Do you like your own cooking?

[fifi]

I am with beans on this one. My pattern is just about the same. I love a project and can happily putter about in the kitchen getting something just right. Then I sit down to eat and just go "um... I can't eat." Therefore, I tend to like to cook things that make great leftovers.

I can't really get into baking either. I have made my occasional foray into bread baking and that can be fun. But, we are not big bread eaters and it pains me to watch a reation turn into a fungus farm.

[tryska]

i like my own cooking, but not typically right after i've made it.

soemthing about doing it and smelling it all through the cooking process, i wind up not having much taste for it, once all is said and done.

leftovers on the other hand, i like eating.

I've always wondered about that. After I finish preparing a meal I'm often not hungry. I've posited it's the aromas and sight of the food that diminishes my appetite. Sometimes it's embarrassing, in front of guests, to admit I'm not hungry. I get the feeling they think the food isn't going to be very good. Happily, it usually is.

yeah it's gotta be the aromas, i mean 80% of taste is smell. the rest is just the ingesting of sustenance.

[Busboy]

to be honest, taking animal flesh from raw to finished kinda skeeves me through the process.  i guess by the next day i've forgotten about the guts or something.

Try cooking a whole pig after it's spent a night brining in your bathtub. That'll really give you the heebie jeebies.

How about bathing after a pig's spent a night brining in your bathtub.

I get critical if I'm trying to put on a big show (I once kicked the back fence in because I overcooked the grilled tuna for ten guests), but generally, I really like my own cooking, and Stephanie's, too. After time on the road I can't wait to get back and eat some good home cooking, even (especially?) something simple -- and onglet with garlic anchovy butter and garlic fried potatoes; quesadillas with some chorizo from the bodega up the street, black beans and homemade mango salsa; or just an omlette.

What you want, when you want it, just the way you want it.

[Suzanne F]

I'm as critical of my own cooking as I am of what I eat at the best restaurants in the world, so I rarely produce anything with which I don't find fault. Of course that's the wrong standard, but I can't seem to break away from it. Whereas, when other people cook for me, I'm not particularly critical, even to myself in private.

Precisely.

However, when I produce something especially tasty, I feel so happy. And having HWOE sitting across from me, beaming and sighing, takes some of the self-critical sting out of it.

[ExtraMSG]

i like my own cooking, but not typically right after i've made it.

soemthing about doing it and smelling it all through the cooking process, i wind up not having much taste for it, once all is said and done.

leftovers on the other hand, i like eating.

I've always wondered about that. After I finish preparing a meal I'm often not hungry. I've posited it's the aromas and sight of the food that diminishes my appetite. Sometimes it's embarrassing, in front of guests, to admit I'm not hungry. I get the feeling they think the food isn't going to be very good. Happily, it usually is.

yeah it's gotta be the aromas, i mean 80% of taste is smell. the rest is just the ingesting of sustenance.

Are you sure it's not all the tasting and testing? I think I get so used to the cooking by the end of a dish, I'm not always sure if it tastes good or not because I've been desensitized to it to some degree. I can't imagine what food contest and wine contest judges do.

When I cook for myself I make very simple dishes. I'm always on a diet anyway. But truly, I cook for others -- to entertain, to pleasure, to stroke my ego. There's not much point in cooking for me unless it's for someone else.

I'm very tough on my own cooking, never trusting compliments, only criticisms. But I'm also very tough on other people's cooking and on restaurant cooking. I think I'm equally tough on all of it. I may be able to make a valuation that it's worth eating because it didn't cost me anything if I'm over at someone's house, but unless they make something that I'd be proud to serve or that I would be happy to pay for, I don't consider it good.

I do a lot of fake smiling when I eat at other people's houses. That's okay, though, they do a lot of fake smiling when they eat at my house, since when I cook I am almost always trying to expand my abilities and may be cooking quite odd stuff for the average American.

Last Thanksgiving I did a Mexican theme, making chiles en nogada, tamales with smoked turkey, along with your standard bird, etc. My family was essentially scared of the non-traditional stuff. Those who tried it liked it, but there were many who didn't. Oh well, more leftovers for me, and my dad paid for the ingredients.

[tryska]

you know something i hate hearing in response to a meal, whether cooked by me, or anyone else or in a restaurant?

"This is.....interesting."

usually said by someone who needs their horizons expanded.

anyways, no, at least on my part extramsg, it's not extra tasting, as i don't taste when i cook until a dish is ready to be finished - i do everything by smell.

Edited November 18, 2003 by tryska (log)

[ExtraMSG]

you know something i hate hearing in response to a meal, whether cooked by me, or anyone else or in a restaurant?

"This is.....interesting."

AMEN!

I can still remember after cooking a relatively common Asian themed dinner for my dad the words: "It was very....exotic."

Well, dad, that ain't the same as saying it's good.

Want to know what was exotic? Teriyaki chicken, fried rice, and stir-fried vegetables. Needless to say, I've never made Thai or Indian for them.

