My mother taught me to cook when I was quite young. She taught my brother, sister and I all to cook. In the weekends we’d each pick something out of the recipe book to cook, and we’d fill the baking tins with all sorts of yummy things. My mother also preserved fruit and vegetables in the summer and made jams and pickles. I’m quite capable of doing all these things if I feel the urge.
I’ve noticed that these days a lot of people can’t cook. They don’t have a clue when it comes to the kitchen. Of course these days, with ready-made meals available at the supermarket and takeaways as close as the phone, we don’t need to cook. I wonder if this is a good thing because we’re losing skills when it comes to the kitchen. There’s a new ad on our TV advertising mashed potato. It arrives in a packet in blocks, you chuck it in the microwave, stir, and hey presto instant mashed potatoes. I don’t understand this since mashed potatoes from scratch are the easiest thing in the world to make. It also worries me about all the extra additives and preservatives we consume when we purchase ready-made meals.
Now you mightn’t agree with me. That’s fine. I didn’t intend this to be a rant of any kind – merely an observation. What do you think? Are we losing cooking skills? When did you learn to cook and who taught you? Do you like cooking?
While I’m talking about food – here’s an easy chocolate slice recipe that is perfect with a cup of coffee. It’s a recipe your children can make, although you might want to supervise the butter melting part.
Chocolate Coconut Slice
250 grams butter
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Tablespoon golden syrup
2 cups flour
1 cup coconut
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
chocolate icing and extra coconut for decoration
Method:
Melt butter, sugar, cocoa and golden syrup in a large saucepan. Do not let it boil. Let it cool and then add flour, coconut, baking powder and salt. Press into a greased and lined 22 x 30 cm tin and bake at 180 degrees C for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and leave for another 10 minutes then ice with chocolate icing while warm. Sprinkle with extra coconut and cut into squares. Store in an airtight tin.
Notes:
I replace some of the white flour with wholemeal flour and sometimes add chopped walnuts.
I usually cook it less than 20 minutes since I like it more moist rather than crisp – sort of a fudgy consistency. You might need to experiment since each oven is different.
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I think every generation loses certain skills (and hopefully) gains others.
How many people fix their own cars anymore? How many know how to can or dry foods?
I don’t like to cook as much as my husband does. I do it as an obligation. He loves to experiment.
–oh and I learned how to cook after I got married. My mother in law gave me an old cookbook and I would try a different recipe every night.
My only failure? Lime sherbet. We still laugh about that one! It tasted good, but it never hardened.
by Maria July 19th, 2008 at 4:26 amI have a love/hate relationship with cooking. Most nights I don’t mind (and yes, I mash my own taters) but there are some days that i just can’t bear to near the kitchen. Those usually turn into pizza night :)
But I agree that we’re compromising our health by consistantly choosing pre-packaged foods. The sodium and preservatives can’t be good if consumed in quantity or on a regular basis. I never really cared too much, but when I had kids, I began reading labels.
My stay-at-home s.i.l. constantly microwaves her son some tinned spaghetti for lunch. I don’t get it? Boiling pasta and opening a jar of a good name-brand sauce (yes, that’s another post!) is much easier/healthier/tastier!!
Yuk, just the thought of tinned spaghetti in bright orange slime gives me the willies. Don’t get me started on the “meatballs”…
by Wylie Kinson July 19th, 2008 at 6:25 amI know exactly what you mean, Shelley. Although my husband does most of the cooking, I can’t imagine buying any of the pre-made foods in the grocery these days. I mean, honestly…steamed vegetables in a bag for the microwave? Does it really take that much more time to steam vegetables yourself? And don’t get me started on all the transfats and preservatives…
At least I know that my son will learn the value and importance of home cooking, and not just so that he’ll grow up to be a multi-talented, independent young man.
by J.K. Coi July 19th, 2008 at 6:54 amI can make beautiful desserts and cookies, but when it comes to the main meals, I’m a disaster. My Mom was the same – totally unimaginative – fried pork chops, boiled peas, and mashed potatoes – I swear that’s all we ever got for dinner other than her stew. And that was AWFUL, it was more like a watery soup that my sister and I refused to eat. If we smelled that horrible smell when we came home from school we knew we’d be going to be hungry because it really was awful – lentils and dumplings that sat on the bottom of the pot. Yuck.
