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Other people's cooking
- Thread starter Nerdyone
- Start date
Most people I know over season their food and/or don't measure anything. The latter one really bugs me. No, you aren't too good for measuring, hooker.
My mom was a horrible cook. Combined with me being a very picky eater when i was young. So I didn't learn from her.
I learned how to cook after moving out on my own, and realizing my food I cooked was even worse.
Picked up cook books here and there (convenient internet in the form of smart phones wouldn't be available for over 5 years) to learn the basics, and learned local cuisine from freinds, and what thier parents taught them, from the countries I lived in.
Probably the most important aspect that doesn't seem to get around in the states is meal prep. Most people stateside seem to take it out of the wrapper season it, and toss it in the fire. Which gets you meat that tastes seasoned on the outside, and thin portions, and is super bland in the middle. Boneless skinless Chicken breast and trimmed red meat, particularly of the more affordable cuts ends up pretty gross this way, especially baked/oven cooked. Seems like this is the problem you described op.
I learned how to cook after moving out on my own, and realizing my food I cooked was even worse.
Picked up cook books here and there (convenient internet in the form of smart phones wouldn't be available for over 5 years) to learn the basics, and learned local cuisine from freinds, and what thier parents taught them, from the countries I lived in.
Probably the most important aspect that doesn't seem to get around in the states is meal prep. Most people stateside seem to take it out of the wrapper season it, and toss it in the fire. Which gets you meat that tastes seasoned on the outside, and thin portions, and is super bland in the middle. Boneless skinless Chicken breast and trimmed red meat, particularly of the more affordable cuts ends up pretty gross this way, especially baked/oven cooked. Seems like this is the problem you described op.
OP
OP
How do you fuck up cook out food*? Hotdogs? You get a good brand and cook them. Burgers? Season with salt and maybe pepper and cook them. Chicken? This one is actually harder because it takes longer. Still salt and pepper and maybe brush with bbq sauce when it's close to ready.
Sides: beans (buy cans like a normal persom)
Potato salad: get Karen to bring it
*I know how. Some people think adding a shit load of stuff creating their special burgers = tasting good. Marinating your beef in Dale's and cayenne pepper and whatever else just makes for an overly salty patty that doesn't lend itself well to putting the common condiments you normally would put on a burger or even cheese. Plus it kills the charcoal taste.
Sides: beans (buy cans like a normal persom)
Potato salad: get Karen to bring it
*I know how. Some people think adding a shit load of stuff creating their special burgers = tasting good. Marinating your beef in Dale's and cayenne pepper and whatever else just makes for an overly salty patty that doesn't lend itself well to putting the common condiments you normally would put on a burger or even cheese. Plus it kills the charcoal taste.
That's all good. What I hate is when a recipe says "2 cups" of water, or flour, and my friend eyeballs it. Then I eat the soupy food, or food where I can feel the texture of the flour still, and go "mrmmmm."
You sound exactly like a friend of mine. It was hell trying to pick restaurant's we could all eat at because he hated everything.
He wouldn't eat any cooked vegetables and his meals were usually meat and a salad as long as he had his bottle of dressing he brougt with him. If not, just bread and meat. Fun fun fun.
Yeah, I get why that wouldn't be fun. I sympathize with both of you.
I don't think I'm as bad as that. Friends like to go for sushi, but I can get cooked teriyaki chicken, a beansprout salad and some soup with lots of rice. Even at pizza places, I can get wings and wedges or chicken fingers. Usually there's something I'll like.
I just tend to avoid Mexican and Italian restaurants. East Side Mario's used to offer a regular roast chicken meal and steak, too. Now it's all pizza and pasta except for chicken fingers and fries. At least their bread and salad are good and I can make it two meals if I want to: fill up on that, take the rest home.
The short answer, yeah most people can't cook.
For years I thought my Mom was a great cook, until I met my wife. The first time I traveled home and had my Step-mom's cooking it was horrible after that. My wife's cooking is a cherished thing within the community, and so is her Mom's cooking. My sisters in-laws, can't cook as well as my wife or their mom. I found it comes down to learning how to do it right, proper seasoning, following recipes, and technique (gotta practice the technique).
Some people paint, some sculpt, and some do weird things with their body and paint and canvas, but cooking is my art medium. I like to express myself through it and make "art" with it.
The flavors, not really the presentation type stuff. I'm a home chef, but it's still really fun for me.
To be on topic, my food is amazing. I make incredible anything, really. Just find me a recipe, and I can usually make it 10x better than what it originally was.
The flavors, not really the presentation type stuff. I'm a home chef, but it's still really fun for me.
To be on topic, my food is amazing. I make incredible anything, really. Just find me a recipe, and I can usually make it 10x better than what it originally was.
