I think that even if Francesca knew nothing about cooking, the 'taste your own food' thing is so obvious that that's not an excuse. Sometimes something is so obvious that you don't need to be an expert in the field to do it. I'm not a doctor and I don't have a clue about how to treat people, but if I was on a ward I'd ask the patient how they were feeling before subjecting them to tests - because that is such a blatantly obvious thing to do that you don't need to know anything about medicine to do it. The same should apply with Francesca.
But Maybe you've hit on something there. Maybe there is some overlap between the I must get into size 6 and the can't cook won't cook folk
Oh, I see what you're getting at now. I wasn't trying to suggest anything like that - I have a younger sister with an eating disorder. When I said ''starving yourself'' I didn't mean eating disorders or anything like that - what I meant is that if you don't know the basics of cooking, you may well end up being permanently hungry because you can't look after yourself. Either that, or you'll live purely on ready meals, which isn't healthy, or rely entirely on someone else to feed you, which isn't fair. (The ''you'' is general here, of course!)
I think that even if Francesca knew nothing about cooking, the 'taste your own food' thing is so obvious that that's not an excuse. Sometimes something is so obvious that you don't need to be an expert in the field to do it. I'm not a doctor and I don't have a clue about how to treat people, but if I was on a ward I'd ask the patient how they were feeling before subjecting them to tests - because that is such a blatantly obvious thing to do that you don't need to know anything about medicine to do it. The same should apply with Francesca.
I'm really sorry to hear that Sara and truly hope I didn't cause offence. Although the reasons are often complex, there is so much pressure on young women now. I know a few good recovery stories from that so very best wishes for your sis.
Why do people need to be 'taught' how to cook? It's not like driving, or speaking Russian. You just chuck things in a pan and turn on the heat! No-one taught me how to cook, never did cooking at school whatsoever, but I absolutely adore it and taught myself when I went to uni. I'm lucky that both me and my boyfriend love cooking, so we never feel like it's a chore. I do have friends that consider putting a pizza in the oven as cooking though (and they're the ones with a GCSE in 'Food Technology').
The Internet has made it easy to learn how to make things, with so many recipe websites. There's no excuse these days!
Why do people need to be 'taught' how to cook? It's not like driving, or speaking Russian. You just chuck things in a pan and turn on the heat! No-one taught me how to cook, never did cooking at school whatsoever, but I absolutely adore it and taught myself when I went to uni. I'm lucky that both me and my boyfriend love cooking, so we never feel like it's a chore. I do have friends that consider putting a pizza in the oven as cooking though (and they're the ones with a GCSE in 'Food Technology').
The Internet has made it easy to learn how to make things, with so many recipe websites. There's no excuse these days!
Knife skills: Jamie Oliver on Youtube
Cooking: Gordon Ramsay on 4oD/Youtube or book+video.
For all his theatrics, when it comes to following recipes and techniques, Ramsay is clearest of the top chefs.
Why do people need to be 'taught' how to cook? It's not like driving, or speaking Russian. You just chuck things in a pan and turn on the heat! No-one taught me how to cook, never did cooking at school whatsoever, but I absolutely adore it and taught myself when I went to uni. I'm lucky that both me and my boyfriend love cooking, so we never feel like it's a chore. I do have friends that consider putting a pizza in the oven as cooking though (and they're the ones with a GCSE in 'Food Technology').
The Internet has made it easy to learn how to make things, with so many recipe websites. There's no excuse these days!
Cooking is a science. It is not just a case of "chucking" things into a pan. Molecular gastronomy has become more important in our cooking as we begin to ask questions as to why ingredients react in a certain why and what are the best ingredients to cook with in a recipe to achieve the desired effect.
We quickly learn that culinary physics and culinary stiochiometry are important in our cooking.
Cooking is a science. It is not just a case of "chucking" things into a pan. Molecular gastronomy has become more important in our cooking as we begin to ask questions as to why ingredients react in a certain why and what are the best ingredients to cook with in a recipe to achieve the desired effect.
We quickly learn that culinary physics and culinary stiochiometry are important in our cooking.
You don't have to do that. Just experiment with what goes with what and after a while you will gain experience.
A lot of my early cooking was uneatable. However if you were as cash-strapped as I was when being a student you will quickly learn from those mistakes.
