Apathetic Cook

[artisan02]

Okay...

I know how to cook, at least pretty decently. I can wow most of my friends. I can even wow myself on occasion.

And I have a library of over 1000 cookbooks, most of which are in storage right now. I carry about 250 around with me on my travels as a traveling nurse. I adore them. I adore most of the dishes that are in these books. I lust after making them, even just for myself... And I buy new cookbooks, and think about cooking from them...

But..and this is a very, very big BUT... I have gotten away from cooking a lot. I love it in theory, and in practice I am sort of apathethic.

I used to love to do the complicated dishes, and the showstopper things. Not any more. It has to be easy now...or if it is more complicated, it has to be able to be done in steps...so I can do a step, then leave it..then come back in a half day or day and do the next step....Then finish it off really easily.

I am not sure what has happened to me. I don't know how to get out of this "funk". Now, if I cook at all..it is to cook enough stuff so that I don't have to cook for a few days.

And yet I love to sit down with all my cookbooks and dream of cooking the wonderful things in there... And I love to visit markets..and I come home with gorgeous vegetables and products..and if I can't get to cooking them right away, they just rot in my fridge.

Anyone ever dealt with this? And if you did..how did you get back to really cooking? Am I slated to be just an armchair cook from now on?

[srhcb]

Like any other passion, the love of cooking tends to ebb and flow.

Every now and then I'll notice myself making the same unchallenging meals over and over. Sometimes its weeks or months. I just lack the incentive to be creative or try anything new. This is especially true when it comes to baking. Everything seems to be "been there, done that."

Sooner or later something will re-ignite my culinary fire. It could be a recipe from a book or magazine, a television show, a conversation or a message on a discussion board.

Once I recall being snapped out of a funk by watching "Two Fat Ladies" on Food TV. They were having such a wonderful time in the kitchen!

With the approach of the holiday season, a great time for cooking, hopefully something will inspire you.

SB

PS: My last resort when I'm down on food; reading MFK Fisher.

[Gifted Gourmet]

one thread on burnout

one more thread on food fatigue

Not an uncommon feeling, to which both threads will clearly attest ... when this happens, one simply requires a culinary muse to fan the flame of an old ember, so to speak ... for me, it is watching some of the PBS cooking shows or reading something new in the culinary field ... or reading some of Jennifer Iannolo's

Gastronomic Meditations .. that works for me ..

[bleudauvergne]

Wow I'm so sorry that you're going through that. You'll cook again no doubt about it. The question is, is this not cooking causing you a lot of concern and adding to your stress? Are you putting a lot of pressure on yourself because of it?

Changes in routine in particular, in combination with whatever stress level you're dealing with can leave open a whole lot of chance for cooking routine to fall to the wayside. Don't get discouraged and think that you'll never feel the urge to cook again, though. I think we all have our moments of inspiration and low times as well. Something I always try to do is just be receptive to the inspiration when it comes, and not worry too much about it waning for whatever reason.

During this in-between time, take advantage of what you can do, the tasks, the steps you can store and save for when you really are in the mood. For example just throwing a chicken and some herbs on and making a batch of chicken stock, or clarifying a batch of butter, or putting one of my spice mixes together, tasks that make things easier to cook later, always revs up my cooking engine. Also taking the time to look at my old notes and prepare an easy old favorite is always a comforting way to ease myself back into the habits. That and invite people to dinner... That way you'll not only cook but clean your house too!

[Luckylies]

Don't cook. Eating the mediocre food of the world will set off those alarm bells in your head that say "hey, I cook much better than this" you'll find yourself dying to get to the stove in no time. Sometimes being reminded that what you do has a purpose, and makes you happy is a good thing...even if you have to be the one to do the reminding. Give yourself something to look forward to, and your apathy should dissolve. good luck.

[jsolomon]

Who do you normally eat with when you cook? If it is just yourself, I have suffered through those food blahs, too. What helps me a lot is cooking for people and having a proper kitchen to cook in.