I stand with Ramsey in the scramble in the pan club*. I do mine a little more done than he does, but not much. I stick to over easy most days though.
*Unless you are cooking for 500 people.
Edit: thought I was in the other cooking thread made today.
*Unless you are cooking for 500 people.
Edit: thought I was in the other cooking thread made today.
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I'm setting up a food service thing so I'm kind of hoping that people like my cookings...
The key and one of the most important things people mess up with even when they don't under-/overcook something and even when they make amazing looking food is not being a wuss when it comes to seasoning and learning a few basic seasoning combos and rules. It always pains me when some recipe has, like, 1 teaspoon of paprika powder for something that feeds 6 people. That shit ain't gonna taste at all. There are some spices that you need to be careful with in specific dishes if you don't specifically want to make that thing the main flavor (I.e. curry powder can be overpowering, so unless you're making some curry sauce, then moderation is key), but other than that people should be braver with seasoning their food. If you're gonna make tomato-basil sauce, then you better fucking have basil all over that shit. Not, like, just 2-3 fresh leaves or 1 teaspoon of dried basil.
The key and one of the most important things people mess up with even when they don't under-/overcook something and even when they make amazing looking food is not being a wuss when it comes to seasoning and learning a few basic seasoning combos and rules. It always pains me when some recipe has, like, 1 teaspoon of paprika powder for something that feeds 6 people. That shit ain't gonna taste at all. There are some spices that you need to be careful with in specific dishes if you don't specifically want to make that thing the main flavor (I.e. curry powder can be overpowering, so unless you're making some curry sauce, then moderation is key), but other than that people should be braver with seasoning their food. If you're gonna make tomato-basil sauce, then you better fucking have basil all over that shit. Not, like, just 2-3 fresh leaves or 1 teaspoon of dried basil.
I don't get how someone can be bad at cooking unless they don't put in any effort.
Have you ever been over a friends house to eat and the food just ain't no good? I mean the macaroni's soggy, the peas are mushed and the chicken tastes like wood.
The whole thermodynamics thing can stump a lot of folks, honestly.
I only use garlic salt, maybe pepper, maybe cumin.
Super delicious to me but ya'll probs wouldn't like it much since I'm not a professional chef.
Super delicious to me but ya'll probs wouldn't like it much since I'm not a professional chef.
fear or strong biases? if someone just can't accept that food is cooked at a certain point after being told however many times that things really are done after xxx minutes, then the problem causing things to be overcooked ain't a lack of cooking knowledge.
I bought a Thermapen at some point because I mean fucking up food is annoying.
People don't know how to cook because most of the important parts are the "boring" parts. Chopping, shaping, seasoning, whisking, grating, etc. If you don't have patience with this your food will be underwhelming. Throwing stuff in a pot or pan after you've prepared it is the easy part, and the most fun. But if the flavors weren't there before you put it in that pan, they sure as hell won't be there afterward.
i can't cook super well, but like you i usually dislike other people's cooking; especially at their home. probably part of the reason why i go to restaurants so often.
Effort is definitely part of it, but a lot of them just don't seem to know what they want from the final product. I've had friends serve me stews/chilis where the vegetables were still crunchy and practically raw and the base was super watery. And they didn't realize anything was wrong with it. Like no one ever taught them how to sweat their vegetables, or reduce their sauces, or use thickeners. Real basic techniques. You'd think upon reading a recipe that mentions a technique they're unfamiliar with they'd do some research, but instead they just wing it? I dunno.
Invite them to your place OP and show them how its done. It might inspire them to do better.
I can cook I was taught by my mother and Ive worked as a cook a few times.
But food being under seasoned is understandable because people have different palates and u can always add more salt and pepper.
I can cook I was taught by my mother and Ive worked as a cook a few times.
But food being under seasoned is understandable because people have different palates and u can always add more salt and pepper.
My mother was a fair cook. She had several dishes that she made quite well, but she was a hippie and cooked from a lot of hippie cookbooks. While I think I would now love her homemade breads, yogurt, chutneys, etc., I hated a lot of the meals. My father is an excellent home cook, my brother is a professional chef at a 3-star Michelin restaurant, and I am a very good home cook (I don't think my sister cooks at all). Of the friends I eat with, one lady is a very good cook (she cooks for at least 6 every night), while the other hosts pot-luck parties. All of her friends are from her Jewish Temple, so I used to hope that there would be interesting food, but they are mostly poor cooks and their foods are boring suburban fare.
I felt this way. I liked the taste of mushrooms but not the texture. I realized that a spice mix I liked was primarily dried mushrooms. I started finely dicing mushrooms of many different varieties. Now I leave them in larger chunks and don't mind the texture.
BeardedOne, you don't cook at all? I would think doing it yourself might allow you to overcome it. Do you eat out mostly? Is this a physiological condition or psychological?
