How do you learn to cook?

[1StarRestaurant]

Where do you start? Cooking is so confusing.... I look at some recipes online and there's a whole bunch of ingredients I never heard of. Can I really find everything at Lucky or Safeway?

Imma be so screwed when I move out alone and don't know how to cook good food....SCREWED!!!!!! I can make eggs and instant noodles. (And I hear cooking gets the ladies )

Seriously...this whole thing is so unnatural...where do you begin to learn to start cooking?

 

[Toots]

How old are you? Does your mom cook? Start helping out in the kitchen if she does. I learned a little from my mom and grandma but when I got out on my own, I started cooking for real.

The only way to get good at cooking is by trial and error - just find a basic recipe you want to try, buy all the ingredients, read the recipe like ten times and go for it.

You can do it - but it may take a few errors, do not give up, just keep trying.

Discuss Cooking has alot of people here who can answer your questions - welcome to DC, btw.

 

[Callisto in NC]

First, Welcome to DC. I can tell from the stores you listed you're in California. Most likely someone north of Bakersfield because Lucky is only in Cali.

Now, on to business. Yes, with the exception of some rare ingredients, generally of certain ethnic origins, you can find all that you are looking for at Lucky or Safeway. Start by searching recipes that have an EASY rating, things that use some premade ingredients. Once you are comfortable using premade ingredients, you can move on to making those premade ingredients yourself.

Learn measurements. Read about ingredients and start tasting things. See what you like and maybe find a friend that knows how to cook show you some basics. Cooking is very visual so start watching the Food Network or other cooking shows. You can learn a lot from those shows, at least IMO you can.

 

[sherifffruitfly]

Where do you start? Cooking is so confusing.... I look at some recipes online and there's a whole bunch of ingredients I never heard of. Can I really find everything at Lucky or Safeway?

Imma be so screwed when I move out alone and don't know how to cook good food....SCREWED!!!!!! I can make eggs and instant noodles. (And I hear cooking gets the ladies )

Seriously...this whole thing is so unnatural...where do you begin to learn to start cooking?

heh. Starting from scratch (rimshot) can be a bit daunting.

I'm not a "good cook" by any stretch of the imagination, but I like what I make, and so have the others who have eaten it.

My basic approach: start with "mixture" types of things. Curries, casseroles, and so on. With things like that, you can usually put in more or less what you like, and the result will be good. Such dishes also make it easy to experiment. And with girls, you can wisely say things like "hmm... I should have put ginger in that", and look like a genius (who cares if you don't know what ginger is).

Outside of mixture items, get good at a couple of things, and common variants of them. Cook up some steaks in a frying pan. Then broil them. Then grill them. Etc.

Pick a vegetable you like. Fry/saute it. Steam it. wrap it in foil and broil/grill it. Put some garlic in it. Rule #1 of cooking: garlic and butter are pretty much always winners. They're sorta like bacon, in that way.

Look at different recipes for the same thing, and see how they're the same, and how they're different. Then either make one of them, or mishmash the two together. I've got a mishmash recipe of ribs in the slowcooker right now. (pissin me off because they smell so good). I've never made ribs before, and this is the 2nd time I've used a slowcooker. I'm just playing with the food, basically.

From what I understand about breads/baking, I would save that for last, since it seems like it's the least forgiving when you screw up ingredients or timing.

But have fun.

Also for girls, it's fun to cook together. And that way, you can sponge knowledge off of her. Unless it's the blind leading the blind, in which case you can laugh later about how much you two suck at cooking. And then you can go take a cooking class together.

Have fun.

And use butter and garlic. (if you *both* have been eating garlic, then kissing is no big deal ).

 

[Callisto in NC]

Be careful with garlic until you really learn to cook. It can go bitter quick and ruin an entire dish. When in doubt, jump in here and ask how to use the garlic in whatever dish you might be cooking. You can crush it, slice it, chop it, rough chop it, buy store bought, so many different ways to use it. As much as I love garlic, I have learned you have to make it your friend before you use it and never abuse it, it will turn on you if you do.

 

[kitchenelf]

Get a basic cookbook. Go to a bookstore and browse. A basic cookbook will have basic ingredients and nothing will be too fussy. Look for some old standards like Betty Crocker, Joy of Cooking, etc.

