Now We're Cooking...or not

 Photo courtesy K.I.T.

I have never really excelled at any one thing in life. I have always been good at many things, but never really good at any one thing.  How does the saying go? Jack of all trades, master of none.  That's me! 

There are several things that I would like to learn to do, but there is one thing on my mind at this moment.  Cooking!

It isn't that I can't cook. I can throw together a few things.  Nothing spectacular and probably nothing that I would ever feed people, but I get by.

Potlucks and events where I have to bring a passing dish are a nightmare.  I hate it. I never know what to bring. Growing up, I've always been the youngest and never had to really do any cooking or even bring a passing dish as an adult because I was the baby and I accepted my role graciously.  Now that I'm older and have come into a great group of friends, I'm a it embarrassed of my lack of cooking knowledge and experience.

Cooking just isn't something I understand. I usually tell people that I hate it, but the truth of the matter is that I just don't get it.  I'm actually obsessed with cooking shows, cookbooks, cooking blogs and cooking magazines. You should see the stacks of cookbooks and magazines I have. However, combine my lack of cooking knowledge with my lackadaisical ways and it makes for one pathetic cook.

I've always wanted to take some cooking classes. I want to understand cuts of meat. I want to understand flavors and how to combine them and make them work together. I want to understand textures. I want to know how to use a knife and how to actually chop something. Sure I can read about it, but remember I mentioned my lackadaisical ways? I'm lazy like that. I don't want to read about it. I've watched a few youtube videos on how to chop and mince, but it takes practice and without someone there with me to keep me practicing and to tell me what adjustments I need to make, it's not going to happen (ahem, lackadaisical. did I mention that?)

I grew up in the country and we pride ourselves on being meat and potatoes people.  In recent years, I've discovered that there is so much more and I want to experience those things, but I just don't understand them. Can someone please tell me what leeks are, what they taste like, how do you cook them, how do you clean them, and what do you do with them exactly?  I mean really?  And sure, I can read about that too, but I would do better with the hands on approach.

Cooking simply overwhelms me. So many things needs to be timed just so so that it all comes out together. When I look at a list of ingredients, I immediately become overwhelmed.  I really just want some guidance, some know-how, some practical application. Is that too much to ask?

Is it embarrassing to not know how to cook at 33 years of age? Is it embarrassing to sign up for cooking classes (if you can find them) at my age? Is it???

Maybe later, I'll address my desire for creativity and learning to sew.