[graciegirl]

I learned from the basics taught girls in seventh grade home economics and later from The Betty Crocker Cookbook initially gifted to me at a wedding shower.

I was just looking at that cookbook, and I can see that many of the meals we still like, I learned to cook there. The yeast roll recipe is hardly legible it is so well used.

I like to cook. The people I cook for every day have never been critical and that helps a cook enjoy cooking.

Do you LIKE to cook? How did you learn? Who does most of the cooking at your house? Do you eat out a lot?

[cordenny]

I learned to cook from my mother and grandmother. They were both marvelous cooks. They are both of Italian descent so of course they cooked and baked delicious Italian food. We lived in Youngstown, Ohio where there were many different nationalities (Polish, German, Irish, Slovak, Greek, and Italian). We all shared recipes with each other. Even though I am Italian and Irish, I make the best stuffed cabbage and kielbasa, pork and sauerkraut. I haven't had any complaints from my family of my cooking. They like my lazagna, spaghetti and meatballs, stuffed peppers, meatloaf, fajitas, chili dogs, homemade soups, cheesecake, pizzells, cakes, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinners, and many more dishes. I was very fortunate to grow up in a family that liked to cook and of course eat!!

[Abby10]

I'm not a bad cook, I just really don't enjoy cooking. I learned from my mother and other women in my family, from cookbooks, and from recipe sharing with friends, but if given a choice to cook or clean my house I would take cleaning any day. I do practically all of the cooking in my house - UGH! - and everybody seems to enjoy it which says a lot I guess considering my husband's mother was a fabulous cook.

Funny story - one of my best friends (100% Italian descent) really disappointed her mother when she had no desire to learn to cook while she was still at home. She told her mom, no worries, when I marry, I'll marry someone who can. Her mother just shook her head. She moved to California after she finished college, met a man out there and got married. On their first visit back to PA to visit her parents, everyone wakes up to her new husband preparing breakfast for the entire family. My friend, with a smile on her face, looks at her mother (who is in a state of shock) and says, "See, I told you". I love that friend of mine - wish we would have kept in touch more during those days, maybe I would have learned a good lesson from her.....

Actually, I think the best arrangement is when both people cook. A lot more variety and a lot less burden on one person.

[tophcfa]

I had a job washing dishes at a local restaurant when I was 15. The chef saw I was a hard worker and began training me to be his assistant chef. By the time I was 17 I was running the kitchen when the chef took days off. I put myself through college cooking at various restaurants and earned a degree on Hotel and Restaurant management from UMASS. After graduating and managing various food service businesses, I quickly learned that the business entailed very long hours, working holidays and weekends, and relatively low pay. Went back to school and got a MBA with a Finance concentration, a way better career choice. Less hard work and more reasonable hours, and much better pay and other benefits. Now I cook simple and bland low carb food for me and my better half.

[sallybowron]

I learned to cook at home. We had six kids so the menu was pretty simple. Since I became an adult I have cooked a more varied menu. Since I am Married to the best husband in the Villages I get a lot of encouragement. Lately I have not felt so much like cooking so he helps. I cook and refrigerate the leftovers and he warms them up. LOL Thank you God for sending my "cook" to me.

[tomwed]

I don't remember if my mother owned a single cookbook. She did read a lot of books. I don't remember the meals being amazing. Mostly it was meat, potatoes, pasta or rice and a can of vegetables. The fresh vegetables were corn and tomatoes. Dinner was at 5 and my father was never late and he only liked a handful of foods. What we ate was not as high of a priority as it was for me as I got older.

I come from a family of DIY's. There wasn't a thing my father couldn't fix and my mother sewed. I liked peasant ethnic food and so did my friends so I learned watching tv, reading everything I could from library books and magazines and following directions. Not everyone in my house enjoyed all kinds of food so I made 2 different dinners each night. I think that made me creative. I had a 35 minute commute and that's when I brainstormed recipes substituting expensive ingredients for less expensive ones. My sons cook, my daughter does not.

[BK001]

Gracigirl:

I'll answer your second question: Do You Like to Cook?

