[Santana28]

I've never once contemplated becoming a professional chef/cook/whatever. My first "Real" job was that of a cake icer in a bakery - it was one of the most interesting and enjoyable jobs i've ever had. I have a creative streak, and it was just fun. I've contemplated getting into the cake business later on as some sort of retirement career
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Anyhow, back on topic.

I love to cook. My mother was absolutely WRETCHED, but my grandmother knew her way around the southern kitchen. Being as independent as i am, i was determined very early on to re-create my childhood favorites. Perfect them. Make them better, if possible.

I really have no particular flair or style. I focus on perfecting *technique* and really, following recipes to the letter. I am a horrible baker, but i can do things in the kitchen that would make my mother AND grandmother cower in fear. I am the master of homemade southern biscuits and sausage gravy, and i can make a kick ass chocolate souffle to boot. I make the world's greatest lasagna, and a kick ass combination chinese fried rice. I make a pot of chili that could win competitions. I can cook the perfect steak. Basically, the only things i have failed to perfect are soups, and many asian meals. I would love to recreate the perfect Thai Green Curry (probably my favorite meal, EVER), but the ingredients are so hard to come by here. I would love to make my own sushi - but cost is an issue. I'll try anything. I'm not intimidated by complex recipes with dozens of ingredients. I see them as a challenge, and i try to cook something completely new at least once a week if i can afford the ingredients.

So that said, would we call this a typical INTJ endeavor? I focus much more on perfection of technique and detail, rather than "feeling" a recipe out and creating something new. Is anyone else here a food junkie as i am? Do you think you're any good? Have you taken cooking classes? Do you work professionally as a chef? Do you have any favorite recipes to care?

All things food go here. I know many of the forum members are asian... any accomplished Thai chefs in the house? I could use some pointers
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Mmmmmm

[Sliderule]

I'm more of a baker really, but all the above applies to my baking. Nice to know I'm not the only one fanatical about following recipes!

	Originally Posted by Santan28
	I focus much more on perfection of technique and detail, rather than "feeling" a recipe out and creating something new.

Bingo!

I wish I could help out in the cooking department, but alas I'm a hot pocket kind of guy.

[metamagnet]

Try this burger I invented:

Broil 1 beef pattie (300~350 degrees)
While it is cooking, chop some red onion.
When it is thoroughly cooked to your liking, remove and apply chopped red onion.
Then, add a shredded cheese of your choice on top.
Put back in the oven/broiler and allow the cheese to melt. (250~ degrees)
While the cheese is melting cook an egg over easy.
Remove the cooked egg and burger.
Get your bun and apply ranch dressing to the bottom part.
Then on top of that ranch covered bun, put the beef pattie w/ cheese and onion.
On top of that put the egg.
Then apply the top bun..and your good to go!

Bonus: Instead of using a traditional hamburger bun...use Scali bread (my favorite).

[JoeyDude]

I enjoy a mastery of cooking too but I'm not sure if I could do that for a living. A great educational and also entertaining source is the show "Good Eats". It's on food network channel. I really like how the host explains all the technicality behind the food as well as the history with a little goofy/silly humor sprinkled around.

He even has an entire episode devoted to salt and believe it or not I actually stayed awake through it.

As for cooking tools, I've been trying out this Nuwave oven that you've probably seen in informercials. I really like it because it's convenient and makes me look like Wolfgang Puck with barely an effort. You might want to look into those too.

[Harmony]

'round here we like casseroles. If I have a can of Cream of Chicken soup or just about any soup really I can make a casserole out of whatever I have in the kitchen. =) My mom is the same way. We've always been able to pull together some good recipes out of our heads.

Sometime this week I'm experimenting with a recipe I found for cinnamon apples.

I'm also pretty good at coming up with desserts. =)

Then again, maybe I just like to eat....

[CaptainA]

I enjoy cooking, when out on my boat and there is no-one else and I really get into it. Especially being creative to work with the limited resources I have. (2 burner stove, no oven, barbecue that cannot usually be used underway) Even when there is someone else I usually do the cooking, for safety and convenience. I make very good 1 pan meals. Pasta and rice feature heavily, along with fresh vegetables and fish. I don't carry to many cans but plenty of dried beans etc. and enough spices to keep things interesting. Stir fries, stews and soups are pretty consistent parts of my diet. I don't eat sweet stuff so desserts don't matter. Even my coffee is fresh ground each time.

I never follow recipes and basically just go with my instinct, which is usually pretty good.

[rwyatt365]

I cook. In fact, I've become the de-facto cook at home. I don't do recipies, I pretty much freelance when I cook. Most of the time it turns out good, sometimes it takes 2-3 times to get it right. I like to experiment with new foods and new spices.

[TheLastMohican]

I'm one of those people who rarely measures spices, yet manages to not screw up the flavors, despite making up combinations on the spot on a regular basis. My mother says it's a talent, but I know that it's due to my own laziness.
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I'm not sure if I focus much on perfection or technique; I probably don't because I don't really analyze how to improve things unless it is necessary. I make something, and if it's good, I try to remember what I did so I can make it again sometime later. It's a bit of perceiver coming through, I guess.

[notoppings]

I am a "from scratch" cook. I've been blessed with a greasy thumb. I do own at least 50 cook books I use them as reference material, I have never been able to follow a single one to the letter. I use them for the basic ingredients and take it from there. With a few decades of cooking I see where I want the taste to end up and take it there.

With most of my creations I use the higher fat content ingredients instead of the low fat substitutes, if it says margarine I use butter,Cream instead of milk, if it says vegetable oil I use lard etc. The flakiest biscuits or pie shell require lard, there's nothing like it, the flavor, the texture, the golden brown results. I don't skimp on the calories, food is made to be enjoyed and savored not just fuel.

