# Chefs & Home Gourmets: Do you enjoy eating your own cooking ?



## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

This is an interesting question which Chef Iceman actually inspired. Funny thing, is that my twin grandsons love when I visit and Home Gourmet it for them ...

They love my Lasagna made with Aubergine ( eggplant ) instead of Lasagna sheets of pasta. As they are Vegetarians, I cannot do my Bolognese for them, which is just to die for ... The aromas ... And I enjoy doing the Canelloni Bolognese baked in clay earthenware ... However, my daughters swear by my Bolognese.

Moreover, I always worry if the Gals shall like my latest Repertoire ... My Grandmom Margherite used to be very preoccupied for her diners at her trattoria.

 I do and I don´t, of course depending if I am dining alone and just quickly created a lunch which I do not call cooking, and I cannot say I have enjoyed the rush of it all --- this is eating something quick and not my style ... However, with the gent or cooking for a party or the daughters or the twins and grandchildren when we linger for hours as Mediterraneans do, this is heavenly ...  

Please share your thoughts and feedback. ( Thanks. )


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

I absolutely do. Would, most of the time, rather eat my own than go out to a restaurant. Of course, I cook better than most of the professionals in this area (not just my opinion), so that might not mean much.


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## dhruan (Dec 29, 2011)

Why of course! That is, provided that the dish is not completely experimental, can be a bit of a hit'n'miss with those... 

But yeah, if I get to cook the dishes to my liking I enjoy eating them.

There are of course times when I am not cooking for myself/to my taste and sometimes - due to dislike/diet/allergies - this dictates omiting certain recipe-essential ingredients (like chile or garlic). The dishes usually turn out ok/great but they do not taste quite how I would want them to.


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## scubadoo97 (Nov 7, 2011)

KYHeirloomer said:


> I absolutely do. *Would, most of the time, rather eat my own than go out to a restaurant*. Of course, I cook better than most of the professionals in this area (not just my opinion), so that might not mean much.


Well since you included home cooks I agree that I enjoy my own food most of the time and would rather eat my own cooking than go to restaurants. Won't say I'm better than professionals but still like my own cooking


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

I wouldn't cook if i didn;t want to eat what i cooked!


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

YES, I CAN TRUST IT.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Generally I do.


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## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

If I wouldn't like to eat  what I cook, then I would stop cooking straight away!

I totally agree with Siduri!


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

WOW. *LOL.* I appreciate how _*MARGCATA*_ understood and took off on my point. I don't think others do though understand what I said so much. I think I've alluded to the idea that I'm a good enough chef _(at least in my own mind anyway)_. I prepare the majority of meals in my home. I eat a good majority of those meals. My thoughts in the other thread were along the lines of times when I'm working. Whereas I may cook a nice big staff meal, I don't care to eat it. I am not interested in eating the same that I have spent an entire shift making. Now to be completely honest, I haven't spent any shifts making steak and lobster, so that example just may be faulty. In the last bar-pub I ran it was most common for me to go two(2) doors down after shift for a big burrito. It was a great place, you know, the kind with an hour-long line at 2-am of drunks, slobs and high-school/college kids. The kinda place people make jokes about where the meat is loser race-horses or stray dogs. I love those places. I enjoy the food I make the best as left-overs, the next day when I haven't been cooking.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Actually, I would add, that i eat everything i cook at every stage of the cooking process. Butter creamed with sugar and eggs beaten in? of course i taste it, extensively. searing some meat to put in a stew or pizzaiola? I taste it abundantly (I like it better unsauced anyway). Making a stuffing for a turkey? a couple of large spoonfuls must of course first be tasted before stuffing it into the bird.

I have this wonderful book "Chocolate, the enduring passion" which has a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. It says "at this point it is customary to taste the batter.... bake the remaining *cookie* at 375 for ...." My philosophy entirely.


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Yes, I like to taste test at all stages, and especially a Chocolate Batter off the Spatula ! 

Your cookbook sounds cool, could you send me the author´s name and Publisher -- is it in Italian and / or English ?

Thanks in advance.

Happy New Year.


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_LOL._ When I'm cooking at home I don't _"taste"_ anything as I go along. I'm cooking in my kitchen. I know how things will turn out, I don't have to answer to anyone. I do however, _"eat"_ as I go along. That's just because I'm a slob, sorta, pretty much for the most part. Therein I guess is part of the problem I have cooking for myself.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Yes, ice man, taste, eat, whatever you want to call it, i do it. 

