One of the main reasons I started an Amazon Store last year was because I was getting a lot of emails asking about my favorite kitchen tools. We have a LOT of kitchen appliances and cookware at our house. I did my best to get rid of the things we didn’t use when we left Charlotte, but somehow I still ended up with an entire pantry dedicated to kitchen appliances in our new house.
I am not a huge fan of uni-taskers, but there are a few for which I will make an exception. Take the ice cream maker – it only makes one thing, but when I want that one thing, I am really glad I have it.
I’m not going to even get started on the rice cooker. You guys already know I feel about this kitchen tool! But perhaps surprisingly it is still not the one I consider most important.
Ever time I post a recipe involving the food processor I get at least one comment or email saying “I don’t have one, but I have a blender!” I know you guys don’t want to hear it, but these two appliances are not one and the same. Yes they both make things smaller, but in a much different way. One chops, the other purees, and the outcome just can’t be compared.
Speaking of blenders, I scored my Vitamix last fall with a 50% off coupon, but I still couldn’t believe how much money I was plunking down on a blender. You’ll be happy to know that this post is not my way of telling you that you MUST buy a $400 blender in order to live a happy and fulfilling life. Honestly, I like it and I use it to make my smoothies, but it hasn’t totally rocked my world the way I thought it would. No matter the price tag, lets be serious – it’s still just a blender. A blender that also moonlights as a doggie chew toy…
When I got to culinary school, I started almost every class listening to my instructors tell us that “a chef is only as good as his/her knife” and “a dull knife is a dull chef.” To some extent that is true – a good knife can make a world of difference in your speed and precision as a cook. It is also true that a dull knife is actually much more dangerous to use than one that is razor sharp.
A good knife is probably a very close second, but if you ask me, the most important kitchen tool is actually…
CONFIDENCE.
You really, truly cannot cook without it. Just a few short years ago, I was literally petrified of the kitchen. Casey has always been a great cook, so our nightly routine would be for him to cook us a fabulous meal, while I would keep our wine glasses filled and sit on the counter and talk to him while he worked his magic. But as I began to have more of an interest in nutrition, we started talking about the possibility of culinary school, he started suggesting more and more than I practice my skills in the kitchen.
The only problem was, I didn’t have any skills in the kitchen. One of the first meals I ever made was my biggest kitchen flop ever. Years later, Casey and I still laugh about how horrific it was, and how hard it was to choke it down.
To give you a little perspective on how quickly things can change, this was back in 2008 – not very long ago! I knew I needed to start cooking more if I was going to seriously consider culinary school, so Casey suggested I make dinner one night. I spent all day looking at recipes trying to decide what I would make. Finally, I settled on a Red Lentil Dal from Cooking Light – very nutritious, and it seemed easy enough. I printed off the recipe, carefully made my shopping list, and headed to the grocery store as soon as I left work.
One of the items on my list was red lentils. Having never cooked them before, I didn’t really know what I was looking for. I knew they were dried, so I headed to the section of the grocery store where you can find dried beans and grains. I stood there for many minutes confused, scared, and questioning myself. An employee came by and asked if he could help me find anything – “nope, just fine – thanks!” The problem was – I had no confidence in myself as a cook. I felt like a fraud, and I felt like everyone knew it.
I took my best guess and headed home with a bag labeled “small red beans” – and I got to work. I followed the recipe nervously, terrified that I was going to mess it up. The cooking time on the recipe said 25-30 minutes, but even after 35 my beans were still rock hard (imagine that!). I let them cook longer and longer, finally getting so flustered and embarrassed that I ladled it into bowls and announced that dinner was ready.
We sat down at the table and I watched his face with the first few bites. “It’s good” he choked out as he crunched through a bite of rock hard beans. But I knew it wasn’t – it was horrible. Out came the tears as I recounted the whole saga of beans vs. lentils, my humiliation and unwillingness to ask for help, and the ungodly long cook time. God love him, Casey made it half-way through a bowl of uncooked red beans before finally saying “It’s probably not good for us to actually eat this.”
It took a long while for me to find the confidence to go back in the kitchen and try again. But I did – over and over and over again, until I started to finally feel like I was getting the hang of things. The Joy of Cooking became my bible, and with it nearby, I felt like I had a friend in the kitchen that I could ask for help – even when I felt like a total fool.
I hear from readers all the time who tell me they don’t know what to do with ingredients, don’t know what to put together, etc. But just a few years ago, I didn’t either! The more I learned about cooking, the more I realized that you have to be willing to mess up and make mistakes in order to improve and succeed. Every dish will NOT taste or look good!
