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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

LATEST EMAILER LACKS CONFIDENCE

A woman emailed me the other day, apparently she just started to cook in her home, she's married and doesn't have kids, but she feels that her mommy in-law is always too critical of her meals that she cooks when they all get together once a month.


I replied with some questions:


1. Is your mother in-law a great cook herself? Answer, Yes
2. What is it do you feel the most comfortable cooking? Answer, Pasta


I asked her where she lives, and her response was she lives outside of the city, and her profession is she's a hair stylist. Well, I also asked her how she learned to cook since she just started, her reply was her sister who's a few years older than she is taught her to make pasta and salads and a few soups. She picked up cooking pretty easily because she's good with her hands, and she's a quick learner.


Here's what I told her to do.
1. Keep practicing, watch some food shows, read food magazines, be current with what is happening, but also read traditional cookbooks, like those how to make stuff from scratch books.
2. Take a few cooking classes from other cooks or chefs and keep practicing.
3. Learn to make something new, try asking her mother in-law if she ever tried Indian food for example, if she hasn't, then this will be new to her, and when my e mailer friend will do something new, her mommy in-law wouldn't know if it's bad or good. Always keep the enemy guessing.
4. Invite over some friends that understands food, maybe some good compliments from others will make mommy in-law feel like she's a jerk for acting the way she does,


In other words, just keep practicing, learn to take criticism, have thick skin and a sense of humor, sometimes, one should not just sit back and take too much from anyone, you gotta stand up for yourself, snap back if you have to. But as far as cooking is concerned, I truly believe it'll all come together if you don't quit.


Learn the basics, I keep telling friends that want to learn to cook, is learn the basics, learn how to boil water, how to cook an egg, how to grill a steak, how to bake and roast, how to stir fry, just learn the basics and you'll do good.


If my friend knows how to make pasta, she's on her way to becoming a great home cook to her family. I'd suggest during the week, do one moist cooking dish, and do a couple of dry cooking dishes. Moist meaning poaching, boiling, steaming, or a combination dry and moist in braising or stewing. Learn to do these right, you'll be very very comfortable in the kitchen. :)


Suggested book The French Chef Cookbook by Julia Child, this book can teach you many things about cooking great food.

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