I used to love certain types -- such as cooking for company or cooking for parties and large groups. So did my husband Mike. I was good at pasta – he was good at rice. I was good at pork, he was good at lamb. We were both good at everything else. Together we mastered “mise en place” and “clean-as-you-go. And I really enjoyed finding creative appetizers. Many of our specialties are expensive, labor-intensive, highly caloric and universally enjoyed by those in our circles who have eaten our cooking.

By the time we embarked on our new life in retirement, we were both pretty much tired (I've been at it for close to 50 years) and done with heavy lifting cooking. We had visions of eating out for most of our meals. We joked about how wherever we lived, we would look for the best early bird specials for late lunches or early dinners at what we assumed would be a plethora of small, neighborhood, family-owned, charming, eat-in, take-out and/or delivery restaurants. Then we moved to The Villages.

Without getting into details, taking most meals out is simply not feasible given the availability of options suitable to our wants. So back to cooking.

BTW, all my recipes were perfected on gas stoves. I neither used nor knew anyone who ever used an electric range. In the 2 years we have lived in The Villages, we have ruined many meals. Converting to gas is on my “to-do” list as well as developing recipes that are quick, easy to prepare, ketogenic, and delicious.

Our doctors suggest that we lose some weight so it is probably a blessing that we don’t have any favorite restaurants near us and our cooking of late, seems to leave a bit to be desired.

Another thing, the DAILY food repartee between me and my husband, which begins before I've finished my first cup of coffee, is beginning to drive me bonkers …

Him: What should I take out of the freezer?
Me: I don’t care.

Him: Well what are you in the mood for?
Me: Whatever you want.

Him: Well why can’t you make up your mind.
Me: Well why can’t you make up yours. I don’t care what I eat today. What do you want?

Him: I’m going to defroast some chopped meat.
Me: Great – sounds good (grateful that it’s decided and for the end of this line of conversation)

Then, after a slight pause:

Him: Do you want spaghetti with meatballs or spaghetti with meat sauce?

Somedays I feel grrrrrrr husbands ... you can't live with them and you can't shoot them!


So I guess my short answer should be No, I Don’t Like to Cook … Anymore.

[Roll With It]

I learned to cook by observing my mother and by trial and error. I rarely use a recipe, just a spoon of this and a pinch of that. I love to cook and find it to be very relaxing to prepare a meal. I cook very simple things, and try to make healthy meals. I like the fact that I have control of what goes into the food. There is nothing like the smell of a home cooked meal on a cool or rainy afternoon!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by BK001

Gracigirl:

I'll answer your second question: Do You Like to Cook?

I used to love certain types -- such as cooking for company or cooking for parties and large groups. So did my husband Mike. I was good at pasta – he was good at rice. I was good at pork, he was good at lamb. We were both good at everything else. Together we mastered “mise en place” and “clean-as-you-go. And I really enjoyed finding creative appetizers. Many of our specialties are expensive, labor-intensive, highly caloric and universally enjoyed by those in our circles who have eaten our cooking.

By the time we embarked on our new life in retirement, we were both pretty much tired (I've been at it for close to 50 years) and done with heavy lifting cooking. We had visions of eating out for most of our meals. We joked about how wherever we lived, we would look for the best early bird specials for late lunches or early dinners at what we assumed would be a plethora of small, neighborhood, family-owned, charming, eat-in, take-out and/or delivery restaurants. Then we moved to The Villages.

Without getting into details, taking most meals out is simply not feasible given the availability of options suitable to our wants. So back to cooking.

BTW, all my recipes were perfected on gas stoves. I neither used nor knew anyone who ever used an electric range. In the 2 years we have lived in The Villages, we have ruined many meals. Converting to gas is on my “to-do” list as well as developing recipes that are quick, easy to prepare, ketogenic, and delicious.

Our doctors suggest that we lose some weight so it is probably a blessing that we don’t have any favorite restaurants near us and our cooking of late, seems to leave a bit to be desired.

Another thing, the DAILY food repartee between me and my husband, which begins before I've finished my first cup of coffee, is beginning to drive me bonkers …

Him: What should I take out of the freezer?
Me: I don’t care.

Him: Well what are you in the mood for?
Me: Whatever you want.

