Are you a gal who doesn't like to cook?

[Stubbly_Dooright]

I'm one. The guy who doesn't like football thread got me thinking. I lucked out and married a great cook. The thing is, I feel like I should love to cook. I don't. Don't get me wrong, I'll cook if I had to. When my husband was deployed, I cooked to keep my kids alive. But I hated it. I also felt like something is wrong with me, because I didn't like to cook. I even had a male customer yell at me, because I didn't know of any cookbooks that I could advise to buy. He felt I should know. That rankled me.

Anyone else out there?

[Likely Guy]

Well. I'm a guy that doesn't like to cook as well, eventhough I know how to.

I'm single, and truth be known, everyone who's single hates their own cooking. Some people are too critical of other people's cooking. They're all, "It's a bit overcooked/undercooked for my taste." Or too spicy, or too salty, etc.

Hell, 9 times out of 10 when someone else makes it for me, to me, that's one of the best damn soups, pastas, stews, roasts... whatever. I don't care, it's something different.

I'll do the dishes, happily.

[Lilly]

Everyone is different...in the grand scheme of things you shouldn't care. Your hubby can cook and you can do the washing up. I think it's the aspect of sharing tasks that's important. I like to cook but hate doing the dishes, but since I'm single I'm stuck with doing it all. That said, just taking care of oneself (and ones puppy) isn't all that bad!

[DefenceMinisterMishkin]

I'm a guy and i love to cook! It's a life skill..

Love trying new recipes and seeing others enjoy my cooking.

[Q-C]

Cooking night after night can definitely become mundane and boring. I don't like to cook alone, but I love to cook with family members and music! I find cookbooks deliciously inspiring. And you don't need to spend a cent if you go to your library. The Internet has vast resources for making all kinds of new foods. (Watch My Drunk Kitchen for meal prep boredom ideas ! )

But if nothing floats your boat or rather whips your cream, that's okay too!

Edited October 16, 2014 by QuiteContrary

[Crabby Kitten]

I like cooking but no one enjoys my food!

[SHaYap]

To me it depends on what is cooking on what and not on who ... I like to cook things over wood and coal ... gas stoves and micro ovens , not so much ~

[Didya See That]

I used to, over the years I stopped buying so many things we used to enjoy because of whats in it. Now it's hard to get something that we enjoy, can afford or get by with.

Knowing whats in some foods in scary. If you like Jello don't open the link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin

[Minds_Eye]

I like cooking except for those times when it takes longer to clean up than to make and eat the actual meal!

[Stubbly_Dooright]

Everyone is different...in the grand scheme of things you shouldn't care. Your hubby can cook and you can do the washing up.

That is pretty much how it is in this home. He cooks, and I do the cleaning up. I don't mind that. Was kind of a professional housekeeper in my younger years, for some reason, I kind of like doing the cleaning up.

Cooking night after night can definitely become mundane and boring. I don't like to cook alone, but I love to cook with family members and music! I find cookbooks deliciously inspiring. And you don't need to spend a cent if you go to your library. The Internet has vast resources for making all kinds of new foods. (Watch My Drunk Kitchen for meal prep boredom ideas ! )

But if nothing floats your boat or rather whips your cream, that's okay too!

As a bookseller( with a friend who does this too) I see a lot of women, maybe a couple of men, who actually collect cookbooks. They get so excited and have to have that for their 'collection'.

Speaking of cookbooks, and as a bookseller, I find it fascinating how many types of cookbooks there are. For the single, for the empty nesters, for the college student and etc. etc. etc. I cracked up the roadkill cookbook that came out some years ago.

I used to, over the years I stopped buying so many things we used to enjoy because of whats in it. Now it's hard to get something that we enjoy, can afford or get by with.

Knowing whats in some foods in scary. If you like Jello don't open the link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin

I do and I won't thanks for the tip. I have a friend who has to eat gluten free. I do know of various of books for gluten free cooking, but it's tough when you go to restaurants and have to make sure what they are preparing. From the experience with eating out with her, some restaurants are very understanding and some not. That's frustrating. Edited October 16, 2014 by Stubbly_Dooright

[SpiritWriter]

I hate doing the dishes.

My daughter just left home and I've been having her do the dishes practically every day, even up to three times a day (to keep up with them you know). And now I have to do them on my own.

