Commentary on web design and other topics by Guy Leech, web fanatic.
In this exploratory adventure, I guide you through my mayhem-inducing style of cooking.
I first chose to start cooking about a year ago—I’ve always liked eating food, so I thought I may as well have a turn at making something that’d I’d love eating. I’ve had experience laying out dishes: garnishing, colour co-ordination, etc, but I’d never really put a knife to the meat, so to speak.
I decide what I’m cooking as I cook it. It’s a basic principle of my cooking; it began when I decided that I didn’t want to be waiting around for two hours while something baked. It has evolved into my whole cooking style: I throw in whatever comes to hand, I experiment with unusual flavour combinations, and cause much sizzling.
I usually start cooking by picking a meat, and a couple of vegetables that will go with it. From there it pretty much just goes as I fancy—there’s no time to second-guess myself. I might grate the vegetables, and fry the meat. I might simmer the meat in a sauce with the vegetables, and serve it on rice. There really is no pattern, save that it’s quick, and usually involves oil.
By this stage you may have guess another reason I love to cook: it’s theatre. I love violently stirring sauces, tossing ingredients, pouring in sauce from on high, and so on. If you’re not having fun while doing something, start having fun.
I think many people view cooking as a chore, something to just keep you from starving. I don’t know whether this attitude can be easily changed, but for me, cooking is part of my self-expression: a chaotic, intense, quick reaction affair that gives me something delicious to eat at the end.
If you’ve never cooked, you don’t know what you’re missing out on. If you have no idea what you’re doing, ask a friend / spouse to give you a couple of hints, and just get into it. You’ll lose nothing by trying, and you might really enjoy it.
Don’t be afraid to throw ingredients in. This is how I get most of my learning, from just finding out or guessing what would go well with other things.
For those who have been cooking for a while, and don’t find it the highlight of your day, I’ve got two suggestions:
If you really don’t like cooking, that’s a prime opportunity to give someone else a go. Your partner might turn out to be a natural hand at curries, your daughter might fall in love with salads, or your room-mate might decide to delve into her Asian heritage.
Or, you might just need a bit of spice in your cooking (har har). If you always use pasta, try only using salads as a base. If stews are your thing, take a look at stir fry. If you follow recipes religiously, try some of my chaotic style. If you’re a fan of the chaos, take a look at some recipes, or make a slow-cooked roast (I’m taking a look at these myself).
Just a quick note to those who might be thinking I’m naturally talented, or that just “throwing in” ingredients might not be a good way to cook: yes, I do make some disgusting dishes.
When you’re experimenting, especially as I do, you’ve gotta make some mistakes. They’re fewer and fewer these days, luckily—just remember not to boil steak in a cream sauce.
So, tell me what you think of this style, or have a chat about your favourite type of cuisine.
Laurie
14 / 03 / 2008
Guy, you are my kitchen soul mate! I call this style of kitchen behavior Caractacus cooking (named after the inventor in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Caractacus Potts).
Guy Leech
18 / 03 / 2008
Laurie, nice to hear from you. You’ve got a great term for it there, though I can’t (unfortunately) make fudge.