Here I am three years later with a Culinary Arts degree hung proudly on my wall. Sometimes I still find that hard to believe. But over the years I made many many bad meals in order to finally learn to develop the truly delicious ones.
Every mistake is a learning experience, and if you don’t take a few risks with trying new ingredients or combinations, you will never learn what works and what you like best. The next time you are doubting yourself in the kitchen, take a good look in the mirror. You don’t need a Vitamix, you just need a little confidence.
93 Comments so far
Leave a comment
Totally agree with you on confidence! It just takes practice and trial and error. I have made some terrible meals, but also some great ones by experimenting!
Great to see you on Saturday!
[Reply]
I LOVE THIS, Emily!! it is SO true!! things don’t always turn out in my kitchen, but it’s not because I didn’t THINK it could!! :D
[Reply]
Agreed! But sometimes having a good meal coming out of hard work builds that confidence. :P So you have to start out slowly.
[Reply]
I love this post :) It is sooo true! It reminds me of when I read “My Life in France” by Julia Child, she wrote about how the first dish she tried to make her husband was monkey brains (or some animals brains) and how miserably she failed! :D
I agree with you, every cooking experience is just THAT: experience. You learn from mistakes! Thanks for this Emily!
[Reply]
Woo hoo! I love this. I lacked serious confidence when I first started cooking. I’m still not perfect but I definitely have gotten better! I find that I’m more confident with non-animal products because I’m less worried about food borne illness with veggies ;)
About 7 or 8 years ago, I tried to make crab imperial stuffed mushroom caps. I served them and someone said, “These aren’t the worst things I’ve ever had, but they’re darn close.” OUCH! haha!
[Reply]
I wish you did tell me I need a Vitamix to be happy, because I already kinda believe that.
I totally need GOOD knives. I have broken many cheap ones trying to cut squash. Boo.
[Reply]
Great story! So interesting to hear about your experience :-)
[Reply]
You could just as easily call this post, “the most important LIFE tool”. Great post, Em.
[Reply]
I feel like I have so many kitchen tools but hardly ever use them. They are all wonderful in theory but when it comes down to it, my knife is just so much easier to use and clean.
[Reply]
I loved this. I remember a similarly bad stir-fry I made just about a year and a half ago when I didn’t know what leeks were and I ended up buying bok choy instead. I was scared of cooking too, but I agree that the key is just getting in there and messing things up a few times until things start tasting good. Now, cooking dinner is my favorite part of the day. I actually have a red lentil soup on right now. :)
Thanks for sharing this!
[Reply]
This is such a good post! And even though I believe it, I still want a Kitchen Aid mixer. Ha!
[Reply]
I’m glad you stayed and finished this post (due to writer’s block – I saw that tweet) because it was fantastic. I was laughing hysterically at the small red beans.
I really agree about confidence in the kitchen. I have always liked to cook, but when I overhauled my diet and began cooking gluten free/vegan dishes, I really had to believe in myself because it allowed others to believe in me as well. I couldn’t imagine a day without cooking!
[Reply]
Now that’s what I have been lacking! I just can’t afford to have many kitchen flops. My husband and I make very little money so I tend to stick with only recipes that I know I can make. Having the possibility of dumping money in the trash or down the drain prevents me from trying certain recipes!
But one day I will get over this fear and experiment a bit more!
Although what a sweet guy you have! My husband is the same way, he’d choke down whatever I made for him. Not me! I have to actually like what I’m eating, lol.
[Reply]
Everytime I read your blog and you talk about culinary school, it really makes me want to go! I’m almost ready to make the move and just do it already! I know it’s a lot of work and not ALL fun, but you make it sound like a blast!
[Reply]
I’m with Chels, I laughed at the beans! And I also thought your twist on the post was genius, I totally thought you were going to tell us to get some expensive device that I’ve never heard of but you are so right, confidence is the most important thing. If I didn’t have confidence in my early days of cooking, I never would have enjoyed it, nor would anyone else have enjoyed my food. It has grown into such a passion, and like anything else, having a good sense of self creates a solid foundation!
[Reply]
This post is great! I loved reading it and it’s so true.
I’m thinking about going to culinary school (I’m visiting a couple on Friday!). Lately I haven’t been feeling very confident in the kitchen and have been wondering how I will make it through school if I decide to go. It’s comforting to hear you weren’t very confident in the kitchen a couple years ago and you were very successful in school! And you make amazing recipes now!
