to be annoyed by grown adults who say they can't cook?

[Mintyy]

I don't think I am.

It just makes me think that the person saying as much is a little bit useless.

I think that carbonara's quite hard, myself - getting the sauce to the right consistency.

To make carbonara, you cook some bacon, and cut the bacon up into little bits. Then you take two whole eggs, and two extra egg yolks, and put them into a bowl, and mix in 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese. Then put in the bacon. Then stir in 4 tablespoons of cream. This is going to be your sauce.

Now you cook some spaghetti, and when it's cooked, you drain all the water out, and put the spaghetti back in the pan. Don't put the pan back on the hob - you don't need to. The pan's still hot, and the spaghetti's hot. Straight away, put the sauce onto the spaghetti and start stirring it till all the spaghetti is coated in sauce. The sauce cooks because the pasta and the pan is hot. It should take about 2-3 mins before the sauce is cooked. If you think it's not cooking, then give it about a minute on a low heat on the hob.

Parmesan is a sort of Italian hard cheese, and you can find it in the cheese section of supermarkets, either ready-grated or in solid blocks. It's quite expensive, so ironically you may find it cheaper to buy ready made carbonara.

I can cook but I absolutely hate hate hate doing so. I always feel like an absolute drudge doing it and take absolutely no pride in being able to do it. My DP leant long ago that he must never compliment me on anything I prepare as it makes me angry.

It is the only truly bad thing about becoming a parent in that I now have to do more cooking (as does my DP). I watch in horror programmes like I Can Cook.

Parmesan is a kind of very hard cheese that's good with pasta. You find it in the cheese section of your supermarket - often called Parmesan Reggiano or sometimes just Reggiano. You'll need a cheese grater btw, don't try cutting it with a knife, the slices will be too thick to cook with. Carbonara is the name for the sauce - it's a confusing word because it's Italian because the dish is Italian.

There is no way I can say this without getting someone's back up but I'm going to say it anyway: if I come across a phrase or word I haven't heard before I google it. Tis one of the great pleasures of living in the age of the internet.

Within a couple of seconds I found this on on parmesan

Mrsjay, I am delighted to hear it, and well done to her!

I dont really mind just feel a little sorry for children who eat breaded type food all the time because parents cant cook

I saw a lady putting in frozen microwave jacket potoes into her trolly i did think :( the kids were asking for jackets but come on

I will openly hold my hands up and say that i am not the best cook in the world. I can get by on simple meals but my idea of hell would be standing in the kitchen slaving over a full 3 course meal. It doesnt bother me, nor does it bother me that other people are the complete opposite and love experimenting and spending time in their kitchen so why should it bother the OP that its not my idea of fun.

I also think my school played a part in this tbh - by the time i got to secondary school my Home Ec lessons had become food technology and in them i was no longer taught to cook like my bro was a few years earlier - i was taught to separate out bloody muesli! useful, i know!!

I don't think people can't cook. I think they just aren't interested in cooking or they are too lazy. If you really want to cook all you need is a really good, basic recipe book that explains everything properly.

I cook because I like to eat well and I can't afford to eat out all the time. Also I like to eat a wide variety of cuisines and we live in a bit of a foodie desert here. So if I want to eat Indonesian or Vietnamese food I have to cook it myself.

Kafri - WHERE in my op did I say anything about spending hours on three course meals?

I don't think people can't cook. I think they just aren't interested in cooking or they are too lazy.

Agree, Bun - would add that perhaps they lack confidence, too.

Would also say, though, WRT people claiming to be 'unable' to cook, that perhaps they're just protecting themselves? Never say you're good at something you don't enjoy doing, and all.

I think that might be more of it some people just feel unconfident my. Oh eats up everything i make evan if its not nice hes very good aout it but not every ones family is like that and some people feel likey they rather not face a back lash

I had precisely one cooking/home ec lesson in my school career: in Reception we made jam sandwiches and I was put on the Naughty Table for licking the knife.

I cook reasonably well now - in fact I placed second in a small competition on Friday - but I don't have a great range.

