larry_stewart
Master Chef
This is a venting thread.
In my household, I am the cook. Since the kids moved out, its just my wife and I I prepare 99% of the dinners. She will prepare her breakfast and lunch ( which is usually yogurt and fruit, okra very simple sandwich that requires assembly but no cooking. On occasion she will bake a zucchini bread or try something new, but it is me who does the most in the kitchen, as I enjoy its and am good at it. In other words, for me its a hobby, for her it is somewhat of a chore.
A few months ago she found a recipe she wanted to try. Its a Chinese style Tofu with string beans. At this time of the year with the string bean overload in the garden, its the perfect dish to use some of the beans up. She has made it before, and it actually comes out pretty good, Ill even say above average. Ive never really watched her make it until yesterday ( even though I offered, she said she'd do it , but made it a point to say ( out loud) that she hates cooking).
Watching her clip the string bean ends and cut them with scissors instead of a knife. Ok, it works. Not how I would have done it, but if she feels more comfortable and safe doing it that way, more power to her.
I offered to fry up the tofu , as I know she does the low and slow method and takes forever. I know there is a quicker way. But she insisted, that she'll do it. I noticed the tofu cubes were 4 X the size as she usually makes them. I asked why, and she said she was just in the mood to mix things up a bit. Im guessing she waned fewer pieces to fry up so it would go quicker. Not going to ruin the dish, but the texture will be different as the firmer outer to softer inner ratio will be different. For those of you who eat or cook with tofu, you know what I mean. Anyway, if thats what she wants to do, terrific.
Then the recipe calls for blanching the string beans to get cooked but remain firm. Add them at the end when tofu is done. I see the pot is filled all the way to the top with water, which is ok, but going to take forever for the water to boil. Could have done with 1/2 the amount, but its her time and she's he chef.
All these things are not critical, just a different approach, and I was able to ignore it ( kind of)
Then when the tofu was done, the recipe calls for adding the sauce ( soy sauce,broth, maple syrup. and a few other things), then the string beans, and when the sauce thickens, its done.
I see her do all this , but then I noticed her sprinkling the corn starch into the already boiling sauce . At that point I said ' what are you doing' ? She said that this is what the recipe says to do. I responded, There is no way the recipe calls for sprinkling the cornstarch in to hot boiling liquid. Usually its mixed into the cold liquids first, then added . Slight argument ensued . At that point I pulled out the recipe which not only clearly says to mix all the sauce ingredients together ( including corn starch), but I had sent the recipe to my my son, and in my own handwriting next to the sauce ingredients I wrote " Make sure to mix up all the sauce ingredients prior to adding it, so the corn starch is not settled all on the bottom".
Luckily the liquid wasn't at a complete boil, and there weren't too may corn starch lumps. But with that, my wife said that she's never cooking anything again.
If she does, Im just staying out of the kitchen til its done. At so many points I wanted to just move her out of the way and do it myself, as I know it would have been done more efficiently.
***Just as a side note. Our arguing was done jokingly with sarcasm. Its not like it was an all out brawl***
I had another incident years ago when I took one of those hands on cooking classes at a kitchen supply cooking store in the mall. The first instructions were to chop all of the produce up ( onions, carrots ...). I did it and was done in a few minutes. Not trying to race or show off, but just did it . I looked around and it really amazed me how few people ( or at least in this class) just couldn't chop up veggies with a knife. Once again, very difficult to watch.I guess its either more of a skill than I thought, all the years of doing it that it just comes natural or both.
In my household, I am the cook. Since the kids moved out, its just my wife and I I prepare 99% of the dinners. She will prepare her breakfast and lunch ( which is usually yogurt and fruit, okra very simple sandwich that requires assembly but no cooking. On occasion she will bake a zucchini bread or try something new, but it is me who does the most in the kitchen, as I enjoy its and am good at it. In other words, for me its a hobby, for her it is somewhat of a chore.
A few months ago she found a recipe she wanted to try. Its a Chinese style Tofu with string beans. At this time of the year with the string bean overload in the garden, its the perfect dish to use some of the beans up. She has made it before, and it actually comes out pretty good, Ill even say above average. Ive never really watched her make it until yesterday ( even though I offered, she said she'd do it , but made it a point to say ( out loud) that she hates cooking).
Watching her clip the string bean ends and cut them with scissors instead of a knife. Ok, it works. Not how I would have done it, but if she feels more comfortable and safe doing it that way, more power to her.
I offered to fry up the tofu , as I know she does the low and slow method and takes forever. I know there is a quicker way. But she insisted, that she'll do it. I noticed the tofu cubes were 4 X the size as she usually makes them. I asked why, and she said she was just in the mood to mix things up a bit. Im guessing she waned fewer pieces to fry up so it would go quicker. Not going to ruin the dish, but the texture will be different as the firmer outer to softer inner ratio will be different. For those of you who eat or cook with tofu, you know what I mean. Anyway, if thats what she wants to do, terrific.
Then the recipe calls for blanching the string beans to get cooked but remain firm. Add them at the end when tofu is done. I see the pot is filled all the way to the top with water, which is ok, but going to take forever for the water to boil. Could have done with 1/2 the amount, but its her time and she's he chef.
All these things are not critical, just a different approach, and I was able to ignore it ( kind of)
Then when the tofu was done, the recipe calls for adding the sauce ( soy sauce,broth, maple syrup. and a few other things), then the string beans, and when the sauce thickens, its done.
I see her do all this , but then I noticed her sprinkling the corn starch into the already boiling sauce . At that point I said ' what are you doing' ? She said that this is what the recipe says to do. I responded, There is no way the recipe calls for sprinkling the cornstarch in to hot boiling liquid. Usually its mixed into the cold liquids first, then added . Slight argument ensued . At that point I pulled out the recipe which not only clearly says to mix all the sauce ingredients together ( including corn starch), but I had sent the recipe to my my son, and in my own handwriting next to the sauce ingredients I wrote " Make sure to mix up all the sauce ingredients prior to adding it, so the corn starch is not settled all on the bottom".
Luckily the liquid wasn't at a complete boil, and there weren't too may corn starch lumps. But with that, my wife said that she's never cooking anything again.
If she does, Im just staying out of the kitchen til its done. At so many points I wanted to just move her out of the way and do it myself, as I know it would have been done more efficiently.
***Just as a side note. Our arguing was done jokingly with sarcasm. Its not like it was an all out brawl***
I had another incident years ago when I took one of those hands on cooking classes at a kitchen supply cooking store in the mall. The first instructions were to chop all of the produce up ( onions, carrots ...). I did it and was done in a few minutes. Not trying to race or show off, but just did it . I looked around and it really amazed me how few people ( or at least in this class) just couldn't chop up veggies with a knife. Once again, very difficult to watch.I guess its either more of a skill than I thought, all the years of doing it that it just comes natural or both.