[tryska]

ack! yeah if he wasn't ready for teriyaki, he's definitely not gonna be ready for fish sauce and asafoetida.

[beans]

"This is.....interesting."

Strange, I'm hearing my mother's voice ....

[tryska]

*lol* my roommate of the sugared saltless tomatoes is echoing in mine.

[tommy]

Needless to say, I've never made Thai or Indian for them.

i've told the story before of how i was cooking thai curry for an unadventurous couple a few years back. from the living room, the wife yelled "what are you cooking. it smells like feet."

[bloviatrix]

I am with beans on this one. My pattern is just about the same. I love a project and can happily putter about in the kitchen getting something just right. Then I sit down to eat and just go "um... I can't eat." Therefore, I tend to like to cook things that make great leftovers.

Same here. Most of the time, after I cook, I take a small taste and find myself to be full and critical. Unfortunately for me, it's a race to the left-overs, with my husband usually winning.

[beans]

Needless to say, I've never made Thai or Indian for them.

i've told the story before of how i was cooking thai curry for an unadventurous couple a few years back. from the living room, the wife yelled "what are you cooking. it smells like feet."

[tryska]

Needless to say, I've never made Thai or Indian for them.

i've told the story before of how i was cooking thai curry for an unadventurous couple a few years back. from the living room, the wife yelled "what are you cooking. it smells like feet."

*lol*

did she at least have the grace to be somewhat embarrassed?

[ExtraMSG]

i've told the story before of how i was cooking thai curry for an unadventurous couple a few years back. from the living room, the wife yelled "what are you cooking. it smells like feet."

That should be considered a compliment. Many tasty things smell like body odors: beans, eggs, durian, anything with cumin, aged cheeses (a friend's family still refers to parmesan as "stinky feet cheese").

[tommy]

That should be considered a compliment.

uuuuuuuh, no.

[tryska]

That should be considered a compliment. Many tasty things smell like body odors: beans, eggs, durian, anything with cumin, aged cheeses (a friend's family still refers to parmesan as "stinky feet cheese").

baha! you do have a point there, tho.

[Kim WB]

[

But truly, I cook for others -- to entertain, to pleasure, to stroke my ego.

This is an important element to me, as well. I usually enjoy my cooking, but I am especially receptive to sincere compliments and empty plates... I recently made veal saltimbocca for a dinner party, which I usually avoid because the sauteeing keeps you away from the guest for a bit...but, the compliments were great, and I was so ..happy. Content, satisfied... without even taking a bite.

We have a dinner party at least once a month, at least lately, and casual dinner guests about 2x a month. WE're moving, so I plan to increase those numbers once we're in the new, "kitchen open to the great room" situation. Plus, kid's friends or neighbors are here at least once a week, but sometimes that's not more than burgers on the grill or pasta.

[Marlene]

When eating at home, I prefer my cooking to going to friends. Although I never think my own cooking is as good as my guests do.

Dining out is my second passion in life and I go both to enjoy and experience new tastes.

[jschyun]

This is an interesting topic. You know, I used to be a great cook, but now I would say my talent has waned. I made crab dinners for my friends, pies, cakes, all manner of other pastries. I'm a champ of the korean barbecue, although all those panchan are a pain in the butt so I just buy them. I even made my own dim sum.

I'm of the chunky, extra pulp in the orange juice, type of cook. I prefer pasta puttanesca over fettucine alfredo. I leave my tuna chunky when I make tuna sandwiches. (that's how we say it)

Unfortunately, I am now dating someone who is a product of the "smooth foods" school of thought. He can't eat spicy anything, lemon juice hurts his mouth. He hates garlic and onions. He eats Skippy smooth peanut butter and low pulp orange juice. He grew up on deep fried batter-dipped French toast, and poached eggs. Given these requirements, my cooking talents vanished. I hate smooth peanut butter. Why can't you eat cilantro! Why does everything have to be dripping in grease? So I just make macaroni and cheese and he says i'm a bad cook.

He did admit my cha chiang myun (sort of a black bean noodle fast food, I really love it) was pretty good. And though he had never had dim sum before, he took to it like a duck to water. I haven't taken him to Thai yet, don't know what he would be able to order. He likes Indian food (surprise) but can only go to one place, because they carry a butter chicken that has so much ghee in it, it masks the spiciness.

Since he says I'm a bad cook, I make him cook, but it's always the same thing. Pasta Roni. This is a really, really great relationship other than the cooking part but I do have moments where I think, "Damn this really sucks".

[tryska]

damn jschuyn....i'm sorry to hear that.

there's no way i could survive, but then again, i also believe a man's approach to food is similar to his approach to sex, so a man with tastes like your beau would never make it past date #2 with me.

[megaira]

i also believe a man's approach to food is similar to his approach to sex, so a man with tastes like your beau would never make it past date #2 with me.

jschyun that would drive me out of my head. The first time he complained I was a bad cook, I'd smack the crap out of him with his box of pasta roni. How dare he claim such a thing when he doesn't like anything worth writing home about in the first place. augh!

