I used to be a truly rubbish cook.
I’m certainly no über-chef now (competent and adventurous, perhaps), but I’ve come a long way from where I started. Until my early 20s, I’d never so much as boiled an egg. There have been some truly magnificent disasters along the way – usually brought about by convoluted decision making and occasional over-enthusiasm. The apricot lamb incident, as Pete likes to refer to it, still comes up in dinner conversations some twenty years later.
It took me a few years to figure out that cooking is one of those activities where it’s easy to be brave. It’s not like jumping off a bridge with a bungee rope attached to your feet; it’s not even as scary as walking into a room full of people you don’t know. And since we’re rarely playing with expensive ingredients, most of the time experimenting in the kitchen is a fairly economical exercise. A little care needs to be taken with things like sharp knives and hot caramel (I’m a klutz, so I feel it necessary to include this sentence), but with just a little caution, I usually come out physically unscathed.
I really enjoy getting comments from all of you – thank you – but the ones I love the most are when people write to say they’ve tried making something which they’d previously thought would be too difficult. I’m so thrilled whenever someone else discovers how easy it is to make their own butter, or to bake a loaf of bread for their family.
So I’d like to encourage you all to have kitchen bravery! Don’t be discouraged when something doesn’t work; just bin it or compost it or feed it to the chooks. After a little while, you’ll figure out which recipes have a better chance of success, and which don’t. You’ll understand how to adjust temperature guides to suit your own oven, and you’ll instinctively know when your bread dough is proved enough to shape.
Some recipes take a long time to get right. Don’t be put off if your early attempts are complete disasters – just see it as a challenge! Our fudge recipe took eleven attempts to perfect; our ricotta cake took eight (although the neighbours were happy to eat those rejects). We still can’t make torrone to our liking, but we’re taking a break after our fifth attempt – I’m sure we’ll revisit it one day. Our first loaves of bread were pretty ordinary, but lots of practice has made them easy and delicious. Have a go, don’t give up, and I can almost guarantee you’ll surprise and delight yourself!
And truly, there is nothing in the world quite as satisfying as having friends and family say, “You made that? Wow…”
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
I wouldn’t describe myself as an accomplished cook by ANY stretch of the imagination (and I’m a lazy one to boot) but I agree completely that so much of cooking is far easier than so many people think.
Don’t let cooking intimidate you, just wade in and give it a go!
Lovely post!
celia, this is so true! inspiring others to enjoy cooking and try new things is one of my goals with my blog too! it also gives me a lot of satisfaction to know that readers try cooking new recipes that they thought they would never be able to make. i encourage you to keep sharing with us your culinary adventures and kitchen bravery!
Celia! You are so right. And this philosophy is good for everything in life. I know when I draw I have to be willing to work through five crappy drawings before I might get to a good one. When I design toys I start with a super rough version out of white paper and each version gets a little bit cleaner and tighter.
Now you got me all worked up to try making gnocchi again. (Last time it came out mashed potato balls.)
Rock and roll!
Maz
PS Jamie Oliver has a new cookbook out. 30 Minute Meals. Looks like a hoot.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/jamies-30-minutes-meals/
How right you are Celia. I’m a reasonable (and hopefully improving!) baker, but an absolutely rubbish, unadventurous cook. I should take a leaf out of your book and just try things, it might not be as bad as I fear!
I know what you mean about people being surprised that you’ve made things – I took some tiny little shortbread biscuits into work this week and a couple of people said ‘Oh, we thought you might have bought those’ – yep, that’s why they were in a little plastic bag rather than shop packaging (and to my mind slightly misshapen and not quite cooked evenly). But it was meant as a compliment, which was lovely!
Great, inspiring post…
I remember just too well some “incidents” – the moussaka incident (my first attempt was almost non-edible), the “beef tenderloin with cherry sauce incident” (I won’t even attempt to describe it)
so forth, so on…
but it’s always good to keep trying and challenging ourselves – no other way to improve
I’m brave, but lack tenacity, so if a recipe doesn’t work or I have difficulty with technique I tend to make something else altogether. Bread being the exception that proves the rule ! Got to keep trying to get that right :) I agree, it is just great when people have a go and are happy with the results. You’re doing a good job my friend!