:cry:

I rather like cooking but I was raised with the ideal that if you cooked, you don't have to clean up. I don't have a dishwasher and have to do them by hand. I only cook for myself now so its not that hard to keep up, I just have to remember to stop complaining. I'm getting used to it.

*

[GrimmOne]

I don't hate cooking, I do hate going to the grocery store though, so most of the time my girlfriend goes and Ill cook. I also clean up because I'm very particular about that and most of the time she doesn't do it right. My OCD makes me particular about things. Everything has its place in our apartment

Edited October 16, 2014 by GrimmOne

[quiXilver]

I love to cook, so does my wife. I leave the baking to her though.

I find preparing food for people I love to be one of the great, simple pleasures.

I used to cook, just to get it done with and get back to other things.

And then some friends influenced my awareness of the potential in the process and clued me in to what is now, one of my favorite rituals. Now I focus on being able to prepare and share good food and good times with the people I love. Knowing they are going to love it and it's going to keep us all healthy and strong. I love the whole process... My wife and I used to swap off cooking in our younger days, or skip it altogether. But now, we love cooking together, the whole process is about connecting, instead of just eating.

One day our son, very young at the time, said to us randomly as he'd walked into the kitchen while we were preparing dinner, 'Guys... it's not about eating... it's about feeding.'

That struck my wife and I like a bell. Eating is possessive. Feeding is sharing. And that's what cooking is for me now, it's connecting, sharing, reaching out. Everything we are, whatever is happening in the moment, Preparing food now, is done with the intention and awareness shifted from one of getting a task done, to sharing in a tangible expression of our love and of the energy of who we are together in that moment.

Edited October 16, 2014 by quiXilver

[White Crane Feather]

Love cooking hate cleaning. As meticulous as I am about everything else, I'm the biggest slob there is. Somwhere along the lines I decided that life was to short to clean up after myself. Fortunately I have a wife that will not tolerate it at home, and I hired people to take care of my business with directions to force me to throw certain things away or take them home. ( because I certainly can't). Unfortunately the one place that I'm actually in charge of is in my truck. Yup a disaster area. Even my kids tease me about it, and that is sad.

[Minds_Eye]

I also find it ironic that many cultures see the kitchen as a woman's domain and yet, the famous chefs tend to be male... Do girls feel less of an expectation nowadays to be a good cook?

[sarah_444]

I don't hate cooking, I do hate going to the grocery store though, so most of the time my girlfriend goes and Ill cook. I also clean up because I'm very particular about that and most of the time she doesn't do it right. My OCD makes me particular about things. Everything has its place in our apartment

Yep. That's me too. But while I like the grocery store (but usually dread any other kind of shopping), I hate putting everything away once we get it home. But I have a "system" to keeping the pantry organized, so I do that much at least.

Cooking is alright most of the time. I like finding new recipes and trying them out, but only when the mood strikes. I definitely love baking stuff more than cooking.

I even had a male customer yell at me, because I didn't know of any cookbooks that I could advise to buy. He felt I should know. That rankled me.

Anyone else out there?

I don't remember the last time I even touched a cookbook. That's what the internet is for!

Edited October 17, 2014 by sarah_444

[SHaYap]

I also find it ironic that many cultures see the kitchen as a woman's domain and yet, the famous chefs tend to be male... Do girls feel less of an expectation nowadays to be a good cook?

the EGO ... Chefs these days tends to be all about EGO and little else ... there are plenty of Female Chefs ... they just don't hit the headlines as much ... and they tend to be expected to be great in the kitchen so ... meh ~

[Minds_Eye]

The ego and personality of male chefs like Anthony Bourdain, Doug Ramsay, and Andrew Zimmern are highly entertaining though. I can't think of any well-known female chef who could act as brash or kooky as them and still be taken seriously for their cooking ability. Double standard, I guess...

[SHaYap]

The ego and personality of male chefs like Anthony Bourdain, Doug Ramsay, and Andrew Zimmern are highly entertaining though. I can't think of any well-known female chef who could act as brash or kooky as them and still be taken seriously for their cooking ability. Double standard, I guess...

The point is female chefs don't need to pull that crap on to prove themselves Chefs ... I believe Tony Bourdain knows that well ... he's a favorite watch of mine ...