[Reply]
Renee Reply:
February 7th, 2011 at 11:06 pm
Lindsey…if I can tell you a story…
A friend of mine was taking photography courses and she was telling a couple friends that she was thinking of dropping out because she wasn’t very good. Her professor happened to be walking by and overheard her and later called her into his office. He told her, “Of COURSE you are not very good…you are STILL learning! That’s why you are taking a class…to learn to be better.”
Today she is professional photographer!
Whenever I’m trying to learn or take a class I always remember her story.
Also…remember… How do you eat an Elephant sandwich?
One bite at a time.
[Reply]
Lindsey Reply:
February 7th, 2011 at 11:12 pm
Great story Renee! I will definitely remember that. Thank you :)
[Reply]
Love this post :) I didn’t know how to cook when I met my boyfriend. He taught me that it is okay to make something that doesn’t end up tasting ok. It is more important to allow yourself to try cooking and have fun. It is one of my favorite things about him.
[Reply]
So true. I still find myself reading a complicated recipe that requires some technique that I have never tried and saying to myself… oh I dont know how to do that so I cant make this recipe. But, the good news is that this is happening less and less as I cook more and more!
[Reply]
Great post Emily! I completely agree!
[Reply]
That’s a story after my own heart! My husband and I had been married for a couple of months when I decided I wanted to make a three course meal for date night. I don’t know how it happened ,but I managed to ruin every single course of the meal! And one of them was in the crock pot! Riddle me that …
Anyway, I stood crying in the kitchen, so Bruce led me to the living room, grabbed his keys and left. He came home about 20 minutes later with fried chicken from publix. I think that night I realized that I wasn’t going to be an awesome cook on my first try. I needed to read, learn and be patient.
And I think I’m getting better!
(Although, I did set off the smoke detectors last night, ha.)
[Reply]
Whitney Reply:
February 8th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
This is a cute story. What a caring husband. I am getting married soon and forsee a lot of burnt dinners ahead of me. Isn’t it the thought that counts any ways? haha :)
[Reply]
Love this – hits home for me. I’m just stating to find my confidence in the kitchen, but I still have many moments of doubt. I needed this reminder!
[Reply]
Thanks for this! Sometimes I forget how okay it is to not know what I’m doing/ask for help. You’re awesome as usual.
[Reply]
gosh, i loved this.
[Reply]
Great post! Sometimes I feel like with my blog, I have to cook things perfectly. I get REALLY upset if I mess things up, even the smallest thing. I just have to remind myself that I’ve only really been cooking for a few MONTHS and I’m still learning!
[Reply]
I have a kitchen appliance post and the #1 thing on it is good knives!
And also a Vita.
The juicer, dehydrator, Blendtec, espresso maker don’t make the top shelf cut, so to speak.
I still want a kitchen aid stand mixer.
And i am one of those ppl who have JUST a vita, not also a food proc. You are right, the outcome is totally different and i need to get one. But i also have a Blendtec and Magic Bullet…does those count? lol
[Reply]
SO seriously… I always feel like a better person just having read your blog. You approach is kind and gentle, and I never feel intimidated with your recipes because you break it all down.
I love when you do posts like this because it is so easy to get wrapped up in the blog world…”she has a vitamix so I should” or “she is running a marathon so I should”
Very Refreshing!
[Reply]
This is great advice. I continually try to push myself in the kitchen and your blog and recipes have really helped. I would have never known how easy it was to whip up red quinoa if it hadn’t been for your enthusiasm. I’m learning that simple isn’t necessarily a bad thing… Good ingredients make a world of difference. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to follow along your path to continued confidence in the kitchen.
[Reply]
thanks for this post, emily! as the most novice girl ever in the kitchen it makes me realize with more time i’ll gain that confidence, while also understanding that confidence comes with practice!
[Reply]
What a great post!!
[Reply]
LOL at the beans. I made fried chicken once and ‘thought’ it was done because it was browned on the outside. I didn’t know it had to cook for awhile as well.
I love to cook and I always tell people, “If you can read, you can follow a recipe.” But, I think it’s also knowing what spices and ingredients will go well together. Sometimes I read a recipe and think YUCK, or in the case of a recent recipe in Parade magazine, I thought it sounded good and it was terrible. (It was Nigella’s chocolate banana muffins, they had no flavor.)
I will say though one of the most important tools people need is a full set of measuring cups and spoons. I think a lot of mistakes are made in recipes because people confuse teaspoons and tablespoons.
