24 Dec 2016

THE DECLINE OF MY COOKING

The extended coffee breaks during my painting class gives us the opportunity to change the world and discuss all kind of female problems. Not so long ago it came to cooking !

We are all more or less in the same age range and have cooked for our families for at least 20 to 40 years. Some of us still love cooking others are really fed up ! That's my case too, and the worst is, I forgot cooking ! Even to cook a boiled egg seams difficult to me.

When I lived with my parents I was not allowed to put my foot in the kitchen. My Mother worried far too much that I would break something or spoil her immaculate kitchen. When she cooked it was a drama ! Red faced she juggled around with pots, pans and plates and finally brought a Spaghetti on the table, and was completely exhausted. Therefore it wasn't my mother who taught me cooking. Actually nobody did.

At 23 I moved out and took an own flat. In the 60th that was very unusual a girl had to stay with the parents until the charming prince took her away. I wasn't interested in charming princes and preferred my own 4 walls. At that time I needed the signature of my father to rent a flat !! He signed without any protest, probably happy to get rid of the pain in his neck.

Once alone I started to cook ! It became my hobby. When I married it continued and I loved to go in a restaurant, order a plate I didn't know and try to copy it at home. And it worked ! That made me very proud. I don't know exactly when I started to dislike cooking. Unfortunately it must have been during the time when our son started to appreciate good cooking. So now he thinks that I have always been a lousy, lazy cook ! Fortunately Mr. G. is a witness !

In fact when I started painting in 1989 I put all my creativity into painting and nothing was left for cooking, but you need creativity to be a good cook. And I wasn't the only one when we talked about cooking in our painting class, most of the women felt the same, a few said their cooking improved since they paint and the rest had noticed no difference.

So now I compose frozen food. We have a specialized shop here which has its own farmers, working for them the vegetables and meat comes from the farm and is shock frozen.  It is so good that lots of women pretend that they had cooked the plate themselves. And the guests appreciate and say : "you never have cooked something so delicious " !

Retired people or people living alone are faithful customers in this shop and now before Christmas and New Year they had to hire students to help for the sale and the shop is always packed !






Link here

9 comments:

  1. One very sad story I once read was about an elderly woman who broke down in the middle of cooking Christmas dinner with her family around her. She said as she was working hard on serving up Christmas dinner, I just can't do this anymore, burst into tears and went to her bedroom. I would assume a lifetime of cooking for her family. My mother used to cook for many people and now will barely cook for herself. I am lucky that my partner still seems to enjoy cooking, but when he no longer wants to, I will understand.

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  2. Hi Gattina - a lot of people here rely on frozen meals .. it's a good alternative .. I had some when my hip was replaced ... but I'm not ready yet to move into that era ... take care - though I am being cooked for - I'd rather cook myself ... have a lovely time .. cheers Hilary

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  3. I do like to cook, but for one it often seems a bit too much effort. So, a bit too often I resort to pizzas or ready meals. This Christmas however, I will cook for myself. I am already looking forward to it!

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  4. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels like this. I used to be a competent cook but I've lost all confidence. I blame it on living alone.

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  5. I've never been passionate about cooking. Luckily, I married a man who loves cooking, so I don't need to.
    Though, it has become my hobby to cook snack for my kitties :-)

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  6. Since I work pretty much full time. My kitchen skill been some what slipping.
    Happy Holidays.

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  7. I cannot cook. That is why my husband took over the kitchen, he was afraid he would starve otherwise. I can survive on salads and bread!

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  8. I too feel like I arrange food nowadays instead of cook it. I know people who go out to restaurants for every meal, but we don't like to do that, it becomes not special if you go out all the time. But I don't do much heavy cooking at all and nor any baking. But like you I used to -- and I'm glad I did. But life moves on. (That shop where you get your frozen meals sounds wonderful.)

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  9. I cook more now than I used to. When I worked full time hubby did most of the cooking - he enjoys it. Now I'm home and he's still working I feel it's only fair I do more of the cooking. Plus now that I have my DIL living with us I feel I need to be more adventurous and have more variety in my meals.

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