Pick a recipe and just follow the directions. If it calls for chopping or measuring have all that done ahead of time. Keep things in bowls that you have measured and chopped. When you get to it in the recipe you will be ready to add it. It will also be a safeguard to make sure you have everything on hand. That's the best advice I can give you and it's how I started cooking...just follow the recipe.

 

[Fearless Kitchen]

I was lucky enough to get to learn a little from my grandmother before she passed away, but really, most of what I know I learned from experimentation and practice. Don't be afraid to try new things and to make emergency changes if you need to.

 

[jabbur]

I learned how to cook from my grandmothers and my mom. I also learned quite a bit more in junior high school home economics class. We spent a semester in the kitchen and a semester sewing. These days, they don't spend much time teaching the kids really how to cook. My boys never had a cooking class but I've taught them a few things. Find someone who will let you in their kitchen and help. By working with someone who knows what they are doing, you will learn more than you can by reading a cookbook. If there is a term you don't understand or any questions, you can always come here. I've been cooking for over 30 years and still have questions about some things and the folks here have been gracious and answered without making me feel stupid for not knowing. Good luck!

 

[LaurenG]

I think we're kind of in the same boat. I am about half way through my first year at Davis and living on campus. Of course this means that they provide three meals a day at the dinning commons also on campus, but in order to save a little money I only bought 9-10 meals per week. This means that I cook 1-2 meals a day on my own. Fortunately I love cooking and have been doing it for the majority of my life, but something else I love is the Food Network. I watch it everyday and have learned soooooo much! Most of the time when I cook now I don't even use a recipe, unless I'm baking. I guess I owe many of my cooking successes to Food Network.

 

[Greg Woulf]

I think you start by copying a dish you like. For me it was baked ziti that got me going. Then I wanted to try bread because I love fresh bread. Then that got me to different kinds of breads, and then to cookies and pastries a bit.

I liked what someone said about the cooking network. I watch, and love that station. The best program in my opinion is Good Eats with Alton somebody. I tape everything he does and try out what he says.

 

[CharlieD]

yOU START BY LEARNING TO EAT. fIRST YOU LEARN TO EAT FOODS THAT TASTE GOOD. tHAT IS YOUR HOME WORK FOR NEXT FEW DAY. wHEN YOU LEARN THAT COME BACK, i WILL TELL YOU THE NEXT STEP. lET ME KNOW. Oops, darn caps, sorry

 

[1StarRestaurant]

lol! so many replies =D

I haven't tried many different kinds of foods to be honest, thats one of the reasons I wanna learn how to cook too. I'm asian, my grandma cooks in the family and its like mostly empty carb stuff. There is really little vegies too and no fruits at all in my diet So...I'm not a really big fan of most the stuff she cooks too and not really interested in learning from her =X (and theres a bit of a language barrier too.....)

Moving out for college and saving money would be another reason, but whats more important than that to me is being able to eat good tasting meals (and of course wowing the ladies ).

-Callisto in NC
You guessed where I live!!!! I'm north there around 200 miles =] Things from safeway and luckys are expensive compared to asian markets, my mom keeps telling me to get stuff from there instead, but the traffic and parking around the area is pretty crappy, and I don't speak the language well...

-sherifffruitfly
Doooood!!! You sound like you're one with the ladies =] And the garlic thing! Theres always a big measuring cup full of garlic in our fridge, I see it out on the table alot of nights when my grandma is cooking =o
Mixing recipes together is something I'd definitely try later on down the line, I wanna be able to make more "original" meals of my own later on...

I watch food network sometimes!! Theres really nothing else much better on TV anyways. That reminds me, I have made something from there before!!! Its the "blueberry lemon cheesecake" or whatever. Forgot who it was by but it turned out great! I ended up using around 10 spoons and a bunch of other stuff though (lot of cleaning up afterwards). Definitely gonna start watching again. I just subscribed to cooking light too! but they aren't shipping my order til a couple months or so...

OK!! Talking too much!!!

I have my mind on this: Its "Cobb Salad with Green Goddess Dressing" from (****...it wont let me post the link)

Cuz it looks nice and I lack vegies!!! But it says nothing about how to cook the chicken...any ideas?

 

[LaurenG]

I have a ranch 99 & safeway within 5 minutes of my house so it is a nice luxury when I visit home and stock up on food to bring back to school with me. I enjoy the asian markets because they are a lot cheaper and have ingredients that I can't as easily find in safeway. Are you looking to learn more asain recipes? I'm Chinese, third generation, but we still enjoy many chinese dishes at home.

