Learning to Cook

by Leonie Edge

 

Now, as to learning how to cook, I know that I picked up some from Mum, but I always maintain that Mum thought cooking knowledge was genetic, and that at some magic point in my life, all of her knowledge would amazingly transport itself into my brain and I would know what to do.  Hence the problem with burning the toffee when I was 17 because I couldn't find a recipe book about it, and Mum just assumed that I would know to put water with the sugar.  I didn't, and we ended up with a pretty black pan, full of burnt sugar.

 

I have picked up a lot watching cooking shows, experimenting, reading menues, asking and, occasionally, watching others to see how they do it.  I call it 'Trial and Terror'.  Mind you, the Family loves those times when they ask, "What are we having for dinner?" and I've already started cooking stuff and I tell them I don't know.  It usually turns out to be superb.  The only trouble with that is that it is almost impossible to recall a successful recipe.

 

I have some stock (pardon the pun) standards of Vietnamese, Greek, Italian, stir fries and comfort food, usually involving dairy by-products.