Jo, tenacity is only warranted if the end result is deemed worth the effort! You are super brave in the kitchen, I’m always amazed at all the things you forage and then come home and cook (elderflower cordial, cobnuts, wild garlic..list goes on!) :)
Great post, Celia!
I don’t consider myself a good cook- I just like to eat food the way I make it- not overcooked or over seasoned- and using the freshest ingredients I can find/afford.
I love teaching bread making – because so many people are afraid of yeast! Once they get over the initial fear they make wonderful creations!
The bravest people I know just face life head on and cope-sometimes overcoming, sometimes just surviving.
I consider you to be very brave.
And loving, and comforting and talented.
Celia, That was a really great post. So true but I had never really thought of cooking in that way. I love to experiment and teach people to try to do the same. But the way you put it makes me think about in a new way. Kind of a metaphor for life. Thanks for your thoughtful posts I really do enjoy them.
Thank you all for your lovely comments!
I never thought about it before, but I do think it’s true what Beth, Maz and Heidi say, maybe there is an analogy there for life in general. And maybe being brave in cooking will lead to a sense of achievement that will inspire us to have courage in other areas of life as well! Now there’s a happy thought for my Saturday morning! :)
“I’m certainly no über-chef now”
Incorrect dear Celia, some of the best things I’ve ever eaten have emerged from your kitchen. I therefore dubb you “Das über-chef”! (I have no idea of the correct der, die, das but you get the idea)
Aaah, you’re kind, Chris, and I’ve missed feeding you these past few years! Do you still get a chance to make your own bread these days?
Remember Rice-a-Riso?! :)
I’m so looking forward to seeing you soon, you can’t imagine. XX
Hahaha…see, you of all people know how truly bad we were in the kitchen growing up! Remember that time you nearly poisoned Auntie Hui Lan with your “soup”? (My sister didn’t realise that ingredients actually needed to be heated to cook)
Bravo! Excellent post and how right you are! Though I have been cooking in the kitchen since I was about 8 or 9 years old, I find that it still takes bravery to try your hand at something new. Believe it or not, whenever I make a recipe for something I have never made before I always make it when we have company over…a double risk but it is always great conversation as we eat and discuss the outcome (luckily no disasters to report to date!) I loved the heart shape bread too!
Cindy, that’s super brave! And let’s face it, what’s the worst that could happen? Takeaway or take-out? :)
What an encouraging post & find myself saying “Here, Here!!!!”. Yesterday I went into the kitchens at work & all hell had broken out…, long story but the result was I was thrown an apron & found myself picking up a knife to help out. I can’t begin to tell you how chuffed I was that despite the fact its been over 2 years since I left full time cheffing, I could still cut it amongst the full time guys & when I think how long it took me to chop onions by feel & chat away (as an apprentice that was my measure of being awesome :) It was such a great feeling, so Yay to practice makes perfect & don’t give up – yesterday I squelched a little growing fear that I’d lost my speed or worse but I walked outa there with a little swanker thinking “Im Baaaack” :)
Celia, a lovely post. Truly. I know of few more talented than you. I find your posts inspiring and fun. Not much more anyone could ask for.
Anna, good for you! I’ll bet you enjoyed that little stint back in the kitchen! :)
Mark, thank you dear friend, I’m so chuffed by your comment, because you and Bruce always inspire me to try new things – I would never have dared to attempt a Paris Brest without your instructions, and friends are still asking for those fig rolls of yours! :)
celia, i loved yrr post! thank you for sharing yr thoughts with all of us! spontaneously thinking & marvellously image-driven by yr heart-shaped bread loaf, i personally think that apart fm skills & technique & experience & everything “all it needs is love! la la la la la!”, (paraphrasing our fav Beatles’ verse)! have a wonderful day!
Great post, Celia.