[jgm]

I think this happens to just about everybody.

I recommend that you just give in to it for awhile. Keep reading, keep planning, keep fantasizing; do whatever brings you pleasure.

I strongly urge you to stop bringing home foods you know deep down inside, you're not going to use, and which will just rot and be thrown away. You don't need the bad feelings that come along with that. Instead, just accept that this is a "down time", duing which you're regrouping your energy and inspiration. You might keep track of what you're tempted to buy, and put that money aside for future use. When the cooking thing hits again, you'll be able to afford whatever your heart desires.

Before arthritis set in, I did a lot of pottery. There were days--that went on for weeks on end--that I would show up at the studio, and produce nothing but uninspired crap. There was nothing I really wanted to make; the entire period was nonproductive. The creative muse is a delicate thing. It really doesn't appreciate being beaten into productivity, so just leave it alone. These dull, nonproductive periods are frustrating. I finally learned, though, just to give in to them, and to engage myself in related activities. I'd look through pottery books and magazines; go for walks, looking for new forms and textures; clean and rearrange my tools, and stuff like that. This might be a good time to re-arrange your cabinets, research that new pot you've wanted to buy, or take yourself to a new restaurant. If you usually cook main dishes, it might be a good time to explore beverages, breads, or condiments. Your brain is hard at work on developing and enjoying your passion, even if your hands aren't.

Everybody needs down time, and this is yours. Embrace it. Inspiration and energy are being renewed behind the scenes. The best is yet to come!

[Corinna Dunne]

And yet I love to sit down with all my cookbooks and dream of cooking the wonderful things in there...  And I love to visit markets..

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It's good to enjoy the bits you love and don't be too hard on yourself. You mention that you are a travelling nurse, which is obviously a demanding job, and travelling around can make it difficult to find your rhythm and cook.

When you go to the markets (which you love), select things that don't require cooking and just get fulfillment out of plating up really good and tasty looking antipasta, cured meats and cheeses and fresh veg crudites. Seek out good artisan breads and have them with a wonderful olive oil and grated parmesan. Think about simple food pairings, and maybe try out a few new ones. Follow your senses. If you like wine, start working through different selections and find some favourites. All of this will awaken your tastebuds and bring back the excitement.

Get a notebook, and keep notes of the books and page numbers of the recipes you want to try out when you've got more time and energy on your hands. I don't know about you, but I can never remember where I saw recipes that I plan to do further down the line. And if you're missing the showstopper buzz, remember that not all showstopper recipes are complicated, so keep a special eye out for them.

In the meantime, discover the wonderful enjoyment of simple food. And bluedauvergne's suggestion of roast chicken with herbs sounds like a great place to start.

Edited to add:

Why not start a "Simple Showstoppers" thread?

Edited October 11, 2005 by Corinna Dunne (log)

[MobyP]

I find the day to day stuff harder and harder to pull off, though having a six month old and rather picky companion doesn't make it any easier. You know, it's just getting food on the table every night. Some days I barely have enough energy to open the fridge door.

Oddly, I still enjoy the feast cooking, the difficult things I've never attempted before, partly (I realised the other day) for the physical demands they place on me.

I have a baby tonight that starts crying when I put him down or pick him up. He cries when I feed him, or don't feed him. My head is beginning to pound. And I have 6 very large chicken thighs in the fridge that need cooking or they'll spoil. But you know what, it's just more than I can do tonight. So I pick up the phone and order a curry...

[Marlene]

It's really easy to get into this kind of funk, particularly when travel, family, work and other normal issues get in the way. It's easy to get into a rut of cooking something quick, no fuss, and not challenging.

Believe it or not, for me, the three food blogs I've done have pulled me out of a cooking funk every time. I had to make them interesting enough for people to read and in doing that, I stretched myself to make things I'd never made before, that were challenging, and fun.

Or latch onto one of the theme threads here. The cookoffs, the Braising with Molly thread, the Les Halles thread etc, and try something from one of them.

Maybe you only cook once a week, but you're cooking.