Hey guys, I announced a while back that I wanted to write a lil cooking tutorial and here. We. Finally. Are! The stars have finally aligned, inspiration has struck, yadda yadda.
[on a side note executive dysfunction and a quarantine situations is not a good combination if you want to get things done. Who would have guessed? :O ]
Warning: eye cancer ahead. I’ve discovered glitter fonts and the 8yo in me is THRIVING
Introducing...
Disclaimer: i’m no professional cook, no nutritionist, i’m just a random internet person that enjoys cooking a lot. I’ve been a vegetarian for all my adult life so I’ve no clue how to cook with meat, won’t be able to explain how that works. Also i’ve done zero research or else this wouldn’t have seen the light of day til 2030, but who cares, I don’t have to quote sources for everything non-fiction that I write. Right? Right. I’ll simply trust my guts and we’ll see how it goes.
There’s tons of tutorials on the internet, on how to cook on low budgets, chop vegetables properly, etc, done by people way more competent than me, but I wanted to dedicate myself to the things that no one told me when I started cooking on my own. I thought I had a good grasp on how to cook because I often helped my mom in the kitchen and had a very nice recipe book; but even when I followed the recipes step my step, my meals often tasted plain, flat, boring, and I didn’t know why and how to remedy to that.
I do now, and I’ll explain it to you too. Let’s go!
This is gonna be a two-part tutorial (probably. I hope.):
- seasoning 101: how taste works & the art of spices!
- cooking physics 101: cooking temps, timing, lids, texture & other related issues
With a bunch of basic recipes tossed in to explain how that works.
But first ... here are
Five reasons why you should cook (more)!
Cooking is a creative, hands-on hobby with quick, gratifying results that’s stimulating to the senses. Great for people struggling with depression and anxiety! I can’t count the times that cooking a tasty meal tore me out of depression flunks or soothed me when I was feeling anguished. Eating a delicious meal I made is often the highlight of my day. And when you cook a lot it becomes an easy routine you can let yourself fall into and then whisk up a meal on autopilot while the nice scents comfort you.
Learn to appreciate and enjoy food more! Food is Good, that’s a fact! You're more mindful of what and how you eat when you cook it yourself. Great for people recovering from eating disorders.
You can learn to cook food to YOUR taste - or find out what you really enjoy eating in the first place. Train your taste buds, become a gourmet, and discover what dishes are your Thing. I know that I’ve reached the point where the meals I cook myself are often the ones I like best – catering exactly to my taste.
Cooking is often cheaper and healthier than ready-made meals or processed food. There's a first investment in spices and material but it pays off quite quickly, esp if you know how to season so you don’t need to buy high-quality ingredients to cook tasty meals (there’s ton on tutorials on economical cooking out there, so I won’t expand on the topic). And cooking gives you more control of what ingredients are used in your meals, making it easier to acclimate dietary requirements or wishes.
Cooking gives you something to share with others! Cooking for/with others is a super fun activity and tightens bonds in a way few other things do, methinks. Perfect activity for when it’s raining or we’re all broke or it’s a weekday. It also allows me to gift things to friends when I don’t have money – cakes or quiches really do come in handy at birthdays. Also, bragging rights for when you make a big pot of food that everyone thoroughly enjoys.
Convinced? Excellent. Let’s make cooking your new hobby.
