I can cook, I enjoy cooking and most of my disposable income goes on ingredients, equipment and eating out. My Friday and Saturday evenings are invariably spent at a friend's house cooking with/for them and I've done a few dinner parties for people where I've been in the kitchen while they've entertained their guests.
I'd like to think I can cook to 'restaurant standard' but I'd need to get on Masterchef to prove that to myself, despite what friends tell me. I'd like to get some work in a proper kitchen at the weekends to expand my range but time isn't permitting at the moment.
Here's one of my favourite dishes: Chicken and Chorizo Risotto.
I did Home Economics at school way back when but was never taught how to cook anything useful - HE consisted of easy, basic dishes like pizza and things on toast. My passion for cooking definitely comes from my Mum who has always cooked a proper meal every day from fresh ingredients, but also comes from being lucky enough to travel extensively and sample lots of different cuisines and many, many restaurants across the globe.
I don't think there's any excuse for not being able to cook the basics, but there's got to be some desire to do so. With so many people relying on Ready Meals and being served these by their families on a daily basis, I think people forget what a proper cooked meal tastes like and how satisfying it can be to prepare, cook and eat. That's not to say there isn't a place for ready-prepared ingredients because there is, but a reliance on Ready Meals and Fast Food is slightly worrying when there is an abundance of fresh ingredients in the shops and markets and more cookery shows, books, magazines and websites around then ever.
And if anyone wants an 'idiots guide', Delia Smith's 'How to Cook' series should be the starting point for any aspiring cook or chef. Some of the recipes are a bit advanced and at times she may seem patronising, but if you can make your way through and you feel confident in your cooking you'll open yourself up to more adventurous dishes. But if your Mum, Dad or any family member can cook well, spend some time with them and learn the ropes. Every cook/chef likes the attention of a willing student.
I'd like to think I can cook to 'restaurant standard' but I'd need to get on Masterchef to prove that to myself, despite what friends tell me. I'd like to get some work in a proper kitchen at the weekends to expand my range but time isn't permitting at the moment.
Here's one of my favourite dishes: Chicken and Chorizo Risotto.
I did Home Economics at school way back when but was never taught how to cook anything useful - HE consisted of easy, basic dishes like pizza and things on toast. My passion for cooking definitely comes from my Mum who has always cooked a proper meal every day from fresh ingredients, but also comes from being lucky enough to travel extensively and sample lots of different cuisines and many, many restaurants across the globe.
I don't think there's any excuse for not being able to cook the basics, but there's got to be some desire to do so. With so many people relying on Ready Meals and being served these by their families on a daily basis, I think people forget what a proper cooked meal tastes like and how satisfying it can be to prepare, cook and eat. That's not to say there isn't a place for ready-prepared ingredients because there is, but a reliance on Ready Meals and Fast Food is slightly worrying when there is an abundance of fresh ingredients in the shops and markets and more cookery shows, books, magazines and websites around then ever.
And if anyone wants an 'idiots guide', Delia Smith's 'How to Cook' series should be the starting point for any aspiring cook or chef. Some of the recipes are a bit advanced and at times she may seem patronising, but if you can make your way through and you feel confident in your cooking you'll open yourself up to more adventurous dishes. But if your Mum, Dad or any family member can cook well, spend some time with them and learn the ropes. Every cook/chef likes the attention of a willing student.