Do your friends cook?

Carolina Q

Most look at me like I have two heads when I try to discuss cooking. "You did WHAT?" "You bought what?!" I have one friend who buys sliced ham from a deli and calls that supper. Even those who DO cook, and seem to appreciate a good meal, roll their eyes when I tell them I baked brownies on the egg.

Jeffersonian

I'm in the same boat, Michael. In a day when dinner gets zapped in the microwave for a few minutes, people just stare at me when I tell them I've smoked the day's dinner for 6, 10 or 15 hours.

But I don't want to look down my nose at folks. I work from home, and that affords me a degree of time and freedom to cook that most who work out of the home don't have. I'm sure there'd be fewer weekday cooks of 2-8 hours if I was in my office every day.

Little Steven

Arduinna,

Betcha can. If the heat control is two sided you can do a lot.

Steve

Little Steven

DynaGreaseball,

One of the last things I cooked on the gasser before getting the first egg 12 years ago was a brisket. Took me about ten years of egging to make one as good.

Steve

Desert Oasis Woman

:laugh: Oh Mikey! You're so cute!

Grand Oeuf Vert

Since I've become and Egghead, I got lots of friends. Cause I do all the cooking!
Ya, my friends say they cook, but without an Egg. I pass.

Carolina Q

Wait. You cook on a GRILL?! A CHARCOAL grill? In January? In Connecticut? What, are you NUTZ?!

Jeffersonian

Ya know, it sounds perfectly sane to us :woohoo:

Carolina Q

Had that discussion with my brother once. Our theory is that, the better you become as a cook, the harder it is to find decent food at a restaurant. But eating out is certainly easier.

Lanier Jim

Now-a-days....if it doesn't say vent the top and cook on high for 3 minutes - people don't cook like they used too. I guess I have to thank my mom and dad - they cooked alot at home and still took us out to dinner a ngiht or two a week.

I'm thankful that my son enjoys cooking and eating at home. I guess being on a baseball field or in class so much - he enjoys the time at home relaxing...and anyone that enjoys cooking knows that it can be relaxing...or maybe that's the cold O'Douls that is relaxing.

LJ

Crimsongator

Next time we have a fest we should do a wash the car comp. Bet I know who would win!

Desert Oasis Woman

:laugh: Gene, you can bring the cornbread for snackin!

Desert Oasis Woman

I was just wondering if the general public has abandoned the desire to cook good meals.

I think that every time I walk up and down the isles at most grocery stores :blink:

Lambchops

I have two friends that cook very well and enjoy really good food. One has an EGG and the other has another brand of ceramic cooker.We talk all of the time. Everyone else that I know likes to microwave food or buy rozen pizzas or even Hamburger Helper is good enough for them.I feel that good food is a big part of who we are. My wife could also be a chef. She knows a couple of them and sometimes exchange recipes. I feel that I am a very fortunate man.

emilluca

You go into the aisle? I try to stay on he perimeter only. May venture an isle to get salt, flour, sugar, etc...
Emil

Boilermaker Ben

We have a few friends who will invite us over for home-cooked meals, but generally we host (I cook, my wife cleans and sets the table, and my daughter keeps everyone entertained). And those friends who do still cook, many do so out of responsibility, rather than passion. The meals are good, don't get me wrong, but I have very few friends who would sit and TALK about cooking, or try to improve technique or learn new things. Most conversations about cooking lean toward how to make it faster or easier, or less cleanup. But I love being surprised by someone, when you learn that someone you've known for years is actually a great cook, but noone knows it.

That's just about the only fun thing about church potlucks (aside from spending time with friends, of course...I'm talking in terms of food). Amongst the crudite platters, jello salads, pasta salads, taco salads, fill-in-the-blank salads, and green bean casseroles and store-bought desserts, you can often find one dish where the cook really knew what they were doing and wanted to bring something unique. Then the fun is trying to find out who brought that dish. The funny thing is that often no one eats whatever is in that dish. People walk down the potluck table and say "ooh, that's unfamiliar looking, I'm not touching it!"

I'm convinced that not only has the general public abandoned the desire to cook good meals, most people have abandoned the desire to EAT good meals, too. My wife and I met friends at Chili's on Saturday. We had a blast spending time with friends that we don't see as often as we should, but I realized as soon as my plate arrived that I have never had a good meal at Chili's. Why do we eat there, when there are perfectly good mom-and-pop places, or places with real chefs? Why is the line out the door at TGI Fridays and Olive Garden, and meanwhile, that little place down the street is going out of business? People want the comfort of familiar food, even if it's terrible.

I recently saw a poll on one of those non-topical city forums for my town about "What new restaurant should move into our town?" and all the options were the chains. "Applebees, Outback, Texas Roadhouse, etc." And half the responses were, "None of the above, I want a Sonic" A SONIC! Or "Give us a White Castle." Thankfully, in the next town over (I think you know where, AZRP), there are plenty of great, unique restaurants, that turn out really high quality stuff, many of which don't charge much more than a Chilibee's or TGI McOutback Garden.

Dave in So Cal

I agree with you 100%. It appears as a society we have given up on good food. I understand that making good food takes time that a lot of people don't have or don't think they have. Therefore, whatever is fast and does not make you sick is good enough.

For me cooking is about slowing down and destressing. It allows me to be creative in a more physical way than my profession. It also gives me a lot of satisfaction when I can share with others who enjoy what I cook.

Oh, yeah, grilling with real fire also appeals to the leftover pyromania I had as a kid. :evil: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Crimsongator

I can do that

Bacchus

Dave, very well said!

whtfarmer

Most of my friends do cook, but consider it a necessary inconvience. They do love to come to my place though. If I am not cooking Kathy is whipping up something wonderful in the kithen. I have noticed since I started egging that I certainly don't enjoy the chain barbeque joints as much anymore. Like almost never.Have faith, warmer weather is heading your way south and east. It was 60 degrees in the center of the country today.

WokOnMedium

I have found that I try to avoid the aisles. A loop around the outside aisles usually provides me with what I need, produce, meat, bakery, dairy and booze are strategically placed around the perimeter. When I start walking up and down, up and down...then I know I haven't been to the store in ages and I'm in for a big grocery bill!

Car Wash Mike

St. Michael, DOWEY. In 45 days I hope to be cooking for a whole bunch of friends.

Mike

AlwaysGolf

We don't have a lot of "friends" but we have one that is a really good cook. The wife is a great cook and baker. We prefer to host because we know the food will be good, homemade and made with LOVE!!

When I arrived home for vacation, everyone wanted to know if I was cooking and the one friend who is a good cook waited for my vacation to have her house warming party so I could cook the chicken/wings.

Son and daughter were excited I was home because they know that dad would be firing up the Eggs.

In the couple of years I have owned the Egg we eat out less and have fewer leftowers that go to waste. Not to mention I convinced about 5 coworkers to buy Eggs and one is contemplating buying his second.