It always cracks me up watching the little old ladies fuming at those Cookery Shows ... they knows a thing or two and they always gets all worked up seeing how food is prepared on the shows ...

My favorite is 'freshest ingredients' and then they pop open a can or tin of something and the grannies go that is not 'fresh' ... and don't mention coconut milk and curry if there is not a coconut in sight ~ we here still do it the real old school way ... from cracking open the coconut all the way to grating and getting the milk

[freetoroam]

COOKING??? are you kidding?!! when I met my husband I asked him if he could cook before I even thought about looking at his ass. (which turned out to be quite cute, thankfully)

No, do not like cooking, only will do it to survive and even then theres enough out there which can be eaten raw.

[Minds_Eye]

The point is female chefs don't need to pull that crap on to prove themselves Chefs ... I believe Tony Bourdain knows that well ... he's a favorite watch of mine ...

Great chefs should allow their skills to speak for themselves, but then, they wouldn't be guaranteed their own tv show!

I know a co-worker who is the only girl in her family, but I think she doesn't like cooking because she's just not very good at it. She complained to me that she's tired of eating fast food and frozen dinners. She even bought a crockpot, but still doesn't understand how to use it. She has a boyfriend who can't cook either so I'm wondering if she's feeling a bit of psychological pressure to learn for him as well...

[SHaYap]

Great chefs should allow their skills to speak for themselves, but then, they wouldn't be guaranteed their own tv show!

I know a co-worker who is the only girl in her family, but I think she doesn't like cooking because she's just not very good at it. She complained to me that she's tired of eating fast food and frozen dinners. She even bought a crockpot, but still doesn't understand how to use it. She has a boyfriend who can't cook either so I'm wondering if she's feeling a bit of psychological pressure to learn for him as well...

A little old lady taught me a wonderful lesson of the kitchen ... one only need to learn to cook with 'love' ~ everything else in time will come out right one way or another ~

[Stubbly_Dooright]

I also find it ironic that many cultures see the kitchen as a woman's domain and yet, the famous chefs tend to be male... Do girls feel less of an expectation nowadays to be a good cook?

Interesting question. I think it's an expectation that is less and less. I also think parents in general are teaching both genders to cook and clean up after. I know both my children love to cook. I think that's good. Even though, I have found there are some women I know who are like me, it seems to be an expectation still part of my generation.

The ego and personality of male chefs like Anthony Bourdain, Doug Ramsay, and Andrew Zimmern are highly entertaining though. I can't think of any well-known female chef who could act as brash or kooky as them and still be taken seriously for their cooking ability. Double standard, I guess...

I remember Julia Childs........*shrugs*

My favorite is 'freshest ingredients' and then they pop open a can or tin of something and the grannies go that is not 'fresh' ... and don't mention coconut milk and curry if there is not a coconut in sight ~ we here still do it the real old school way ... from cracking open the coconut all the way to grating and getting the milk

My husband went from making spaghetti from a can of spaghetti sauce, so I can make it too, to making his own sauce and making various Italian dishes. I can't make spaghetti anymore! I'm sad. But his chicken parmesan is to die for!!!!

COOKING??? are you kidding?!! when I met my husband I asked him if he could cook before I even thought about looking at his ass. (which turned out to be quite cute, thankfully)

Knowing he can cook, admiring the ass. That's how I got my husband!!!

No, do not like cooking, only will do it to survive and even then theres enough out there which can be eaten raw.

This so sounds like me.

[Minds_Eye]

Interesting question. I think it's an expectation that is less and less. I also think parents in general are teaching both genders to cook and clean up after. I know both my children love to cook. I think that's good. Even though, I have found there are some women I know who are like me, it seems to be an expectation still part of my generation.

I remember Julia Childs........*shrugs*

Yes, basic cooking is a useful skill to teach to both genders, kinda like sewing (I consider it a miracle if my horrible stitching holds anything together for very long)...

I forgot about Julia Child, sorry!

I just read an interesting article discussing why female chefs are often overlooked, and it seems to blame both the media and the professional environment:

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/11/11/why-do-female-chefs-get-overlooked

[ReddHeadsRantings]

For those that maybe are not so happy to do so...let me recommended the 1976 edition of the settlement cookbook and its really good for those that don't know how to cook at all.