I felt this way. I liked the taste of mushrooms but not the texture. I realized that a spice mix I liked was primarily dried mushrooms. I started finely dicing mushrooms of many different varieties. Now I leave them in larger chunks and don't mind the texture.
BeardedOne, you don't cook at all? I would think doing it yourself might allow you to overcome it. Do you eat out mostly? Is this a physiological condition or psychological?
You can learn basically anything with the internet these days. Half of the recipes come with videos!
Hooker? Are they known for being notoriously bad at measuring or something? People pay by the inch with them or something?
For the most part I would agree with you OP. Probably 70% of my friends are bad at cooking. Just average at best. There is an exception though. One of my friends wife makes some of the best Mexican food I've eaten.
As someone who has spent a lot of time trying to improve my cooking skills (and have worked as a chef in a restaurant), I generally dislike being cooked for by friends&family (and girlfriends of old). It usually starts out with them cooking and ends with them asking for help. I've learned not to interfere (even though some choices they make are baffling) and not to question how they do things but it's been a long journey to this point. I just eat, politely.
I agree with OP, for most (almost all) friend. My sisters husband however, damn that guy can cook!
People generally seems to really enjoy my cooking too, which makes sense since I really try my best to learn new things and I'm never satisfied with a dish (meaning: I enjoy it and eat it but I know I can make it even better).
People generally seems to really enjoy my cooking too, which makes sense since I really try my best to learn new things and I'm never satisfied with a dish (meaning: I enjoy it and eat it but I know I can make it even better).
I know what you mean, OP. When I was a kid I went to a neighbor's BBQ a few times and they overcooked their burgers like crazy. I was used to my dad's burgers (they're weighed to a specific size and grilled to medium, dusted with the same combo of spices every time) and the ones my neighbor made were just like charred meat patties with no flavor. And dry buns. I didn't complain or anything, I wasn't much of a picky eater even back then, but it always made me wonder if that's just how they thought burgers were supposed to taste. Maybe they liked them better that way, I dunno.
I didn't learn how to cook specifically from my parents, but cooking in our house was normalized to the point that I picked up some things and had a natural curiosity about it. I wasn't afraid to learn how once I was out on my own. I like to experiment and learn different cuisines, but the thing is, I wouldn't serve food I wasn't confident about to other people. My standards were set by my dad's family, who were all phenomenal home cooks and brought crazy good food every time we got together. It would be embarrassing to put bland, overcooked food alongside those dishes.
I didn't learn how to cook specifically from my parents, but cooking in our house was normalized to the point that I picked up some things and had a natural curiosity about it. I wasn't afraid to learn how once I was out on my own. I like to experiment and learn different cuisines, but the thing is, I wouldn't serve food I wasn't confident about to other people. My standards were set by my dad's family, who were all phenomenal home cooks and brought crazy good food every time we got together. It would be embarrassing to put bland, overcooked food alongside those dishes.
User Warned: Hostility. Please be respectful and polite when posting in threads.
I've been professional chef for just over 10 years now. This is exactly what you do, from decades of standards before you, you keep your fucking mouth shut. Keep it to yourself, it ain't none of your bizness
For me it's the multitasking requirement. Like in theory I know what I am supposed to do, but when something is wrong during the actual cooking with let's say veggies then I forget about meat and fuck it up too etc.
Look. No offense to you but I just don't understand the entire I'll eat what I want subculture. I've been in the I ndustry .
The people know. Nobody wants to wait on babies.
You have to evaluate what you can actually do. I often take shortcuts by just buying a prepared side-dish when necessary.
Maybe you're friends with the wrong people OP.
As someone who likes only the potato salad made using the family recipe, this speaks to me.
As someone who likes only the potato salad made using the family recipe, this speaks to me.
Finally, a true word from someone who knows how to cook instead of a bunch of people complaining about potato salad.
Woo, those people can tell good potato salad from bad. I bet you are also proud you drink mexican coke like a true sugar expert.
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Yes it is. Don't make more types of food than your skill allows. I'm not going to manually peel and mash potatoes when the main star of the night is a fiddly attention heavy protein.
Also I've never complained about anything my friends ever made. Whether that's because I'm not mean or simply because I like everything I don't know. It's true that I like basically all food though.
But I'm telling you how people can screw up basic dishes and if they are going to abandon trying then they will never get better and that is not an answer
People always think that they know how to cook well and no-one ever tells them they can't. It's the polite thing to do.
A little feedback goes a long way. Just be nice about it.
I taught some friends of mine how to gently steam vegetables in a pot instead of just boiling them down to a mush and their minds were blown.
A little feedback goes a long way. Just be nice about it.
I taught some friends of mine how to gently steam vegetables in a pot instead of just boiling them down to a mush and their minds were blown.