Why?
I am by no means a great cook, but making something myself, for a quarter of the price that tastes four times better is one of the most rewarding things imaginable. I started very simple. Making myself breakfast. I would make simple cheese omelets or something similar and then tried to perfect them. I won't lie, I watched youtube videos of greats like Jacques Pepin make them and then I tried to do the same. Now, if comfortable with the heat, I can make the fluffiest omelets, without a hint of brown, that just melt in your mouth.
As time went on, I started to realize what flavors went well and sometimes, even now, I strike out terribly. That's when you grab your favorite condiments and go to town. What it also does, is make you appreciate good food, even that which you have relatively often. Now when I have a burger, I don't drown it in ketchup, because I want to experience the melding of the perfectly seared beef and the melted cheese (bleu almost always). It creates its own sauce and is delightful.
Today, after having two bagels for breakfast, the thought of a sandwich was too much. My father had some leftover rice. I grabbed about a half tablespoon of butter and melted it in a hot pan, threw in two slices of deli ham which I had chopped, I seasoned the ham with some hot sesame oil and tossed it until it started to crisp. I threw in the rice and some soy sauce and worked it around so it wouldn't stick to the pan. I then cracked an egg and immediately swirled a fork around until the egg was not visible as egg anymore and had cooked through. I immediately put it on a plate and dug in. A spicy pork fried rice in literally 3 minutes, with no more than five ingredients and at a cost of no more than $1.
It sounds silly, but things like this make my day. Obviously, making more involved things, sharing them with others and receiving their praise is wonderful, but when you live alone, there is something truly therapeutic to it. That and saving about $100 a week isn't bad either. Why wouldn't you learn if you have time?
I am by no means a great cook, but making something myself, for a quarter of the price that tastes four times better is one of the most rewarding things imaginable. I started very simple. Making myself breakfast. I would make simple cheese omelets or something similar and then tried to perfect them. I won't lie, I watched youtube videos of greats like Jacques Pepin make them and then I tried to do the same. Now, if comfortable with the heat, I can make the fluffiest omelets, without a hint of brown, that just melt in your mouth.
As time went on, I started to realize what flavors went well and sometimes, even now, I strike out terribly. That's when you grab your favorite condiments and go to town. What it also does, is make you appreciate good food, even that which you have relatively often. Now when I have a burger, I don't drown it in ketchup, because I want to experience the melding of the perfectly seared beef and the melted cheese (bleu almost always). It creates its own sauce and is delightful.
Today, after having two bagels for breakfast, the thought of a sandwich was too much. My father had some leftover rice. I grabbed about a half tablespoon of butter and melted it in a hot pan, threw in two slices of deli ham which I had chopped, I seasoned the ham with some hot sesame oil and tossed it until it started to crisp. I threw in the rice and some soy sauce and worked it around so it wouldn't stick to the pan. I then cracked an egg and immediately swirled a fork around until the egg was not visible as egg anymore and had cooked through. I immediately put it on a plate and dug in. A spicy pork fried rice in literally 3 minutes, with no more than five ingredients and at a cost of no more than $1.
It sounds silly, but things like this make my day. Obviously, making more involved things, sharing them with others and receiving their praise is wonderful, but when you live alone, there is something truly therapeutic to it. That and saving about $100 a week isn't bad either. Why wouldn't you learn if you have time?
I agree Hopper... I LOVE to cook and have gotten pretty good at it over the years. I truly enjoy making things from scratch without the benefit of a recipe. Trying out new taste combinations is fun. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not, but it is the trying that makes it enjoyable.
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