I don't think Gordon Ramsey would find a kitchen nightmare if he ever allowed me to cook for him, and I believe that he would enjoy the from scratch and only fresh ingredients. I have cooked for many people I know (I'm not a cook by trade or training) and I have even catered many parties and weddings, and if any one here has ever been through a wedding you know how important the food can become, to risk ruining one of the most important days for a couple. I don't want cooking to become a job, I want to leave it firmly in the passion category. That being said, I'm off to the kitchen to make some fudge as gifts for a few friends.

[tp6626]

Oh blast. Thought I was an odd one out for being good at cooking, but it appears quite a few here are pretty good too.

I spend hours cooking (at least when on my own). I'm a real perfectionist with it though; even making a cold sandwich can take me 20-30 mins to get just right.

When I live alone, I experiment more, and go for new things whenever I get the opportunity. I hardly ever measure things out, just put enough in so it feels right. And make sure you keep tasting all the time.

When I'm living with others (i.e. now), I tend to be less adventurous. I buy more ready meals, and things I can prepare quickly to keep out of the others' ways.

I think the favourite dish I've 'invented' is a Chilli Beef Ramen, containing the following:

A bed of fine rice noodles, baby sweetcorn, asparagus, carrots and finely sliced red onion, in a soup / stock, topped with a sliced rib-eye steak, pepper, chilli, coriander and dark soy sauce.

The stock is made by boiling up:
1 pint of water
1/2 - 1 Chicken stock cube
A good glug of Light Soy Sauce
Juice of a lime
Chopped Coriander
2-3 cloves of Garlic
Some crushed Pepper Corns
Roughly diced Red Onions
A chilli or two (plain green & red usually, or a few birds-eye / finger ones for extra heat)
Juices from the meat (tip in the George Forman grill tray!).

You basically boil this lot down in one pan while the meat cooks. Soften the sweetcorn, noodles and asparagus in this pan too.

Then assemble all the stuff in a huge bowl (most of the veg is raw), tip in the stock through a sieve, and lay the sliced beef on top. Put some dark soy sauce and chilli / coriander garnish on.

TP's Chilli Beef Ramen - DONE!

(I kind of copied it partially from wagamama's - theirs was quite different though - I prefer mine).

[Santana28]

tp, thanks for the recipe! i'll try it out next week when i can get to the grocery store.

I love Good Eats, Alton Brown is my hero. I have all his books. I watch pretty much every cooking show there is, and have watched the Food Network religiously since it premiered on my cable channel over a decade ago. Top Chef is one of my favorites, and one of my good friends actually works with Dale from last season at a bar in the city... i'd go talk to him, but i'm afraid i would sound like an idiot asking him the same questions about food that everyone else surely does.

Keep the asian recipes coming!

[Harmony]

Could be interesting if we started sharing creations. =P I have a couple that I just tossed together that have turned out to be pretty good.

I have tons of cookbooks, and one in particular has been a godsend. It's got all kinds of tips and tricks for different things... How to cut certain fruits, what you can substitute things for, and just in general helpful tips for cooking.

[Kisai]

Cooking is my art form, which unfortunately I rarely get to indulge in nowadays.

But the other night I sauteed mushrooms and a light California spinach (less iron in it) in olive oil, tossed it with some sundried tomatoes and served over al dente linguini and sprinkled with goat cheese. Fantastic!

Oh, and my wife is Thai and has worked as a prep chef for a Thai restaurant. Her speciality is curries.

[rara avis]

	Originally Posted by TheLastMohican To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	...My mother says it's a talent, but I know that it's due to my own laziness. ...

Laziness is the godmother of invention.

I do like to cook, but am definitely more of a baker. I have an eye for good recipes, pick them up, and follow kind of alongside them. I don't have any recipes that I don't alter in some way to suit myself.

I make bitchen macaroni and cheese, really good cornbread dressing. Baked salmon with a potato chip & dill crust. I have a renovated version of my mom's pumpkin cookies that's good.

[notoppings]

One more chime in. For anyone that may be contemplating cooking a holiday turkey may I suggest...

Use a large brown grocery bag to cook it in, and wrap your turkey in bacon for a self basting bird it is a great process. Put the bacon wrapped turkey with any spices of your choosing in the bird (no stuffing) on a roasting rack and shove it in the bag and close bag,then place the whole thing in a roasting pan, don't staple the bag close you want some steam to escape, remove the turkey from the bag and strip the bacon (use in stuffing) for the last 30 to 45 minutes of roasting. turkey will look yellow until you roast it for the last bit. Also use the drippings in your gravy or stuffing. Use a standard 16-18 minute per pound at 325 to 350 for the bird. This brown bag bacon turkey results in a perfectly moist turkey every time. So if you want to impress use this process.

[Allie]

Food!


...Fight. Sorry, wrong thread, but couldn't help myself
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The games around here are habit-forming.



I am one of those who just throw things together too. The sad part is, I can't seem to follow recipes. I start out fine, but eventually, I just estimate and guesstimate the ingredients and amounts. So, back to my own creative cuisines (if you can call it that).

It's funny to watch hubby and kids enjoying my creations sometimes:

Me: Wow! You finished that dish. Am I good or what!
Hubby: Ahem...Either finish it, or wife won't cook again next time
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(heh. works for me!)

Kids...

Me: Why are you holding your nose.
Youngest: So, when I swallow, I don't taste it. This doesn't taste good.
Oldest: See. I told you it works!

This happens only rarely. I swear! My cooking usually turns out successfully.