We can all do with a little nudge to make us step up a notch!
So right! I think I’m more of the school of Joanna though – if it’s a disaster I just move on to the next thing – no sticking power! However I think the fact that getting it wrong doesn’t put me off trying the next thing is probably the same as keeping on trying with the same dish. It’s being willing to have a go that makes you a good cook in the end (oh and loving food :). I caught a short snippet of an ad featuring ‘the best chef in the world’ (can’t just remember his name) and he said that you can only be a great cook/chef if you love eating more than cooking. That rang true for me – it’s the anticipation of eating (and sharing) the food that really motivates me, over and over.
Good for you Celia! My motto is ‘fake it till you make it’ It’s all about confidence. Ingredients can smell fear, they’re like small children that way. You get out there and show them who’s boss, what’s the worse that can happen? the chickens get a good feed, Lucky chickens!
Love how your post inspires and encourages all to go that extra mile to cook. From time to time honey still teases me on my kitchen disasters….latest one was five spice fried chicken..8(
I disagree that you’re not a über-chef, in fact I was just venturing into using the pizza dough recipe to make bread…and was thinking what better way than to refer to your website for an easy bread recipe to make at 9pm 8)
Your are absolutely right Celia – however, I often try experimenting with too many new recipes before getting one “just-right”. I often say to my husband, “Hope you don’t mind being my guinea-pig again tonight.” Thankfully he is honest enough about all the results, which helps me tweak it the next time if it was not a hit the first time around.
:-) Mandy
You are so right, dear Celia! I am not an accomplished cook either but we try & make errors from time to time , …that is how we learn to make new things from scrratch!
I began cooking bettter after a trail of errors ,…Keep up the good trying of these outstanding dishes,..I nearly try them all out!!
I love your tasty dishes!
Absolutely! Practice really hones skills and you can really get to know how things should taste and what flavours go well together and it really hones your instincts. And I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one that has made several attempts at fudge! :P
Yo Celia, you are a star and you write such nice things. What could be more encouraging to the nervous cook than this post.
Does this mean though that I really have to give tempering a try?
I’m sitting here with a big grin reading all these comments on a Sunday morning – thank you all!
Gina, you’re so right, there has to be a little love in cooking! :)
Amanda, Sophie, Mandy, thank you!
Sarah, I agree that it’s all driven by taste – if you’re just not that interested in eating, I don’t think you can really be inspired to cook!
Chef, great advice! Don’t let ingredients intimidate you! Hahaha…
Soy, you made me laugh – I use my bread dough as pizza dough!
Lorraine, honestly, the fudge nearly drove us bonkers, but when we got it right, it was soooo rewarding. Having said that, we also don’t make it much now – ate too much of it during the experimenting process..hahaha
Choc, I think so, but only if you think it’s worth it. Though given your love of chocolate, I think it would open up a whole new world of adventures for you! Remembering the chemistry behind tempering is helpful – the crystals in the chocolate need to be melted to a certain temp to break down, and then they need to be taught to reform in a particular way. It’s easiest to temper if you have an accurate digital thermometer – I’ve never been skilled at doing it by eye. And once you have it down pat, it’s like breadmaking.
Yesterday morning, I melted a bowl of dark chocolate in the microwave to 114F. I dropped in a large chunk of tempered chocolate and gave it a stir. Then I went away and did something else, coming back to stir occasionally until the choc temp had dropped to just below 90F. Scooped out the remains of the chunk, and my chocolate was tempered, ready for moulding. :)
Lovely post Celia…much nodding, and uh huhhing being done as I read.
Oh Queen of starfish and mistress of tempering, you know all about kitchen bravery.. :)
Hey! Don’t knock us rubbish cooks! We’re the ones that make you look so good by being so average. You should worship the kitchen floor we spill stuff on!
