Cooking fears

SmittenKitchen was talking yesterday on her blog about Why We Are Afraid to Cook. She asked her readers last week to comment/email with their food/cooking fears, and some of them are really interesting to read. It is neat for me (as a pretty new cook) to see things that I fear in the kitchen (messing up a recipe with an expensive ingredient, very particular timing that feels rushed, "Grandma made it better", a kitchen skill or tool I've never heard of, etc) are also feared by other cooks. Otherwise I find myself getting annoyed because I can't figure out recipe X while obviously all the other home-cooks here (and on other sites I read) are sitting down to the most elaborate and well-plated dinners I can imagine, often containing ingredients I can't even pronounce, much less cook.

SmittenKitchen also links to an article from the New York Times from last month called Recipe Deal Breakers: When Step 2 Is ‘Corral Pig’ that is a pretty fun read.

So what are your cooking/food fears? Is there something in a recipe that makes you turn the page and go to try something else instead? Something you messed up once (or ten times) and refuse to try again? Something someone else makes better so you won't even try?

I can't be the only one here with cooking fears...

The recipe didn’t run in the magazine. Nor do ones that call for glove boning, which is a way to turn a bird inside out to bone it without cutting into the skin.

I read this line and, in a puzzled voice, said to no one in particular: "I always wanted to learn how to do that."

I have a culinary degree from CHIC, I've been a professional pastry chef around town, and.... I have a fear of gnocchi. I've tried a variety of recipes and have never been happy with the results. Too heavy, too gummy... too much time and effort for lousy results. So now, no matter how fabulous a gnocchi recipe sounds, I'm skipping right by that sucker.

I will bonk before I have completed the item(s) I am preparing. I always feel to tired to plan to cook these days. I used to bake for some local cafes and used to love to cook as well. These days, I keep it down to a Cooks' Illustrated subscription and I pick up Eating Well, and religiously read Wed. NYTimes recipes, but just don't bother.

However, I do love to get lots of fruits and vegetables from farmer's markets and grocers, even if I do toss them without using them. Somehow having them means, I am always ready to cook, should I feel like it.

I did scramble eggs yesterday for breakfast and placed cheese on bread for toast. Other than that the closest I seem to get to cooking these days is microwaving fresh corn to shuck for a garbage salad.

My biggest fear is that I don't have enough life left to actually cook all the recipes I've tagged in all my cookbooks, not to mention the stack of print-outs from web sites and pages torn from magazines.

If I just didn't have to work for a living -- there might be enough time. Nah. Too many things to try.

(And that's just cooking. I'm also afraid I won't get to even a quarter of the GNRs in my lifetime.)

pairs4life wrote:I will bonk before I have completed the item(s) I am preparing.

That's one way to relax!

Seriously, I'm having trouble figuring out the non-ribald meaning of this, and I want to.

I enjoyed that article on recipe deal-killers. Mine is "... working in batches ..."

riddlemay wrote:

pairs4life wrote:I will bonk before I have completed the item(s) I am preparing.

That's one way to relax!

Seriously, I'm having trouble figuring out the non-ribald meaning of this, and I want to.

Me too!

Katie wrote:I enjoyed that article on recipe deal-killers. Mine is "... working in batches ..."

Me too, but mostly in regard to frying. I LOVE donuts, love making donuts, would love to bring my bounty to work to share. I have a recipe for Spudnuts, donuts made with mashed potatoes, which sounds awfully tasty. But I hate frying. I've done it infrequently in the past, so keeping the oil is a hassle, not keeping it is a waste, and the mess. Oh, the mess. So maybe it's not fear, but preparatory exhaustion.

I also am afraid of using a new technique, expensive ingredient, or especially time-consuming and detailed recipes, because I'm not that skilled, education be damned. I'm afraid I'll mess it up and be really pissed, then have nothing to show for my efforts.

Another thing that I can't seem to get through my head is storing and cooking ahead. I can never figure out how far ahead to make stuff so that it doesn't go bad before a party/event/etc. or how to store foods after baking so they don't get stale, etc. It freaks me out that I might make this great thing and the quality is no good by the time the party starts, even if I just made it the night before.

Hi,

I am hot frying oil phobic, too. I use an electric fryer that I put in my stainless steel sink with baking soda on the side in case of fire. I once had a minor fire with cooking oil igniting Ever since, I am always prepared. It also confines the mess to an easy to manage location.

Regards,

Deep-frying is a deal-killer for me, too.
I don't own a deep fryer, but will saute in an inch or two of oil- (think latkes) on occasion.

Also anything that requires more than an overnight prep-forget it-
a three day brine-get real I have a life that involves a full time JOB
(which really ought to be a four letter word if you think about it...)

I've also given up on scallops
too many BAD BAD offensive thrown out items
from every decent fish store in town.
and I really love them.