Cooking is a science. It is not just a case of "chucking" things into a pan. Molecular gastronomy has become more important in our cooking as we begin to ask questions as to why ingredients react in a certain why and what are the best ingredients to cook with in a recipe to achieve the desired effect.
We quickly learn that culinary physics and culinary stiochiometry are important in our cooking.
Calm down, Heston! Most of us just want something nice for tea:)
Cooking is a science. It is not just a case of "chucking" things into a pan. Molecular gastronomy has become more important in our cooking as we begin to ask questions as to why ingredients react in a certain why and what are the best ingredients to cook with in a recipe to achieve the desired effect.
We quickly learn that culinary physics and culinary stiochiometry are important in our cooking.
Baking is the area where measuring ingredients is vital, and this is also why cupcake businesses are ten-a-penny. Anyone with a set of scales, a measuring jug and a steady hand for piping can make cakes. Luisa, I gather, has diversified from selling cupcakes into the cupcake support market -- packaging and so on.
Cooking is a science. It is not just a case of "chucking" things into a pan. Molecular gastronomy has become more important in our cooking as we begin to ask questions as to why ingredients react in a certain why and what are the best ingredients to cook with in a recipe to achieve the desired effect.
We quickly learn that culinary physics and culinary stiochiometry are important in our cooking.
Most of us learn from watching parents etc cooking meals, and in my case I can tell you that there was none of that culinary stiochometry (whatever that might be!).
I love cooking and this sciences stuff never even enters my mind when I put my menus together..... Years of trying out lots of different foods and flavourings and discovering what works and what doesn't is all part of the fun.
I can honestly say that I don't ask myself why ingredients act in certain ways - apart from once when my fruit terrine which contained pineapple wouldn't set......
It's comments like those in the post above which would put people off trying to cook by making it sound much more difficult than it is!
Most of us learn from watching parents etc cooking meals, and in my case I can tell you that there was none of that culinary stiochometry (whatever that might be!).
I love cooking and this sciences stuff never even enters my mind when I put my menus together..... Years of trying out lots of different foods and flavourings and discovering what works and what doesn't is all part of the fun.
I can honestly say that I don't ask myself why ingredients act in certain ways - apart from once when my fruit terrine which contained pineapple wouldn't set......
It's comments like those in the post above which would put people off trying to cook by making it sound much more difficult than it is!
My father's idea of cooking was making a jam sandwich. He couldn't cook. He was used to house keepers as a child and then my Mother.
My Mother cooks very bland and unattractive food. No herbs. We were not allowed to cook in her kitchen as we were very messy. I still am when I cook. More of it on me, than in the bowl.
My brother and I, taught ourselves and our food is based on science and design. We both have science degrees. I guess that influenced the way we cook and the type of books we read on food chemistry.
As for not using stiochometry, you have described several processes of it's use. A good scientist experiments.
Cooking does seem to have passed by a lot of folk. I have a few friends who have little or no interest is cooking despite having families. they are raised on ready meals. I also have a few friends who nearly always cook from scratch. We are all mid 40s. I work in the food trade and am appalled at the lack of knowledge of some people about what I would consider the basics.
The advent of the ready meal has not helped people learn to cook - why bother learning how to prepare ingredients when they are already done for you in a little plastic tray which only needs a few minutes in the microwave before its ready to eat?
Personally, I'd rather make my own meal for the family at a fraction of the cost of ready meals, although I will admit to using them when time is tight or there is just me.... And when I do - I usually find the quantity, and flavour (usually way too much salt) questionable! You could easily feed a family of 4 for the price of some ready meals allegedly for 2 people if the packaging is to be believed.
Ready meals do seem to be far more popular in the UK though.... Going into a supermarket in rural France, most of Portugal, and non touristy parts of Spain, and you won't see a ready meal for love nor money.... Quite a shock for self caterers, being faced with real ingredients!
The advent of the ready meal has not helped people learn to cook - why bother learning how to prepare ingredients when they are already done for you in a little plastic tray which only needs a few minutes in the microwave before its ready to eat?
Personally, I'd rather make my own meal for the family at a fraction of the cost of ready meals, although I will admit to using them when time is tight or there is just me.... And when I do - I usually find the quantity, and flavour (usually way too much salt) questionable! You could easily feed a family of 4 for the price of some ready meals allegedly for 2 people if the packaging is to be believed.
