other spice I use come out of jars.

 

[Pearl]

Help me! No more fast food. And restaurants in my area are terrible.

I'm actually a fairly decent cook already. I tend to not measure and use a lot of spices. My husband and his friends tend to compliment my cooking.

But since Im getting help with cleaning, I have energy to consider my ways. Im interested in dishes from Asian, Creole, Hatian, Nigerian, and Southern United States. Soul food.

Tell me about the best food youve ever had. Do you have a signature recipe? I want to knooowww

Im convinced food is the 6th love language.

I'm not much of a cook but used to make some delicious casseroles with beef, or lamb or chicken and I make a soup with lots of assorted beans and carrots and chopped tomatoes with garlic to season it.

 

[JohnDB]

I use whole nutmegs and have a tiny little grater. All other spice I use come out of jars.

Right....
What I'm suggesting is that you go to an Indian spice/Tea shop to purchase fresh spices....it makes a huge difference with already established recipes you are already using.

One step at a time.

I know all too well that unfortunately exceptional skill comes from LOTS of practice and repeatedly doing the exact same recipe over and over....carefully and objectively evaluating every minute difference between the past and present batch. It's not exactly exciting....but it works out well when it comes time to cook to impress or reward.

Fresh nutmeg of course is a must by those that enjoy it. And it's good to always use it fresh like that.
But even pepper is better when fresh and freshly ground.

And it's a good place to start before branching out to untried recipes....not that you are not capable...or that you will not be able to ramp up quickly if determined....

I have done things this way for my entire professional career. Even at this point I still will practice future meals on my wife and I before serving them to others.
And that's the difference between competent and exceptional skills. (Which is what you are asking about)
Some people can't be competent at cooking as the food is barely edible.
Most are competent at following recipes...
But a precious few go way beyond competent and reach exceptional....and it's not exactly easy and usually a frustrating journey.

But that's what's required....I cheer anyone wanting to reach exceptional skill. I am very much a supporter of arts.

 

[Mayflower]

You can cook a lot of good dishes in a crockpot and it is fast and easy.

 

[JohnDB]

All that I've said before is true....
And as a professional who has cooked in some of the USA's finest restaurants and hotels with top chefs from around the world....

I still have my "beans on toast" nights.
Chicken nuggets in the oven are quick and easy. However, the honey mustard used with them doesn't come from a jar or bottle....so we got compensations.

And if I got a bit of leftover cooked meat from another meal a quick meal is ravioli with a bit of fresh pasta kneaded up. Then just a toss in butter and garlic.

Fresh herbs growing on the back deck in containers makes things easy to access fresh herbs....

So....yeah....my low brow meals tend to be a step above...and eating out dissapointment is usually because of necessity instead of delight .but I'm a retired pro. It's just gonna be that way. I can do a LOT in a smaller amount of time than most.

 

[Pearl]

Right....
What I'm suggesting is that you go to an Indian spice/Tea shop to purchase fresh spices....it makes a huge difference with already established recipes you are already using.

One step at a time.

I know all too well that unfortunately exceptional skill comes from LOTS of practice and repeatedly doing the exact same recipe over and over....carefully and objectively evaluating every minute difference between the past and present batch. It's not exactly exciting....but it works out well when it comes time to cook to impress or reward.

Fresh nutmeg of course is a must by those that enjoy it. And it's good to always use it fresh like that.
But even pepper is better when fresh and freshly ground.

And it's a good place to start before branching out to untried recipes....not that you are not capable...or that you will not be able to ramp up quickly if determined....

I have done things this way for my entire professional career. Even at this point I still will practice future meals on my wife and I before serving them to others.
And that's the difference between competent and exceptional skills. (Which is what you are asking about)
Some people can't be competent at cooking as the food is barely edible.
Most are competent at following recipes...
But a precious few go way beyond competent and reach exceptional....and it's not exactly easy and usually a frustrating journey.

But that's what's required....I cheer anyone wanting to reach exceptional skill. I am very much a supporter of arts.

