What type of cook are you?

Sadly nothing exciting has happened in my food world today.  I had mango, pomegranate and muesli for breakfast followed by my wicked (I live in E17 – I can say this with conviction) carrot, chilli and red lentil soup for lunch.

So, I’ve flipped back through my memory archives (the ones that are still functioning after years of just one glass) and realised that there are lots of different types of cooks. 

I fit firmly into the “well, I can use this instead” category which generally weight ingredients but isn’t afraid to ‘go off piste’ and substitute.  This generally works quite well – except for baking and Chinese food when I managed to make very odd porridge out of mooli rather than turnip cakes.

There is then the ‘I will only do what the recipe instructs’ cook who follows the instructions down to the letter – not only finding all the ingredients but occasionally buying brand new pans and timing things down to the second.   These types of cooks tend to be men (sorry for the gross generalisation) and I have watched with my ex’s reaction when he found an unlisted ingredient in the middle of a recipe.  Big boy tantrum - very very funny!

Occasionally, the find a “bomb-site” cook who not only uses every item in the entire kitchen to make a cheese sandwich but somehow manages to get ingredients that they should not be using up the kitchen wall.  I will never forget the look of disgust from my big-boned tabby cat who had tomato puree all down her back having visited in the kitchen when a former flatmate was cooking.

Now some advanced cooks are of the “a little pinch of this” variety but they tend to be mothers (worshiping at the shrine of the mom) or those who have cooked a similar recipe so many times, they could do it in their sleep.  Very little throws this type of cook and I jealously watch them as they sprinkle herbs into a dish and it ACTUALLY turns out okay.   Pretty sure if I did that, food poisoning would be my friend and the Food Standard people might pop round for a chat.

Finally, there is the “panic cook” who takes too much on so by the time you sit down for a meal, they are exhausted.  Not too exhausted however as  they keep asking you if the food is okay, is it too salty, are the noodles soft enough etc. until you want to scream or curl into a little ball and sob until they leave you alone.

We all are likely to channel some of these personalities when we cook but I figure if we find a cuisine which suits your personality then life is probably going to be a bit easier.

Lxx

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