I'm 50/50 both on my own and other's cooking. I am uber critical of my own or a restaurant's... other home cooks, pretty much not, though, I get tangled up in the desire to help the person make something better and the commen sense to shut my mouth. I'll start to say something before I can stop myself, then catch myself, then talk myself into a corner like an idiot and then abruptly shut up. I'm a horrible liar - I just make a mess of it -so even though I've been taught that you eat what's in front of you and smile like crazy - the "NEVER LIE" lesson comes screeching to the surface. It must be like watching 2 kids on bicycles crash in the street. You can see it coming & can't seem to do anything to stop it and of course, it's just awful to watch as it plays out. On the way home I get the full sense of that mangled bike laying there with the one warped wheel still rotating in a drunken wobble and spend the rest of the drive flogging myself.

I'm going to be the most meddlesome mother that ever did exist one day, I can just see it.

Anyway.

My success rate for stuff that turns out tasty vs. "hmm, it's off" is about 60/40. It depends what I'm making and how much practice I've had at it. I loooove my own burgers and I prefer my own pizza, stew, chili...but, it doesn't mean I don't like other's cooking as well.

I laughed at the fence kicking in comment above because I so totally relate to it. I get really stressed out when I screw something up. For the longest time, my kitchen was a place that drunken sailors would feel completely at home (or intimidated). I'm getting better about it now -but I'm not sure if it's due to practice or actual charector adjustment. Did say "shit" a couple times in front of Hubby's 80 year old grandmother the other week. oops! In the back of my head I know how ridiculous I look and sound, but...well...ah well.

Personally, I don't often get insulted over people not being all that keen on what I've made - I just feel bad that it didn't turn out or wasn't as good as it should have been. I usually know it turned out kinda crappy and am already feeling guilty and apologizing off the bat, so they don't really get the chance anyway. I tend to expect constructive criticism from people I know and like. It took me a while to point out to Hub that if he didn't offer his opinion, I'd have no idea what I could change. I know him also, though, to be the kind of person who would never, ever say "this sucks" or "this tastes like crap" to me. There's constructive criticism, then there's jackassisms.

One exception, houseguests during an indian dinner I'd spent all afternoon making: *pick pick, make a face* "this is....different." I felt like saying "yes, not all food in the world is pizza and hotpockets, amazing, isn't it?" and digging in.

Their comments on thai, without even having tried it: "it smells like ass" they described indian as "smelling like BO." Ah, I like the ass smellin, BO reekin food. Go eat your bland, generic crap and leave me to enjoy my food in peace.

Edited November 20, 2003 by megaira (log)

[ExtraMSG]

There's constructive criticism, then there's jackassisms.

I think I'll toss this in my signature.

This seems appropriate as well:

[FoodZealot]

Their comments on thai, without even having tried it:  "it smells like ass"  they described indian as "smelling like BO."  Ah, I like the ass smellin, BO reekin food.  Go eat your bland, generic crap and leave me to enjoy my food in peace.

Actually, Thai food smells like something else... [grin]

Sorry, back on topic. I usually like my own food, but often experience the letdown that people have mentioned when its finally time to eat. Especially long cooked items. Mostly it is from having smelled it for several hours - I'm just tired of it. Even barbeque. Zoinks!

I usually experiment further afield when cooking for myself, and only make things that I'm quite confident about for other people - hopefullly preserving my reputation for "everything he makes comes out great". I love eating other people's food, and I usually am not as critical of it as I would be of my own cooking. Sometimes they really have to drag it out of me if they want to hear how I would change something or how I would make it better.

Sometimes at a potluck or whatever, someone makes something and they're not happy with it, then start to point out all its flaws or apologize for it. I know it's a cultural thing or a self-esteem thing for some folks. I certainly have done it and regretted it because I also think that that can interfere with the enjoyment of it for cooks and non-cooks alike. Now I try to take Julia's advice - no apologies, smile and say thank you.

[megaira]

I think I'll toss this in my signature.

You just made my day.

Actually, Thai food smells like something else... [grin]

Ah, so it's my inner lesbian that's drawn to the thai.

Sometimes at a potluck or whatever, someone makes something and they're not happy with it, then start to point out all its flaws or apologize for it. I know it's a cultural thing or a self-esteem thing for some folks. I certainly have done it and regretted it because I also think that that can interfere with the enjoyment of it for cooks and non-cooks alike. Now I try to take Julia's advice - no apologies, smile and say thank you.

I hadn't thought of it in that way...that's a really good point. I usually feel bad that I invited the person over for a meal, they've waited for it and here it isn't as nice as it should have been, but it hadn't occured to me it could come across as though my ego hinges on my cooking (well, it does, sometimes, but they don't need to know that). Or that I'd be pointing out something they hadn't noticed and thereby making it noticeable.

I should probably realize they're likely visiting to visit with me, not the food -if it turns out great, it's a bonus...and if not, well, they'll survive or hit up mcdonalds on the way home. Hm, I'll make a point to stick a sock in it next time I start feeling the urge to apologize all over the food and wreck it completely. Thanks for pointing that out.