And for myself, I’m married to a vegan who eats like a rabbit while I love my meat. Plus until the last couple years my kids wanted completely bland foods – nothing spicy (I love spicy foods) so I wasn’t encouraged to be inventive.
Dinner time is always a challenge for me. If I ever win a lottery, first thing I”m doing is hiring a cook to have someone ELSE deal with all the pickiness in the house.
by Leah Braemel July 19th, 2008 at 7:13 amHey Shelley,
First: thanks for stopping by my blog. I envy you the 6 week vacation.
As for cooking, I enjoy making things I like to eat, especially desserts. I can bake cakes from scratch though I haven’t done that in ages; due to work and time constraints, I usually put cooking on the back burner for the modern convenience of fast food and easy cook meals.
Yes, I think younger generations don’t view cooking as a necessary skill but I think it is. It’s a way to show warmth and love for your family, to give them nourishment. Now, I love McDonalds and Olive Garden but they don’t hold a candle to a home cooked meal that I’ve received from my mother.
by Michelle Lauren July 19th, 2008 at 8:32 amI taught myself to cook when I was first married. I used to love to cook. But then I got a full-time day job and was also writing on my “off” hours and running kids to softball games, karate, etc. I don’t enjoy cooking when I’m tired after a long day of work. However, I enjoy it if I’m rested.
by Ashley Ladd July 19th, 2008 at 1:22 pmI personally love to bake and think home made jellies and jams are tastier than stuff from the store. (Plus I like plum jelly and that’s a toughie to find in the shops.) Additionally anyone who eats mashed potatoes that aren’t from scratch looses respect in my eyes, I love potatoes in any form but all those preservatives make them nasty. I want the real deal baby! Sadly I’m not too great at making a whole meal. I do salads, breads, appetizers and desserts well but entrees and side dishes just aren’t my forte. Oh and I make a mean breakfast. So while I love being in my kitchen I too take part in the take-out or premade foods. Mostly I hate doing the dishes. Sigh.
by Amy W. July 19th, 2008 at 1:51 pmI learned to cook at an early age, too.
by Estella July 19th, 2008 at 2:25 pmI had to help my Mother cook for a haying crew almost every day during the summer.
Maria – I hadn’t thought of that but you’re right. Each generation acquires the skills they need to live. I prefer to hunt my food at the supermarket rather than spending the day tromping across plains and forests searching for it!
Wylie – Mostly I’m happy to cook, but I have to fight my husband to get in to the kitchen and usually end up in the sous chef role. He cooks to relax after a stressful day. Since he’s a great cook I never go hungry.
JK – I guess we’re all in such a hurry these days that “fast foods” are a time saver. Personally I think it’s just as quick to do my own veg, but judging by the contents of shoppers’ trolleys a lot of people don’t agree.
Leah – I’m trying not to laugh about the lentils and dumplings. I probably shouldn’t laugh since when it comes to anything technical in the way of machinery I’m hopeless. We all have our strong points!
I’m a vegetarian mostly, although I eat the odd bit of fish. My husband loves meat and can’t imagine life without it.
Michelle – I love going out to dinner as well but agree you can’t beat a homemade family dinner. Hubby and I have several favorite recipes we make that we can cook and have ready to eat in 20mins to half an hour. We’re all about speed during the week.
by Shelley Munro July 19th, 2008 at 3:27 pmAshley – I agree it’s no fun cooking when you’re tired. We sometimes freeze meals if we have extra or make a double quantity. It’s the tired days when these come out of the freezer for dinner. During the winter the crock pot is really good as well.
Amy – yeah, the real deal, baby! We used to have instant mash when we worked in the pub in London. Not pretty. I used to go without rather than eat it.
Estella – I remember my mother cooking for the hay crews and also the when shearing time came around. Those shearers ate a lot of foood!!
by Shelley Munro July 19th, 2008 at 3:30 pmMy mother taught me my first cooking, but I never did get the hang of doing pastry. Kept mucking itup. Later, a boy friend taught me how to cook wild game including bear and vension.
After your comment on my blog, I posted about brown bears for you. Enjoy your trip.
by Barbara Martin July 19th, 2008 at 8:35 pmBarbara – pastry can be tricky. It’s one thing that I sometimes buy to save time – not that I make many pies these days.
My husband would enjoy trying the bear meat. He actually had venison the other day.
Thanks for the post on grizzly bears. It was really interesting.
by Shelley Munro July 20th, 2008 at 1:03 pm