Carbonara sauce from a jar is nothing like "from scratch" carbonara. It is basically white sauce with bacon and cheese and pepper. The texture is much thicker. It is a totally different experience.

I'm very tolerant of people cooking using more than one step - although opening a packet doesn't count as a step! Chopping an onion, frying it with some mince, adding a jar and heating it through definitely counts as Cooking From Scratch for a learner, even if it wouldn't to more practised cooks.

beans on toast, simple sandwiches is all dh can manage. Yet he can do loads more things which I can. I don't think it's something to get enraged about.

We have stomachs. We get hungry. We eat. Cooking should be in our nature, and if someone claims they can't cook, well then they're not human IMO. I hate people who say they don't do cooking...how hard is it to follow a recipe? Just shows the world is getting lazier and lazier.

Mintyy - I sooooo agree with you.
This makes me so mad. It's such a basic skill.

What makes me just as annoyed is people who claim they don't have time to cook because they work full time. I have always worked long hours and have always managed to cook fresh food, even if it's something really simple when I get home.

"What makes me just as annoyed is people who claim they don't have time to cook because they work full time. I have always worked long hours and have always managed to cook fresh food, even if it's something really simple when I get home."

I think that comes from being a confident, intuitive cook. If you have a very limited repertoire, you get home at say 5.30 and have to get children out to activities by 6 and all you know how to cook is mince and dumplings or sausages and mash it is far easier to bung something in the microwave.

If we are in a hurry we tend to have a filled pasta - tortellini or ravioli with pesto and salad - none of which I make from scratch (apart from the salad).

Bunbaker - I don't think pasta plus salad is that bad.

But you could also make a big batch of something on the weekend or late in the evening and freeze?

It amazes me that people can't cook. But having had some horrors of meals at pals' houses, I know it's true. Cooking is the easiest thing to do and get right and also wheat T F do you eat yourself if you are a self professed rotten cook.

Disclaimer - didn't read most of the Fred.

Wheat the fuck? That's what the fuck!

Tiger, I thought you were talking about some kind of cooking for coeliacs!

I hate people who say they don't do cooking...how hard is it to follow a recipe?

So how do you feel about those of us who don't do cooking because we don't enjoy it - but live with someone who does?
Are we lazy? Should we be whipping up wholesome and original meals for all to save our souls?

I can cook. I can cook quite well, if I cook occasionally, but don't describe myself as any sort of a 'cook' because it's really not something i enjoy on a regular basis, not something I want to do every day, not seomthing I've developed much expertise in.

TBH I get more annoyed with people who describe themselves as good cooks when their cooking ain't all that.

And I get annoyed by this 'eating is necessary, therefore cooking should be a joy and a chance for creativity' thing. Wearing clothes is also necessary, I love to look at beautiful things, I don't see it as everyone's duty to dress well. (Although I do have to set eyes on people. I don't, on the other hand, have to eat the food they prepare...)

The worst thing about cooking properly is the dishes after urgh whether it's hand washing up or dishwasher I hate doing it. makes me want to live on beige oven food

I don't particularly enjoy cooking either LastMango, you will find mumsnet littered with my posts whingeing about it. I am also not enraged Groovee, just a bit annoyed. Two completely different things.

I get annoyed at people who say they can't cook as if it's something to be proud of.

But YABU if you're getting annoyed at other people who can't cook, and calling them useless. It can take a fair amount of time, patience and money to get the hang of it if you've never done it.

I didn't start learning how to cook until I moved out of home to go to university. My parents aren't keen on cooking, so mostly gave us ready meals. I didn't even know how to toast a slice of bread without a toaster at first. I spent 6 months living on supernoodles before I couldn't stomach another packet of supernoodles and bought a very cheap cookbook.

And now, after much practice, I can cook quite a wide range of things that I like to eat. Not a boiled egg, though. I've never tried cooking those, as I hate them. It really annoys me when people go on about boiling an egg, as if being unable to do that means you can't cook anything at all.