I won't even order them in restaurants anymore unless I'm on the east or west coast
I'm tired of being dissapointed
I give up

Okay -- if we add in "don't want to bother," in addition to "fear," I'd say I too don't want to bother with deep frying. It doesn't frighten me (though I respect the possible problems and prepare for them), but I don't fear it -- it's just not worth the hassle, especially when cooking for one. But brining, on the other hand, or marinating -- no problem. The results are too good to not do it. But it's always a lot easier (and less costly) to dispose of a zip-lock bag full of salt water than it is to get rid of several gallons of oil.

So, yeah, there are things I'd just as soon not do, because they're such a hassle that they're actually not fun.

Deep frying is a pain, to be sure. That is a weekend-only-sometimes-maybe sort of cooking for me, just because of the mess.

Another thing I'm afraid to cook is shellfish/molluscs/crustaceans...I wouldn't know what to do with them. Most of them I wouldn't even know how to eat if someone put them in front of me in shell, and that seems like something I ought to learn before I try cooking them myself. What I need is a good seafood coach. I've yet to meet a seafood/lakefood I didn't like, but shellfish/molluscs/crustaceans are a whole category of seafood I've not been introduced to. My family won't even entertain the idea of trying in a restaurant. We could all filet and cook whatever fish we caught on the lakeside by about the age of seven, but the idea of most other seafood will make them run for the hills. My Mom has yet to recover from the last time I told her about some particularly good sushi...

Annabelle wrote:What I need is a good seafood coach.

As a native Baltimorean, I may have just found a way to make big bucks in my spare time!

riddlemay wrote:As a native Baltimorean, I may have just found a way to make big bucks in my spare time!

There's an idea! Let me know when you set up your class schedule and I'll totally sign up.

I'm always amazed at the number of people who tell me that they are afraid to make a pie crust. Not "too busy", or think that storebought is better, but afraid even to try because they think it is so hard. It makes me sad.

Deep frying is a recipe deal-breaker for me. Also anything that uses a Cuisinart since my dog chewed the cord five years ago and I never got it fixed. I always found the Cuisinart awkward to use and yes, a little scary, but lately I've been thinking about getting that cord fixed and giving it another go.

grits wrote:I'm always amazed at the number of people who tell me that they are afraid to make a pie crust. Not "too busy", or think that storebought is better, but afraid even to try because they think it is so hard. It makes me sad.

Occasionally I do a talk on the American pie history, I close with the following from Recipes Tried and True compiled by the Ladies' Aid Society of the First Presbyterian Church, Marion, Ohio, 1894:

There are plenty of women capable of choosing good husbands (or, if not good when chosen, of making them good); yet these same women may be ignorant on the subject of making good pie. Ingenuity, good judgement, and great care should be used in making all kinds of pastry.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Occasionally I do a talk on the American pie history, I close with the following from Recipes Tried and True compiled by the Ladies' Aid Society of the First Presbyterian Church, Marion, Ohio, 1894:

There are plenty of women capable of choosing good husbands (or, if not good when chosen, of making them good); yet these same women may be ignorant on the subject of making good pie. Ingenuity, good judgement, and great care should be used in making all kinds of pastry.

Me, I'll take the pie crust challenge any day. . .

I was surprised when, upon offering my sister my recipe for a lovely pie crust, she responded with "Are you kidding? I'll buy a frozen crust. I don't need that kind of stress!"

As for myself... I wouldn't call it a fear, exactly. More of a mental block. The thing is, I can't make instant pudding. It turns lumpy and gritty. I never have been able to make a decent instant pudding, though I can make one from scratch with no problem. I don't often run into the problem, but any time I want a (very) quick sugar-free pudding fix I find myself flummoxed.

I wonder how it is pie crusts got such a horrible reputation for being Difficult Baking. They really aren't that hard to make, with a couple of tries. I've taught a few friends (former roommates) how to make pie crusts with little trouble. But it seems like I hear that particular cooking fear from a lot of people. Frustratingly, many have never even tried to make their own pie crust, ever!

Of course, I say this full well knowing I posted my own irrational fears higher up in the thread, including things I've always been too afraid to try and so I avoid.

I think the problem with pie crusts is that there are so many different "best ways" - lard, cold water, butter, etc. - and how/when/how much to mix.

Also, the technique is tough for some people who have never rolled anything out in their lives.

If you have a fail safe pie crust recipe for the beginner, throw it out here. I've only made a couple of pies in my life and have done both the homemade version and the store bought version. I like the homemade version best but will admit that sometimes the crust prevents me from going the pie route.

I'd like to try to make a few though and combat one of my fears head-on.

I do have what I consider to be a fail-safe method, coming from many, many, failed and frustrating attempts at piecrust.

Sometimes it helps to understand the physics of it: you are essentially making teeny little blobs of dough (flour, water, and salt) that you flatten between blobs of cold, solid fat (the skill lies in keeping these two separate: very little water; very, very cold fat) When heated, the flattened blobs of dough essentially fry in the surrounding fat, making a collection of separate flakes: flaky piecrust.

