It seems outdated these days.
I cook, by which I don't mean I open a packet and throw it into the microwave, but that I start with raw ingredients and through the processes of preparation, seasoning and the judicious application of heat, I turn them into finished concoctions fit for consumption. Cakes don't come from a boxed mix in my house; they come from knowing the proper ratios of butter, sugar, flour, eggs, liquid and leavening. Don't get the idea that I'm some sort of food snob, because I'm not, but I am still absolutely boggled by the number of otherwise capable adults I know who are totally mystified by the very idea of anyone being able to master anything more complex than heat-and-eat or the simplest meal of spaghetti and sauce from a jar. There's really nothing attractive about being completely useless in the kitchen.
(louveciennes , Volvospotter, Thu 30 Jun 2011, 17:50, 9 replies)

oh wow, you must be the ONLY person in the world who can cook from scratch.
you smug cunt.
( janet aylia y'all motherfuckers need jesus, Thu 30 Jun 2011, 19:29, closed)

eh. I didn't get that from the post at all.
(thenumber18, Thu 30 Jun 2011, 22:49, closed)

Well, well!
Aren't you just a little ray of sunshine? :)
Let me guess -- you're jealous, sweetpea. Go on, admit it!
(louveciennes , Volvospotter, Fri 1 Jul 2011, 16:47, closed)

It amazes me...
The amount of people that look at me stupefied when I confirm that yes I am a man, and yes I do most of the cooking in our house, and no I'm not a chef by trade, and yes I did make the carrot cake you're eating.

So I totally know where you're coming from.
(repooc, Fri 1 Jul 2011, 0:33, closed)

It's breathtaking, isn't it?
My husband does a lot of cooking as well (negating the assertion above by the commenter who thinks I am the ONLY smug cunt who can cook), and people are just SHOCKED. Even more confusing to them, he can make pies and bread in addition to man-cooking things like grilling!
(louveciennes , Volvospotter, Fri 1 Jul 2011, 16:50, closed)

I make pasta/pizza from scratch, the quantities of ingredients change slightly every time as I experiment though.
and I make one hell of a fucking mess too, but the rules in our house are one cooks the other cleans up, bonus.

Tip, use 00 flour and ALWAYS use a Pizza stone or a slab of granite to cook it (the pizza, not the pasta)
(Kip, Fri 1 Jul 2011, 8:53, closed)

I believe
That if you have a perfectly spotless work area without cleaning after making pizza/pasta/anything flour-based, you might have missed a step or two.
(louveciennes , Volvospotter, Fri 1 Jul 2011, 16:51, closed)

I used to be a terrible cook..
Seriously, I could burn a salad at one point. Then I started working in the pubs, learned how to cook, opened a whole new world to me.

I'm no super chef or anything, but there's nothing more satisfying than creating a tricky meal for the first time, getting it right, and enjoying the results.

I have rarely used a microwave, or bought a ready meal since..
(danniekavanagh did nothing constructive on, Fri 1 Jul 2011, 22:40, closed)

making your own cakes
is nicer and you get loads more for your cash. Actually using real ingredients and cooking from scratch is a lot more rewarding and in some cases just as quick. I have been living apart from my wife for about 9months due to work circumstances. I have always managed to cook a proper meal just for myself, something which leaves my housemates incredulous. I sometimes do 3 or 4 nights worth in one go but its still handmade. I also therefore know how much sugar or salt there is in the food.
(gearanach #wankwankwank, Sun 3 Jul 2011, 14:43, closed)