Ready meals do seem to be far more popular in the UK though.... Going into a supermarket in rural France, most of Portugal, and non touristy parts of Spain, and you won't see a ready meal for love nor money.... Quite a shock for self caterers, being faced with real ingredients!
I would never consider eating ready meals as a general rule. I've eaten them occasionally - most of us have - but the vast majority of the time I'd rather cook. I'm leaving home in a few months, and I won't be becoming dependent on ready meals then!
Home-cooked food is cheaper and better quality. I also object to food being in direct contact with plastic. I'm not sure if there is anything fundamentally wrong with it, but I've always been anxious about it... I'm such a food snob! :rolleyes:
Comments
Oh, I see what you're getting at now. I wasn't trying to suggest anything like that - I have a younger sister with an eating disorder. When I said ''starving yourself'' I didn't mean eating disorders or anything like that - what I meant is that if you don't know the basics of cooking, you may well end up being permanently hungry because you can't look after yourself. Either that, or you'll live purely on ready meals, which isn't healthy, or rely entirely on someone else to feed you, which isn't fair. (The ''you'' is general here, of course!)
I agree. It's common sense.
The Internet has made it easy to learn how to make things, with so many recipe websites. There's no excuse these days!
You'd think so but even on Masterchef, some contestants still need to be reminded.
Knife skills: Jamie Oliver on Youtube
Cooking: Gordon Ramsay on 4oD/Youtube or book+video.
For all his theatrics, when it comes to following recipes and techniques, Ramsay is clearest of the top chefs.
That said, Karren did say to camera that Francesca would need to taste the food, as well as cook it. "I hope she's up to that."
Cooking is a science. It is not just a case of "chucking" things into a pan. Molecular gastronomy has become more important in our cooking as we begin to ask questions as to why ingredients react in a certain why and what are the best ingredients to cook with in a recipe to achieve the desired effect.
We quickly learn that culinary physics and culinary stiochiometry are important in our cooking.
You don't have to do that. Just experiment with what goes with what and after a while you will gain experience.
A lot of my early cooking was uneatable. However if you were as cash-strapped as I was when being a student you will quickly learn from those mistakes.
Calm down, Heston! Most of us just want something nice for tea:)
Baking is the area where measuring ingredients is vital, and this is also why cupcake businesses are ten-a-penny. Anyone with a set of scales, a measuring jug and a steady hand for piping can make cakes. Luisa, I gather, has diversified from selling cupcakes into the cupcake support market -- packaging and so on.
Most of us learn from watching parents etc cooking meals, and in my case I can tell you that there was none of that culinary stiochometry (whatever that might be!).
I love cooking and this sciences stuff never even enters my mind when I put my menus together..... Years of trying out lots of different foods and flavourings and discovering what works and what doesn't is all part of the fun.
I can honestly say that I don't ask myself why ingredients act in certain ways - apart from once when my fruit terrine which contained pineapple wouldn't set......
It's comments like those in the post above which would put people off trying to cook by making it sound much more difficult than it is!
My father's idea of cooking was making a jam sandwich. He couldn't cook. He was used to house keepers as a child and then my Mother.
My Mother cooks very bland and unattractive food. No herbs. We were not allowed to cook in her kitchen as we were very messy. I still am when I cook. More of it on me, than in the bowl.
My brother and I, taught ourselves and our food is based on science and design. We both have science degrees. I guess that influenced the way we cook and the type of books we read on food chemistry.
As for not using stiochometry, you have described several processes of it's use. A good scientist experiments.
Personally, I'd rather make my own meal for the family at a fraction of the cost of ready meals, although I will admit to using them when time is tight or there is just me.... And when I do - I usually find the quantity, and flavour (usually way too much salt) questionable! You could easily feed a family of 4 for the price of some ready meals allegedly for 2 people if the packaging is to be believed.
Ready meals do seem to be far more popular in the UK though.... Going into a supermarket in rural France, most of Portugal, and non touristy parts of Spain, and you won't see a ready meal for love nor money.... Quite a shock for self caterers, being faced with real ingredients!
I would never consider eating ready meals as a general rule. I've eaten them occasionally - most of us have - but the vast majority of the time I'd rather cook. I'm leaving home in a few months, and I won't be becoming dependent on ready meals then!
Home-cooked food is cheaper and better quality. I also object to food being in direct contact with plastic. I'm not sure if there is anything fundamentally wrong with it, but I've always been anxious about it... I'm such a food snob! :rolleyes: