Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Is It Cooking, Or Is It Memorex....

Silly me... you know how I am about fun titles. I try real hard to amuse myself figuring that I will amuse anyone that stops by in the process, but I would like your opinion...

I am, what I fetchingly like to call myself, a survival eater. Basically that means I eat when I'm hungry. I rarely plan a meal and at times in my life when I've lived alone and been responsible for my own survival, food-wise, I'm very off the cuff, as it were... I can cook a passable meal, but I really don't much care to about 97% of the time. I am fortunate enough (or smart enough) to be surrounded by people who can cook. My friend that I have lived with for years is an excellent and creative cook. Same with my middle brother, Bro, who lives with us. I have a multitude of family and friends that are good cooks, and in our discussions about meal preparation the question arose, "what is cooking?" My contention is if there are three steps involved it is cooking, such as getting a can out of the pantry, opening the can, dumping the contents into said pan on the stove and turning on the fire under the pan, that's more than three steps, so that is cooking, plus an extra step. Missy, my wonderful cooking roomie, and other friends have decided that cooking requires more than one item, adding one or more ingredients into the basic mix, before it can be called cooking, instead of just heating food to eat. Last night we had what we affectionately call a 'root-hog' night which basically means no one is in the mood or feels like whipping up dinner and everyone is left their own devices to root around in the fridge or pantry to find something to eat. I got out a can of spaghettios, opened it, put it in the pan, turned on the stove... therefore, in my opinion, cooking. Then I got a hot dog out of the fridge, cut it up and put it in with the spaghettios, turned and asked Missy and Bro if that meant I was cooking by other people's standards....

Now back to the question... what, in your esteemed opinions, constitutes cooking? Or have you all gone to sleep after trying to read through all the above idiocy?

I thank you all and appreciate your opinions...

8 comments:

joanne said...

I kinda lean to the side of needing more than one ingredient to call it cooking. Technichally, adding the hot dog make it cooking. Otherwise the opening/heating doesn't count. But what do I know?? As long as you surround yourself with people who can cook then what the heck ;)

p.s. I always enjoy your post titles!

Twisted Fencepost said...

I guess I never really thought about it in that way. To cook, I guess means, you heat something up.
If not, then making a cold sandwich would be cooking. I don't consider that cooking. That's throwing something together, which, in my mind, is not cooking. So heating your Spaghettios, with or without the hot dog, is cooking.
There you go. For what it's worth.

Nola said...

Lol...love this post! I have fads on cooking. If I don't have to work, then I like to "cook" something...otherwise it is just "whatever". I am very, very good at whatever and can make it very well. I think cooking is when heat is applied no matter how many ingredients. Because there are different types of cooking...but they all require the application of heat. Like for instance......I was at the beach and COOKED in the sun! or The girl was so gorgeous she was hot, really COOKING!! lol, lol or You've COOKED your goose now, buddy!! Better stop....lol, lol...thanks for the laugh:)

Laura ~Peach~ said...

LOL root hog is our fend for yourself nights! I do think I may be renaming to that I LOVE IT...

Cooking here is MOM will you make this or that for me and it always involves alot of ingredients and time... But lucky for them IF they ask I like doing it... what becomes boring and frustrating to me is when I HAVE to do all the chooseing and picking it out and cooking it too.. BLAH...

For me when home alone I found small cans of sketti O's and raveoli (one perfect serving) add a slice of cheese and microwave LOL... or noodle soup or grilled cheese or sometimes I get adventurous and make a salad...

Wonderful post~

Caution/Lisa said...

I have decided I don't mind cooking, but I hate planning and shopping. As for the cooking definition: I think if heat is involved, it's cooking.

Anonymous said...

This comment is from "Missy" Helen's cooking roommate.

I think it might be even better to define what is a "cook". This has been a long standing discussion among friends -- only a couple of us are really cooks and enjoy the process.

Nola I really loved your play on words.

MJ said...

I think it definitely takes more than just one ingredient. I bake a lot, but I'm no cook. Spaghettios and hotdog would be almost pushing the effort limit for me lol. I generally let all those cooks in my family do it instead.

GingerJar said...

I'll cook if I don't have to clean. I married a man that is a pretty mean cook and he cleans up after himself...the best of both worlds! LOL. The best cooking is outside on the grill, where all the mess is outside. I also like a hot-dog on a stick (corny dog or hot dog outside). I'm easily pleased. If I want fancy I can go somewhere and pay somebody else to cook it and do the dishes! I love your blogs.