[Reply]
this is funny timing for this post, since i made a stuffed eggplant disaster tonight for dinner. i won’t tell you what it looked like, but thank goodness my fiancé makes me laugh about my culinary failures instead of letting me get frustrated. you’re so right, some things you try out just don’t look or taste good. so what? laugh and try something else. i always try to make a foolproof side dish to go along with my experiments as well, which keeps us from getting hungry/grumpy.
[Reply]
Love this post! At first I thought you were gonna stop at the food processor, then the sharp knife, but you’re right that a willingness to try and even FAIL is truly the most important!
[Reply]
This is awesome! Thank you for posting, it’s good to know that the magic isn’t in some “luxury” item but instead something that we are all each blessed with!:) Our hands!:)
[Reply]
Amen, sister. This carries over into ANYTHING in life. I wasn’t a very good massage therapist when I started school in September, and now I can give one helluva wonderful massage. This life is all about learning and expanding our knowledge, and confidence is such a key player in that!! :D
[Reply]
LOVE THIS POST! Thanks!
[Reply]
Confidence being the most important kitchen tool was totally unexpected–but that is so very true! When I’m confident with new-to-me flavors/ingredients, my meals turn out great! :)
[Reply]
FB’d your giveaway here
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Purple-Bird-Blog/181164575231618?v=wall
[Reply]
Christin@purplebirdblog Reply:
February 8th, 2011 at 1:21 am
Well sh*t. I posted that on the wrong blog. My bad! :D
[Reply]
I agree, I used to be terrified of cooking and kitchens… Then I started learning about nutrition, and food, and I started experimenting. Then confidence came. Now I’ll try anything and if it fails, it fails.
That being said, I recently got a food processor for Christmas, and I’m about 30 seconds away from asking it to marry me. It really, truly is the most wonderful thing in the world.
[Reply]
Haha! I’m glad I’m not the only one who laughed at that red bean story, cos although I had a good chuckle I felt bad cos I can only imagine how horrible it must have been. Pretty funny though and you can laugh about it now, while you tuck into one of your culinary masterpieces!
[Reply]
I totally agree with this. When I started baking I was terrified of messing up and things not being “perfect”. I have had my fair share of cakes and biscuits that have ended up in the bin (or the dog)but as you get a little more cofidence, you try things out a little more and then challenge yourself a little more.
Great post!!!
[Reply]
This is GREAT! I know that I always get extremely nervous when I am cooking something new and I tend to stick to classics for that reason. While I know I can whip up some tasty food, I am not confident enough to try new things all that often and this is an area where I need to challenge myself.
[Reply]
I’m planning on starting culinary school in the fall (in NYC), and I seriously cannot wait to just learn my way around the kitchen for REAL. I know its possible to teach yourself, but I’m excited to be taught :) Although I will still take a Vitamix…
[Reply]
Everything about this post resonated for me in a big way! Thank you, Emily!
[Reply]
Great post, Emily. I love the story of the first meal. Jillian Michaels says there are no mistakes, only feedback. I love that.
[Reply]
Excellent point! For so long I decided not to try things because I thought I couldn’t make them correctly. Now I’ve decided…what’s the worst that will happen? Hopefully no one will die and if you’re cooking for people who love you, they’ll understand and give you another chance!
[Reply]
I LOVED this! I definitely agree, 100%. A food processor is essential, a good knife is indispensable, but nothing beats being confident and having the guts to try something new!
xo
[Reply]
Great post!! I totally agree. I am gaining more confidence in the kitchen everyday and as a result, my cooking is better! A little confidence can go a long way.
[Reply]
You are so right! It’s interesting to look back and see what really holds us back from things in life..
[Reply]
This reminds me of my first “adult” dinner party I had in college. I went all fancy with crab cakes, but didn’t know that you had to remove the meat from the shell bits… and just mixed it all in together. My professors were sitting around the table, going “crunch, crunch, crunch…” and pulling bits of shell out of their mouths. At least it was memorable! :-)
[Reply]
You are 100% right on the money with this post. Twenty years ago we decided I would stay home to raise the babies. One of the things I had to do to save some money was cook from scratch. Everything! I grew up eating from the box. Things like Hamburger Helper, Rice a Roni, macaroni and cheese, Stouffer’s. I had an ancient blender and a hand mixer. I jumped right in and over time I have gained the confidence I needed to prepare fabulous foods for my family and friends. Now I make all my own breads, soups, stews, side dishes and more. I have many of the great appliances to help make these meals but the most valuable appliance is my brain. The best tools I have are my hands. Confidence is a wonderful thing.
