“I am the worlds messiest cook!”
Well, at least that’s what my family would say. I am improving a little in my old age, but the problem is, I start one project then head off on another.
I’m a bit of this, and a dash of that, type of cook. I might begin on a few overripe bananas to make muffins but soon it explodes into four courses at least. The good thing is I can freeze it, but it's exhausting. I usually end up giving much away and I have an aversion to throwing anything out so, it has to be re created or used in some way shape or form.
I have learned over time to wear an apron, correction, I often forget. Years of ruining a blouse or staining outfits, has taught me to cover up on cooking day.
I’m not a chef and I can’t say I learned it from my mother she was no cook. As a matter of fact, when a new baby was due my children would say "who will take care of us while you are in the hospital?” they adored their Nanna but would groan when told “oh she burns everything!”.
True fact, even fish fingers.
I think I have a gift if you would like to call it that, for turning nothing much in a pantry, into something halfway decent!
The only problem is, it is hard to re-create my masterpieces. I don’t take notes, and I don’t take measurements. On the few occasions I have followed a recipe and ended up with a botch job. Mostly I might taste something and think, mmm
” I can make that”.
Sometimes its like ‘loaves and the fishes’ , perhaps because I don’t have ravenous teenagers around the table anymore, or perhaps its just that I have learned a thing or two, I end up with leftovers upon leftovers.
My style is not everyone’s, and with the wealth of cooking programs on TV these day’s it would be considered rather ordinary, gourmet food being the rage.
I might like the look of some of it, and I am sure the dishes are delicious, but I see an awful lot of waste, very little on a plate and overpriced decorative piles in the middle of huge white platters.
My frugal budgeting of the past sees only dollar signs. Although some great chefs out there do a great rustic, like Two Fat Ladies, or the Two Greedy Italians, Hairy Bikers. I guess if I was to be a famous Duo it would have to be Two messy , too messy?. Hubby has been doing more cooking in his retirement so I could try for Two retired something or others but sounds less interesting or Soup and suds? lot of washing up.
So whats the point of this blog? no idea.
It keeps me out of the kitchen, so the dishes aren’t piling up.
Hubby is a sweetie, he cleans up behind me and always says the same thing, “It’s worth it when you cook me yummy things”. I think he means it? but I feel bad. I use so many utensils, pots and pans, I use every bench and spread out in all directions.
It’s fortunate for him I don’t own a food processor, mincer, deep fryer, and other contraptions which would add to this mountain.
For two years we had a dishwasher, it did assist somewhat to alleviate his suffering, but to be honest packing and unpacking is a chore and though i used to be a bit of a Tetris champ in the 80s I still cant fit everything in the blasted contraption so I do it the old fashioned way. thats right, I do wash a bit as I go along but he still ends up with a pile.
To be honest this photo is tame compared to my kitchen on cook up days.
Well, thats it for now.
I feel a recipe coming on.
photo courtesy of by Brian Kyusher Feb 27, 2014