Cooking Is So Much Work!
Hi there,
My name is Patrick Dunn, and I'm the owner of InterCourse Chef Services. My passion lies in teaching people how to cook for themselves in their own homes, through corporate team building, and via public cooking classes around Alberta, Canada.
For the past 10 years I've been sharing my tips, tricks and techniques on cooking. I've most recently written an article called "Cooking is so much work!" where I address common phobias, myths and unnecessary habits in the kitchen. In the article I provide simple, common sense solutions that empower people and make cooking a less daunting task for the average home cook.
Here's is a piece of the article that I've written. Please let me know if this is a topic of interest.
cheers,
Patrick Dunn, Proprietor
InterCourse Chef Services
403 880 4207
ARTICLE FOLLOWS:
Many people don't cook for themselves because they believe they don't have the time. What many don't realize is they're adding many unnecessary steps that make the process longer.
My job as a chef instructor is to show people
In this article, my aim is to illustrate where time is wasted, and how you can get it back with simple tips, tricks and techniques that make cooking quicker, easier and more fun to try. Some of which may surprise you.
The Basics:
1. Cookbooks:
Yes, cooking CAN take a long time. There are plenty of cookbooks out there with 2-3 page long
recipes. If you're just starting out, or getting re-acquainted with cooking, stay away from those, and seek out recipes online and in books that are no more than a page in length. Like any other pursuit, you need to learn the basics. When I was 20 I found my sister's "Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook". I learned how to make a Bechamel sauce (basic white sauce) with pasta, and it blew my mind how easy it was.
So pick up and read through a few different ones. You're going to figure out quickly which recipes scare you, and which make you say:"Hey, I think I could make that!"
2. Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos:
There are definitely time-saving gadgets out there, and I have a few of my own, from my monkey-shaped vegetable peeler, to my Rastafarian potato masher, microplanes©, mandolins....and then some. But whenever appropriate, I use my hands to get the job done. Hands are quicker and easier to clean, and don't take up space on your counter top and dishwasher.
Solution: This writer believes that it's perfectly acceptable to use your hands when combining salad and dressing, forming burger patties, blending spices, and so on. People have done it for centuries, long before electrical appliances were available, and we're still here as a civilization (aside from the plague, of course).
3. Cutting Boards:I find it handy to have two or more cutting boards in the kitchen: one for raw meats and other proteins, the other for everything else. This way you will drastically reduce the risk of cross contamination.
There are light weight, dishwasher friendly cutting boards out there made of many layers of sustainably sourced and recycled paper pressed together with a food-safe resin that make clean-up a snap. Even having cutting boards of different sizes for smaller and larger jobs can be handy! Plastic cutting boards should be cleaned right after use with hot water and soap or anti-bacterial cleaner. I can say unequivocally that you should stay away from glass and marble cutting boards, as these surfaces are the quickest way to dull your knives, which present a whole other set of problems of their own (knives dulling, unpleasant sounds).
This writer prefers his wooden cutting and recycled paper/resin cutting boards over plastic, and seems to be constantly washing his boards multiple times daily .
4. Knives: People in my classes always come up and ask me:"Which knife brand is the best?"
My typical response is:"Which (insert popular sport equipment) brand is the best, and why?
The point I'm trying to get them to think about is this: The best knife is the one that feels the most comfortable in your hand. That means a heavier, thicker Henckel knife will likely be a better choice for a 200-pound body builder. A lighter, shorter Japanese style Global knife will probably be best suited for a 110-pound dancer. A good knife shop will provide you with produce to try knives out on. You'll find a knife "just feels comfortable". It's an intuitive decision. You'll know it when other knives don't feel right.
Things to consider when buying knives:
a) A Chef (aka French) knife, a bread knife and a paring knife are all you really need to get started cooking.
b) Keep a sharpening steel handy, as even the most reputable knife will get dull.
c) Glass and marble/other stone cutting boards are the quickest way to dull and ruin your knives.
d) Wash your knives by hand in the sink. Repeated dishwashing can cause riveted knife handles to separate, allowing bacteria to enter and multiply.
e) Keep your knives stored in a wooden block or on a mounted wall magnet. Repeatedly throwing your knives in a drawer will also prematurely dull them.