Comments on: Gaining Confidence in the Kitchen

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:42:37 +0000

You may have missed the goal on a penalty kick, but with this post, you hit it just in the upper left corner, nailing it. EXCELLENT POST!

When I wrote about failure as a teacher a few weeks ago (http://www.nibblemethis.com/2009/10/failure-is-not-option.html), I loved the Thomas Edison quote that he didn’t fail, he successfully found 10,000 ways NOT to make a light bulb.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:33:13 +0000

When I have zero time to cook but I want something more nutritious than simple pasta with tomato sauce, I add a half-pound of frozen spinach in the pasta water one minute before the pasta is done. It is a really good and easy way to make pasta feel more like a full meal.

Also, I definitely agree with your lemon suggestion. Nothing brightens up a tomato sauce like lemon.

On another note, have you seen Jonathan Saffran Foer’s book called Eating Animals? I wonder what you would think.

By: Kaitlyn

Kaitlyn — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:32:08 +0000

When I make vinaigrette dressing, I pour all of the ingredients into a small ziplock bag or tupperware-ish container. Then you shake it a ton! This is really fun for kids…they get to shake it as hard as they can for a little while. All of the ingredients incorporate beautifully and you don’t have to dirty a whisk or fork.

By: Joe Girard

Joe Girard — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:57:20 +0000

Excellent post Nick. Like any task or skill, practice makes perfect.

The only thing I’d like to add is that your success rates will go up once you learn some basic cooking skills and techniques.

Cheers, Joe
Co-Founder Rouxbe

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:33:58 +0000

Exploding pates! Yea… I can see how you wouldn’t make that mistake twice ;)

By: startcooking

startcooking — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:51:00 +0000

Nick you are so right! Cooking is all about having confidence in the kitchen.

At startcooking.com I advise beginner cooks to start small. Perfect one dish at a time and make that YOUR signature dish!

Plus do not expierment on new recipes with company… :)

By: Jason Sandeman

Jason Sandeman — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:29:11 +0000

@Nick – If you only knew how many mistakes that I made coming up to where I am today. I mean, there was the exploding pate (Always remember the vent holes… they are important!), The first time I tried to make Smarties icecream for my wife… etc.

One important thing about mistakes is you NEED them for experience. The key is LEARNING from your mistakes. I know that you need a vent hole for a pate, because I spent a good hour cleaning the oven. Believe me, I never repeated that.

Good on you. I believe that we all have it in us to cook. Some people approach it as an art. Bullcrap. It is an experience thing.

Now, go out there and experience it!