Cooking For Dummies...

[Jinmyo]

We have a pedagogical method of having someone prepare gohan, miso shiru, and takemono once a week for several years (about ten). It takes that long to begin to understand the nuances.

Jaymes, I think we would agree that full advantage of LG, or I'm sure Joy of Cooking, can only come about over many years.

One of the worst things that can happen in regards to any text is to believe that you can turn to it to learn what to do. That you can always turn to that canonical text and don't have to face the actuality of the activity. Beginning texts that are not challenging can become canonical references that limit. Can. Not "must", of course.

In regards to Joy, again I've found it as impermeable and puzzling as a Sears catalogue. Frocks and frys, dresses and desserts that mean nothing to me.

So I am not convinced that any of my expressions of revulsion at Joy of Cooking are anything more than my own personal visceral horror at what appears to be bland, "house-wifey" executions.

Jim, yes. Roast those chickens.

201? /me psst: "St. Jacques saves."

[201]

201? /me psst: "St. Jacques saves."

Jinmyo, I'm getting at least one Pepin book!

I think the idea of preparing the same dish multiple times with slight variations is a good idea. It'll really help me to understand the nuances of how flavors develop. I'll definitely take that advice.

For the next couple of weeks I'm mostly going to be reading and mentally preparing myself for this new stage of life. After that, I'll start a thread to share my experiences/accomplishments/mishaps/frustrations/discoveries and I'm sure we'll see again just what a wonderful community eGullet is!

[tommy]

After that, I'll start a thread to share my experiences/accomplishments/mishaps/frustrations/discoveries and I'm sure we'll see again just what a wonderful community eGullet is!

you're assuming we'll care about this at that point.

[201]

I said... I'm SURE we'll see again just what a wonderful community eGullet is! Got it?!?

[oraklet]

201, just a suggestion that i'd like to have the time to follow myself: keep some sort of track/diary/notebook of what you do. like, what did/didn't work, ideas of why this was the case, suggestions for yourself etc. don't feel obliged to reveal it to egullet, as this will demand much more work. would be great, though

the reason i don't? 4 kids...home work...bedtime...school lunch...clearing kitchen...

Edited December 12, 2002 by oraklet (log)

[gknl]

201, just a suggestion that i'd like to have the time to follow myself: keep some sort of track/diary/notebook of what you do. like, what did/didn't work, ideas of why this was the case, suggestions for yourself etc. don't feel obliged to reveal it to egullet, as this will demand much more work. would be great, though

the reason i don't? 4 kids...home work...bedtime...school lunch...clearing kitchen... 

A kitchen notebook is a great idea. I wish I were disciplined enough to keep one myself. I don't know how many times I've done something I liked only to not have a clue what I did a few months later when I want to make it again.

[201]

Yeah, the kitchen notebook is a good idea as well. I've tried making things like lemonade before, but by the time I'm done with it, I can't remember exactly how much of each ingredient went into the mix. Consequently, each batch is VERY different (and usually not very good), but if I DID take notes I could avoid that problem.

Of course, I'm not sure I'm going to be any more disciplined than Grant on this one!

[Jaymes]

I write all over the recipe in the book that I am using. There is no earthly reason not to, it seems to me. Quite possibly, that makes it difficult to sell, but I decided long ago I'm not selling any of them, and besides, I only write in those books I actually use, so if there's a book with no writing, I don't want it anyway, so could sell it if I had a mind to.

In addition, I bought one of those recipe collection books with the lined looseleaf pages, divided into sections like "pasta" "poultry" "desserts" etc. and keep it handy.

Only after I have the recipe down to exactly how I like it does it go into that book.

I started doing it for my children. So many of the recipes in there are nothing grand, just the favorites and concoctions I whipped up together to feed them all those years.

And, as each kid left home, I bought them a book just like mine, and when I stumble upon another good recipe, write it down on those extra pages and send it to each one to put into their books.

I tried to do a kitchen notebook like what you are talking about, but it didn't work. Scribbling on the cookbook pages does work. I know exactly where my notes are, after all, and they are well organized and I have no trouble whatsoever finding them again when I need them.