Though I recently turned out a decent-enough paella, subtlety not being my strong suit means I am still unsuccessful with mashed potatoes. I suppose I really ought to own an actual potato masher; that might help.

Mhays wrote:...

Sometimes it helps to understand the physics of it: you are essentially making teeny little blobs of dough (flour, water, and salt) that you flatten between blobs of cold, solid fat (the skill lies in keeping these two separate: very little water; very, very cold fat) When heated, the flattened blobs of dough essentially fry in the surrounding fat, making a collection of separate flakes: flaky piecrust.

...

Mhays-

I appreciate the very technical jargon you use in this physics lesson.

-The GP

Yes, I learned to make good use of the word "blob" in college.

Mhays, you have a talent for describing things in ways that make great sense. I see nothing wrong with "blob"! Just call it "everyday physics" and run with it. But perhaps I'm not one to take science as Serious Business. My favorite physics class in high school had us watching episodes of MacGyver and trying to recreate some of his various creations.

Mhays wrote:I suppose I really ought to own an actual potato masher; that might help.

I couldn't live without my potato masher; I use it for all sorts of things besides mashed potatoes. Like Crash Hot Potatoes! Okay, things that are not of the potato family, too. It is great for breaking up browning ground meat when I make tacos. For whatever reason my Grandma used that (instead of a fork) to make the criss-cross on peanut butter cookies. I'm pretty sure she started that just because she was out of clean forks one day, but when someone noticed she had to pretend it was part of the recipe, and she was too stubborn to ever go back.

Annabelle wrote:I wonder how it is pie crusts got such a horrible reputation for being Difficult Baking. They really aren't that hard to make, with a couple of tries. I've taught a few friends (former roommates) how to make pie crusts with little trouble. But it seems like I hear that particular cooking fear from a lot of people. Frustratingly, many have never even tried to make their own pie crust, ever!

Of course, I say this full well knowing I posted my own irrational fears higher up in the thread, including things I've always been too afraid to try and so I avoid.

I have no problems making pie crusts for the most part, but in making that nice crimped/fluted/scalloped edge. I never got a lesson on that!

All of this pie crust talk is making me really want to bake a pie tonight/this weekend. Perhaps a shopping trip is in order.

I also stink at that, or anything requiring accuracy and fine motor skills. My usual cheat is to roll out the extra dough, cut it with little cookie cutters or a jar or what have you, and applique it on to the edge (scroll down for pic) Alternatively, you can press the edges using an implement (obviously, forks tines are traditional, but you can use the handle, too, or a 1/4 teaspoon measure, or the edge of a shot glass) to create a pattern going all the way around. Not that I am a pie guru or anything...

Or, you can do what I do when I decorate a cake, and claim that the mistakes make it look "more homemade."

For the record, I appreciate the non-technical jargon used here. Keep talking blobs!

I have had good luck making pie crusts using a variety of recipes. Pie crusts are not scary to me, although some of worked out better than others. I've had moderate success making the scalloped edges by pinching the edges between my thumb and index finger. I usually supplement that by pressing around the pinched edges with a fork. I want a good-looking pie, but it doesn't have to be perfect. Taste is more important.

As for other cooking fears, I agree with Annabelle about mollusks. Or at least I fear shopping for and prepping them. I'm also not a deep-fryer, more from a mess and health standpoint. But otherwise, I'm usually game to try most any recipe. In fact, I frequently try new recipes and preparations for dinner parties or holiday events. The one time I made spring rolls, they were delicious, but I hadn't read the recipe well and spent more time in the kitchen than chatting with my guests during cocktails.

Pie Lady wrote:I have no problems making pie crusts for the most part, but in making that nice crimped/fluted/scalloped edge. I never got a lesson on that!

My mother taught me a very simple method for crimped crust. Position your thumb and forefinger of one hand on the outside of the crust (say an inch apart) and your other forefinger directly between those two but on the inside of the crust. Poke. Move your thumb into the brand new indent on the outside of the crust and repeat. Move, repeat. Poke, poke, poke. Alternately, put your first and middle fingers on the outside of the crust, about an inch apart, and the thumb of the same hand right between them on the inside. Pinch. Move on down into the indentation you just made along the outside. Pinch some more. Imagine you have a cool robot claw if it helps (and it does!).

I guess growing up eating mollusks has helped me know what to look for. I would be nervous if I tried to buy clams, mussels, or oysters around here, though. That is one benefit of having lived on the coast. Saute some aromatics, add a ladle of broth or wine, a bunch of fresh clams and/or mussels, throw a lid on it and let them steam until they are all wide open. Toss any that don't open.

MincyBits wrote:Alternately, put your first and middle fingers on the outside of the crust, about an inch apart, and the thumb of the same hand right between them on the inside. Pinch. Move on down into the indentation you just made along the outside. Pinch some more. Imagine you have a cool robot claw if it helps (and it does!).

That is exactly what I do to edge pies, minus the robot-claw-imagining (though I may add that in next time I make a pie - are there sound effects for the robot claw? ).