Monday 25 February 2013

The Year of Yes - What I learnt in the kitchen


You will remember, or not, that I toddled off to a cooking masterclass with Adam D'Sylva of Coda fame (original panicked post here). Here's what I learnt in the fancy Kidspot/Finish Quantum kitchen:


1. I am not interested in cooking.
2. I do, however, like eating. A LOT.
3. I like Asian food way more than Italian food. He opened with an Italian dish and I was bitterly disappointed, but my heart soared when he went on to cook pepper prawns, which were truly sensational!


4. Real carbonara has no cream in it. What we make here is wrong.


5. Best to put 2 parts black peppercorns and 1 part white peppercorns in grinder (didn't pay enough attention to find out why - just is).
6. Chewing a chilli makes it hotter.
7. Rice has to be aged before you use it. (again, I've no idea why.)
8. This one I have actually put into practice, and it works! If you wash an onion before cutting it, it won't make you cry. Go figure! Something useful.
9. All the top chefs use Healthy Boy Brand of Soy Sauce (allegedly), a Thai soy sauce. I'm a Kikkoman girl myself. I have no idea why. Just always have been.

10. I don't really care for dessert (ate 2 serves of the prawns instead!)- but I am a fan of the Finish Quantum sample they gave us in the take home goodie bag...and sadly, that's symbolic of how I feel about the mess I make in the kitchen. I have little desire to improve my skills (with fancy silver leaf for show), but if I can limit the work involved in the clean up, then I'm happy.


This post should now be captcha free, but if I've not successfully ditched it, let me know and I'll attempt again. (Many thanks to the Musings of the Misguided)

I'm pleased to see I'm halfway through the list as it is, though a few other ideas bubbling on the horizon - for some reason I feel as if I've stalled a bit. Need to get my mojo back...

And a reminder to all, if you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen - AMEN!



Torshlusspanik List:
1. Shooting (check)
2. Fencing (check)
3. Play croquet at Croquet Club
4. Laser skeet
5. Off road buggy driving
6. Play Assassins Creed
7. Jetpacking (check)
8. The Color Run (check)
9. Invent something
10. Cooking Masterclass (check)

Linking up this archive post with the Lounge, as it pretty much sums up all I have to say about cooking & food, other than, I'll have some more, please.

33 comments:

  1. I'm not much of a fan of cooking - if I had my way we would only have toast for breakfast and dinner !!!
    Have to say though I NEVER pass dessert (unless it is baked custard or something equally slimey and yuck - or rice pudding - OK so NEVER doesn't really work because there are desserts I would skip in a heartbeat but I am sure you know what I am trying to say here !!!!)
    Thanks for the tip on cutting onions - am going to try that next time I have to cut one up - will let you know if I am successful or not !!!!
    Have the best week !
    Me

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    1. I'm with you on soft dessert - creme caramel? What is that???

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  2. YAY - captcha is gone !!!!!!

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  3. Thank you - sorry meant to add that to the comment above !!! (But hit enter by mistake !!!)

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  4. I agree on points 1 & 2. Although have to differ on point 3.
    You cracked me up through out the rest as you paid as much attention as I do. I thought I was the only one who bothered to go to these things and not listen intently. Very funny :)
    Becc @ Take Charge Now

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    1. My partner's Italian so he's also with you on number 3...but I'm right ;)

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  5. Oh now I badly want salt & pepper prawns, yum. Sounds like an awesome experience.

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    1. I was lamenting making tonight's sausages that someone wasn't whipping up those prawns...:(

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  6. ohhh carbonara... come to mama!!! i'm not a fan of cooking... but all the other chefs in this house have gone on strike. ho hum.

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    1. Strike? That's an option?
      Nice work with the Mama...

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  7. Sound like a great day, though I am with you on the I'd rather eat than cook. Mind you it is the cleaning up part of cooking I like least of all. If someone went around cleaning up after me then perhaps cooking would me more appealing. So would having a fab kitchen I guess!

    Fairy wishes and butterfly kisses #teamIBOT

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    1. Cleaning us the worst - second only to ironing. That's actually the worst.

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  8. I'm completely jealous of this one Lydia! Aged rice - who knew?

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    1. I don't know if we buy it aged of have to age it ourselves (he was finishing that bit when I tuned in again)

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  9. Sounds great Lydia! :)

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  10. I do like me some carbonara! You've inspired me to make some this week! :) x

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  11. I don't mind cooking, but I'm not a huge fan of eating! Just way too fussy for my own good.
    I am with you however, on the the less mess the better!

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    1. Not eating? Not eating? What is this not eating that you mention? Could it explain our different physiques?

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  12. This looks like so much fun and I agree - love to eat, not so much to cook! xx

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    1. He gave us the recipes but I turfed them - who am I to flirt with delusions?

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  13. Number 8 - the onion tip - really does work, I've been doing it for years. It has to be cold water though.

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  14. One woman did suggest keeping onions in the fridge and he agreed that worked too...so the coldness must be part of it.

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  15. I love eating Asian food, but not making it, because I kind of suck at it (unless you count a basic, kid friendly Fried Rice as 'Asian'). I love eating AND cooking Italian, because I can somehow master that. I will never forget being introduced to real, cream-free carbonara via Nigella Lawson - it is amazing and one of my very favourite meals to cook for myself when I'm in the mood for something indulgent and a bit naughty.

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    1. I suck at all food, maybe that's why I like to eat out so much...

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  16. My husband is the cook in our family. He carefully plans his meals, often slow cooking in the oven for hours and hours. I love it!

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    1. My husband loves slow cooked stuff too...he is Italian descent, and thus also likes to cook...

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  17. I love eating but not cooking too. Sigh. I LOVE dessert and Italian food. When I went to Weight Watchers they try to sell the theory that as long you incorporate it all into your allocated 'points', you don't have to give up your weakness, be it bread, wine or dessert. But I want all of the above. I want the meal, the bread, the wine AND dessert. I am so screwed. Sigh. Will definitely be trying that onion tip! x

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  18. You have to AGE rice?? How the hell do you age rice? Do you stress it out by telling it how much more you like pasta or something ... I love a properly made Carbonara.

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  19. I could have easily scoffed a plate of those prawns. Much more appetising than carbonara with no cream!

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  20. Finish Quantum almost made me cry! My dishwasher carked it this month :o( Well made Italian or Asian - I'm not fussy.

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  21. No cream in carbonara? Pfft to that! Those prawns look delicious though!

    Thanks for linking up with us at The Lounge!

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