Margcata, it's not really a cookbook, but a funny book with cartoon illustrations about chocolate, and has only a couple of recipes.  I believe it';s by sandra boynton, who illustrates many children's books your grandchildren may have.  The book is american.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

yes, and unashamedly so, if that's a word. do i always hit the nail on the head? pretty much yes, but when i don't it's more because i didn't hit my craving spot...like i should not be making thai when i really want italian. a lot of what i eat isn't cooking really...more like pairing. slicing a perfect summer tomato to drizzle with olive oil and s&p, sometimes with fresh basil, capers and garlic, sometimes not. cutting up a perfectly ripe piece of fruit to pair with a perfectly ripe cheese....that sort of thing. another question perhaps to ask is what do you make when you're feeling lazy(and reservations is not an answer!) when you are just plain too lazy, or too tired, uninspired or {gasp} uninterested.....

joey


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

When i'm lazy i put a piece of meat on a hot pan and cook it up, and boil a couple of zucchine (they don;t require much washing, like leafy greens do)  or a salad of sliced tomatoes and avocado with oil, or if i have the ingredients I make a dish of straccetti over rughetta (thinly sliced beef, cooked quickly while stirring in olive oil, garlic and sage, dump them over the rughetta seasoned with oil and lemon, salt and pepper, and then deglaze with a bit of dry vermouth and pour that over.  One dish, about 3 minutes to make from scratch.


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

@ Siduri,

We have similar styles of fast lunch meals.

The Vermouth recipe sounds quite interesting.

Would you be kind enough to u post it for me, when you have some time ?

I had meant to ask you, what is your viewpoint on Barilla Pasta Products ? It has been exported here in Spain for a couple of years. Bought their Canelloni today. The Italian choice is Barilla or Casa Della. Buitoni of course as well --- well ... It is the most well known, however, Barilla is good, not great -- however, do not always have time during week to make my own.     

Thanks and Happy New Year.

Margcata.


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## dhruan (Dec 29, 2011)

MARGCATA said:


> ... Italian choice is Barilla or Casa Della. Buitoni of course as well...


Barilla is ok but if you happen to be lucky enough to encounter Pasta Lensi try them, best dry pasta I have ever had. Somewhat hard to find but oh so good, esp. their linguini and rigatoni.


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## margcata (Sep 18, 2011)

Thanks, I shall enquire at one of the Italian Trattorias I frequent. I agreed with you, Barilla is ok for dry pasta. Light. However, I would like an improvement product.

Margcata.


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## gonefishin (Nov 6, 2004)

MARGCATA said:


> [h1]Chefs & Home Gourmets: Do you enjoy eating your own cooking ?[/h1]


 I once thought I knew the answer to this question, but then I found out what I really thought!

I always thought I enjoyed cooking for others more than anything else. I often thought that I didn't even need to eat to enjoy a good meal being served. While I didn't need to sit down and eat dinner to know if I cooked well or not. Through tasting, and process, I know how it turned out without sitting down with everyone. Many times I wouldn't even be hungry when I was done cooking. Because of this I thought I enjoyed cooking for others, it's just how I was.

Then, about, two years ago I had a reaction to eating some pine nuts. i got pine mouth! For anyone not familiar with pine mouth it happens after ingesting _some_ (not all types) pine nuts. It alters the taste of *ALL* foods to a flavor so bitter everything eaten or drank is so bitter any food or drink is barely tolerable and you end up eating only a few things each day because you know you need the nutrient. The effects, after eating the pine nuts, can be delayed up to four to six hours after eating the pine nuts. Even the taste of water is distorted, but it is the only drink that is tolerable. The taste sensation last for over a week.

What does any of this have to do with your question? During this period I had a family party planned at our house. I don't remember what I was cooking, but I remember I was very familiar with the dishes. So here I go cooking for my friends and family something that I knew well and something that turned out fairly good (so say the people I trust). I had always thought I enjoyed cooking for people, like I told you before. But this day, I had no joy in serving my happily fed guests.

It then hit me that I enjoy sharing the flavors of food with other people. It can be friends, family, strangers...doesn't matter. But flavors need to be present.

Dan


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Yes.

BDL


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

*LOL BDL. *

Your last comment is all the more funny after reading your _"Caesar Salad"_ recipe, which takes about seven(7) pages to load on my browser.

_Thank You_ for that.


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