A retweet from Dan Lepard brought me to your blog and I’m so glad I came. I think anyone who cooks will identify with this piece. With the proliferation of cook books, TV shows and blogs there are so many accounts of how easy and simple things are. Food porn photography gets more hits, visits, sales than burnt offerings in the bin! I’ve had my fair share of disasters (setting the oven on fire during a dinner party and nearly fainting after sticking my finger into some warming cranberry sauce which I inadvertently caramelised – just as guests were arriving…both stand-out moments). The reward of getting it right is what keeps you going. If something is too easy to produce I feel a bit of a fraud when complimented! Kitchen bravery is a great motto.
Cosmo, I would never rubbish a rubbish cook. :)
Sally, thanks so much for stopping by! Both of your disasters have made my eyes open really wide!! Glad you’re ok.. :)
I’m a food chemist – I usually just say that cooking is chemistry with style!
I can really relate to this post. I too used to be pretty crap at cooking. When I first moved in with my boyfriend (now husband) in my early 20s he used to do all the cooking and I would clean. I even taught him how my mum cooked rice, because I couldn’t get it right (think congee). But then I changed jobs and was at home from work before him, I had to take up more of the cooking duties to have dinner at a reasonable time. Fast foward 2 years, Now, I’m the main cook and I love it. I guess I was one of those people who were swayed by Masterchef to think ‘if they can do it, so can I’. I love my days off during the week when I’m at home on my own because it gives me the day/afternoon to experiment with a new dish. And the more I experiment with something and it works, it encourages me to try more.
I was so chuffed with myself last week, I baked my first whole fish, something I always found daunting with either overcooking or undercooking it.
But one thing that still haunts me (my ‘incident’) is croissant dough. I can’t quite get the balance right between butter soft enough to roll and cold enough not to melt and seep out everywhere when laminating to make layers. Oh well, I will win one day!
I want to hear about the apricot lamb incident. I had a Mont Blanc incident which is rather surprising given that there are only three ingrédients.
Lee, you’re right, of course, particularly when it comes to confectionary making!
Toni, thanks for stopping by! Croissant dough is one thing I’ve never tried – I’m not sure I want to know how much butter actually goes into them! :)
Anna, for some reason I thought lamb medallions stewed in tinned apricot pieces and their syrup would taste good. ;-)
Saturday afternoon, raining, artichokes currently on special, I don’t think I need to say more, even the chickens didn’t like them!
Your bread however C has turned me into a “star” in the eyes of my boys, I think I’ve made your fast fried bread pretty well every day, my thighs however are not feeling very star like!
I’m off to Hong Kong on Wednesday for work but will somehow manage to find and spend some time in Shanghai Street, the cookware capital of HK, and all I can currently think of is what I’m going to eat eat eat! Last time I was in HK I took myself off to Yuk Lu Teahouse, it’s been operating since the 1930’s and the decore hasn’t changed, anyway I was alone and ordered yum cha lunch for myself, the charming waiter wouldn’t take my order as he said I’d ordered too much and I had to lose 2 dishes!!…haha
The waiter obviously didn’t realise you were on an eating mission! Your mini bags are making people happy everywhere, Wend!
On the issue of tenacity, there’s never been anyone who is as persistent on getting a recipe right as you! :)
Just wondering if you have ever tried making your own ricotta cheese? and was it worth the trouble?
Cheers
Claire
So true Celia. I used to be pretty crappy in my early 20s too. I could make pastry but could never make an edible cake! There are many family stories about cakes that needed a chainsaw…. Then I realised one day that the reason I was good at pastry is that I took very little care over it – just briefly mixed it together, whereas I put a lot of effort into making a cake without understanding the science of flour, gluten etc. Gosh I would beat and beat that mixture hoping to beat it into submission, not realising I was getting most of the way to bread and beyond in the process! Makes me laugh to think about it now. So yeah, we should all give it a go and keep giving it a go and one day, hopefully, we will get there. I am yet to conquer caramel and tempered chocolate….and probably tons of other things too.
Claire, I haven’t made it, but I know friends who have. I think David Lebovitz wrote something about it once?
SG, woman you are crazy brave in the kitchen! I don’t know anyone else who makes their own BACON!! :)