Also in my experience restaurants usually serve cobb salad with a simple grilled or pan fried chicken. Sometimes it is breaded then fried, but since there is a dressing I'm not really familiar with I can't really suggest any additional seasonings for the chicken.

 

[CharlieD]

Well, I tell you what then. You seem like a nice guy and you are on the right track. Start with something simple. Like roasted chicken. Here is the simplest recipe ever. Get cut up chicken either whole or some parts, you know like legs, for example. Preheat your oven to 400 deg. Spread the chicken on the baking tray, whatever it's called. Season with same salt and pepper black or I like cayene, but it is very hot, have to be careful. Put chicken in, come back in 1 hour. Eat, enjoy. You can make a side dish. Also simple marinade some vegies, like juliened bell peppers, zukini, red onion, carrots, maybe some portabelo mushrooms, in say Italiang salad dressing for a half an hour or so. Spread them on that same tray thing (what is it called people, I know it's not tray). put them in the oven about 15-20, maybe as much as 30 minutes. You'll have to check them to see how cook you like them. I like mine crunchy. If you cook longer they will be softer. You can do that at the same time a you cook chicken say for the last half an hour. Now when chicken is done, your vegies are also done. Here you have the whole meal. No empty carbs. Vegies and protein. Yum. Simple, is the key word.

Start simple. Slowly you will be able to improove and staret making fancier things. But you have to go out and try things, otherwise you do not know what you are shooting for.

 

[GotGarlic]

Spread them on that same tray thing (what is it called people, I know it's not tray).

Hi, Charlie. It's either a sheet pan or a baking sheet

 

[GotGarlic]

Hi, 1Star. KitchenElf is right - get a good basic cookbook, find things in it you like to eat, and just start Do you like Italian? Pastas are good and easy, and there are lots of ways to change it up, with different sizes and shapes of pasta, different sauces, different meats and vegetables.

My best advice is to make sure you read the recipe thoroughly before starting, and that you understand all the instructions and have all the ingredients. The Betty Crocker book, or something similar, will have definitions for chopped, diced, etc. If there are one or two ingredients you don't like, often you can substitute something else for them - ask here and we'll let you know if it will work. Good luck

 

[Jikoni]

Cooking in my opinion comes from the heart. I never knew how to cook until I lived alone and experimented with various spices, dishes. I kept tasting the food until I felt it was right. You shouldn't be afraid, try cooking alone for yourself first, then the next time invite a close friend or two to dinner and cook for them and ask for their honest opinion. Another thing I learnt, was to eat out and try and 'feel' the food, more like, 'is that garlic I taste, what is that sweetness, is it from sugar or ketchup(ketchup does taste sweet, but that's according to my tastebuds) When you chew food feel the firmness, lightness crispness etc. Just go with the flow and enjoy the meal. Most ingredients can be found in a lot of supermarkets these days, so if you are following a recipe, you can't go wrong, and if you are stuck for substitute, ask on DC and you will find help, we all love food afterall. Happyy cooking 1*restaurant.

 

[Constance]

Get two or three good cookbooks, as mentioned above. I recommend Joy of Cooking first, because it gives you so many basics, then Better Homes and Garden and Fannie Farmer.
But don't just pick a recipe...first read and study,and then start with the simplest skills first.
Then, start picking the brains of people you know whose cooking you like. Most will be happy to answer questions, give you a favorite recipe, and even let you watch while they prepare it. That's something that helped me a with a lot of skills.

Once you get the hang of assorted methods, you will learn to start adjusting recipes to your own taste.

That's my advice, for what it's worth.

 

[larry_stewart]

Nothing beats cooking with someone who knows how to cook already, like parents, grandparents ..... Not onlhy do you get the one on one time, but you get to learn recipes that have been passed down in the family. Next would be the cooking shows, books .... And finally, a whole lot of trial and error. Ive made many good dishes, but have also thrown many away, or had that emergency ' have to order in tonight'...

 

[magic823]

As to good cook books, I love any of the Alton Brown books (he of Good Eats fame on the Food Network). They teach you, not just the hows of cooking, but also the whys in what you are doing. Plus he's pretty funny. I just got his book on Baking and I'm learning and laughing my behind off.