Thanks for that @JohnDB but to be honest I don't do much cooking any more and have never really used spices apart from cinnamon and nutmeg which I like on my porridge. I have been an adequate cook for daily family meals and made more effort for entertaining but nothing exceptional.

 

[Pearl]

I used to like making one pot meals in my slow cooker but it's too big for us now as my husband has very little appetite and eats like a sparrow. Sadly it's ready made frozen meals which he prefers. Our taste in food has always differed greatly but he used to like the casseroles I made.

 

[Jay Ross]

If you know how to make five to ten dishes well, then you are a chief indeed.

I like chicken gizzards and hearts cooked in a pressure cooker with baily, onions, carrots, pumpkin, leaks, peppers, mushrooms and any other veggies that may be in the fridge. The gizzards and hearts are cheap to buy. If you want too, you can add a couple of chicken wings to the mix. I add coconut milk/cream and thicken with corn flour.

However, people will turn their noses up when this dish is placed before them, because their mind is made up that this is not good to eat even though they have never tried it.

I also like freshwater catfish but people are also fussy about catfish and will only eat a limited variety of fish.

I usually only cook using four main vegetables in the dishes and find that I can serve a variety of tasty disks during the week.

If you can please the important people in your life with your cooking, then you have accomplished greatness in their eyes and have no need to prove yourself to others with your cooking.

Shalom

 

[quietthinker]

I Want My Cooking To Be Legendary​

I want mine to be nourishing.

 

[Ritajanice]

Hi Wynona, good for you,I used to be a cook in a residential home, very basic food really....as I’ve gotten older ,I’ve become much more adventurous in the kitchen, I would say, sweet and sour chicken in a beer batter served with special fried rice is a favourite amongst family and friends...

I like Chinese food....xxx

 

[Lambano]

I Want My Cooking To Be Legendary​

I want mine to be nourishing.

I'd settle for edible.

 

[Adrift]

I'll stick with my Little Debbie Nutty Bars.

 

[Ritajanice]

I used to like making one pot meals in my slow cooker but it's too big for us now as my husband has very little appetite and eats like a sparrow. Sadly it's ready made frozen meals which he prefers. Our taste in food has always differed greatly but he used to like the casseroles I made.

Have you tried Charlie Bingham....his ready meals are supposed to be superb, with no additives, he’s a bit pricy though,xx

 

[Nancy]

Wynona,
Cooking is the one thing I can do, and even though I've lost interest in many things, even cooking the way I used to,
I have several signature dishes, there is the 9 eggs and one lb. of spinach, and a ton of other things in there frittata!

I've spent many times over the decades perfecting gnocchi and serve it with a traditional Caesar salad, meatballs (homemade, of course) and an awesome spinach provolone baked garlic bread. I use all freshest of ingredients.

A cream cheese based tomato fiesta soup to die for. A baked bean recipe to kill for, lol...although have not been able to make them since covid as Gramma Browns beans are no longer available and I refuse to use Bush's as they are simply pork n beans to me, Gramma's was the awesome pasty beans. You might be able to get them on amazon for like 30-50 bucks a can! Going to try to make it with dry Navy Beans. Also, collard greens and beans soup and several others I love.

I love to experiment with many different recipes!

You go sister, pregnant, barefoot in the kitchen banging those pots and pans, lol.

xo

 

[Pearl]

Have you tried Charlie Bingham....his ready meals are supposed to be superb, with no additives, he’s a bit pricy though,xx

Usually Morrison's,

 

[Cassandra]

Is it possible or do we already have a thread which has recipes? I think we should--we can all share them. Wynona, I love new recipes too!!

 

[Ritajanice]

Hey Wynona.....what about baking...I can blow my trumpet there, hehehe.....xxx

 

[Wynona]

Have you tried Charlie Bingham....his ready meals are supposed to be superb, with no additives, he’s a bit pricy though,xx

I don't think Ive seen that. Nice to see you posting!