Him: Well why can’t you make up your mind.
Me: Well why can’t you make up yours. I don’t care what I eat today. What do you want?

Him: I’m going to defroast some chopped meat.
Me: Great – sounds good (grateful that it’s decided and for the end of this line of conversation)

Then, after a slight pause:

Him: Do you want spaghetti with meatballs or spaghetti with meat sauce?

Somedays I feel grrrrrrr husbands ... you can't live with them and you can't shoot them!


So I guess my short answer should be No, I Don’t Like to Cook … Anymore.

I so enjoyed your post and so relate. We used to entertain, a LOT, and big groups and I cooked it all. It was a lot of work, but we both enjoyed it and he cleaned it all up, also a lot of work. We used real plates and silverware and cloth tablecloths and napkins and nice glassware. Ditto the options available to eat closeby. I cook and Helene and Henry never have suggestions. I hope to God I don't get fired. It is the only job I have these days and the pay is good.

[jnieman]

I was raised on a farm with six kids and for some reason I never learned a thing about cooking. I got married at 21 and still didn't know how. We ate at a restaurant every night that had huge hamburgers and a wonderful salad bar. We did this for about 2 years. We did learn how to make shish kabob and Uncle Ben's wild rice. We invited everyone we knew for about a year to sample this. Now we can't stand to eat shish kabob. I did finally learn to cook and now really love it. People say I'm a great cook and my husband never complains.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Abby10

I'm not a bad cook, I just really don't enjoy cooking. I learned from my mother and other women in my family, from cookbooks, and from recipe sharing with friends, but if given a choice to cook or clean my house I would take cleaning any day. I do practically all of the cooking in my house - UGH! - and everybody seems to enjoy it which says a lot I guess considering my husband's mother was a fabulous cook.




Funny story - one of my best friends (100% Italian descent) really disappointed her mother when she had no desire to learn to cook while she was still at home. She told her mom, no worries, when I marry, I'll marry someone who can. Her mother just shook her head. She moved to California after she finished college, met a man out there and got married. On their first visit back to PA to visit her parents, everyone wakes up to her new husband preparing breakfast for the entire family. My friend, with a smile on her face, looks at her mother (who is in a state of shock) and says, "See, I told you". I love that friend of mine - wish we would have kept in touch more during those days, maybe I would have learned a good lesson from her.....

Actually, I think the best arrangement is when both people cook. A lot more variety and a lot less burden on one person.

This is us. Occasionally I cook a meal we can both eat--something without meat for me that my husband will eat on the side with his grilled meat of choice, which he doesn't mind doing himself. Or something I can eat around the meat. But I'm so glad that I don't have to cook every day. I like to cook, but I don't like to HAVE to cook.

[Abby10]

Originally Posted by CFrance

This is us. Occasionally I cook a meal we can both eat--something without meat for me that my husband will eat on the side with his grilled meat of choice, which he doesn't mind doing himself. Or something I can eat around the meat. But I'm so glad that I don't have to cook every day. I like to cook, but I don't like to HAVE to cook.

That's a good way to put it CFrance. As much as I'm not fond of cooking, I dislike eating out all the time just as much. Cooking for myself is actually pretty easy - some protein, a big salad, and some hot veggies on the side and I'm happy. Cooking for others sometimes is another story......

[dewilson58]

I was shipped to my grandparents every summer for two weeks (until age 16). Fishing with gramp's and cooking with granny and great aunt. Never measured anything......it was all by taste. Great memories.

Learning more since retirement. Creating memories.

[rivaridger1]

If you like to eat and enjoy properly prepared food, you will learn to cook. It's true of women and men both, despite stereotypical roles.

[CFrance]

One time in the '80s we had a very small powder room. Our plan was to wallpaper it, ceiling and all (the rage back then). We always wallpapered together, but the room was too small to fit both of us, so we flipped a coin. One would wallpaper, the other would cook liver & onions. I got the wallpaper, and darned if my husband didn't pull out the Joy of Cooking and proceed to make perfect liver and onions. He went on to fried chicken and homemade doughnuts, French fries, and finally omelets. Then we ran out of rooms.

My friend told her fiancé, "If you can read, you can cook." Darned if he didn't.