[Reply]
Oh my gosh…this post had me laughing out loud! But, as funny as it is, its also SO very true! Thanks for sharing :)
[Reply]
Great post! It’s so true :)
[Reply]
You speak the truth! I would add that making mistakes in the kitchen is one of the best ways to learn and become more confident – there are some mistakes you just don’t make more than once!
[Reply]
Thanks for this post Emily! It answered my questions I emailed you :)
You’re right, confidence is the best tool. I’m still learning that in the kitchen. I also preface my meals with a “It needs more of ____ but I hope you like it” as I serve it up and I have to ask hubs if he likes dinner about a gazillion times!
That’s awesome you have your degree and hopefully one day I’ll have mine too. I have an interview with Le Cordon Bleu next week so I’m really going to have to decide if THIS is what I want to do. Thanks for your posts on Culinary School… I’m going to be looking at those all day :)
[Reply]
Every or almost every Sunday is my cooking day and I make something different a lot of the times. Sometimes it tastes good and sometimes not so good. Never like cooking and still don’t and that’s okay for me but I do want to make a variety of meals. And Sunday is the day I make something for most of the week since we work a lot. Being vegan takes more work but it’s sure worth it. And I agree confidence is good and that food processor I bought years ago and never used now gets used about 2x’s a week. I have a Vitamix and I make my green smoothies and sorbert in it. I have a smoothie most mornings for breakfast.
Thank you for the appliance post. I do not have a rice cooker yet maybe Santa will bring one this year.
[Reply]
I couldn’t agree with you more! How can you experiment, and enjoy cooking if you have no confidence in your cooking ability? I truly believe that anyone can cook, they just have to have the confidence to do so!
[Reply]
Wow, its amazing that you’ve come such a long way in a short time! I’m pretty confident in the kitchen, but I am definitely missing those other tools! I only have dull knives except for one good paring knive and I am in desperate need of a food processor!
[Reply]
Yes, I agree! I’ve had times in the kitchen (similar background of being the lesser of the cooks in the couple) where I’d freak and want to toss out everything. Luckily, I think I am just overcritical… either that, or my boyfriend will eat just about anything. =D
[Reply]
Wow, I never would’ve guessed that just a few years ago, you hadn’t the slightest idea what you were doing in the kitchen. What amazing progress!
[Reply]
That was such a great post! I’m very impressed with how much you have accomplished in only 3 years. I’m also very glad you pursued cooking because you share a lot of delicious recipes!
[Reply]
Great post. I absolutely agree!
[Reply]
what a great post! i agree completely. this is so true with anything. if you’re willing to try, willing to ask for help, and willing to have a good attitude, anything is possible!
[Reply]
I just wanted to say that I loved reading this post Emily.
[Reply]
Love this! I honestly did not know how to boil water when I was younger. My cooking skills are not awesome, but I love being in the kitchen!
[Reply]
I know only too well that my blender and a food processor are not the same! I *really* hope that is what my birthday present from my parents is!
[Reply]
Great post! I think that confidence is the most important tool in a lot of ways. I know it gives me the ability to get out there and try new things.
[Reply]
Excellent post!
I really like to read these non-recipe related posts.
I too, had a wobbly start in the kitchen. One thing that has been the guiding light for me in the kitchen is remembering how my parents cooked when I was younger. Cooking for huge family gatherings and parties had been a ritual for us, and all the kids would be assigned jobs to help. Growing up, I did not cook much, but I was required to do my share of chores to help my mom out. And to this day, I just try to remember what she did for complicated recipes and get the required ‘confidence’ to jump-start the process of recreating that recipe.
[Reply]
I love that you posted this today. I’ve been toying with the idea of getting one thinking that I HAD to have it. I’ve got a blender and it works just fine for my green smoothies.
You are so right about confidence. I’ve been married for 20 years. For about 15 of those years the only dish I could make was a chicken/rice casserole. Everytime I would make dinner this is my go to dish (besides spaghetti of course). My husband cooked all of our meals. So I made this about once every 2 weeks for 15 years. Finally my husband looked at me (he couldn’t take it anymore) and told me that it was horrible and he just couldn’t eat it anymore. I was shocked that he ate it all those years. That’s true love people. Fast forward to 2007 when I turned vegan. He didn’t know how to cook for me so I had to learn to cook. I took a couple basic cooking classes and off I went. Now I’m not afraid of tackling anything….well maybe bread but other than that I’ll try anything once. I now cook every meal. It took me a while to get there but the best gift I’ve given myself is a love of cooking. I love the look on my husband’s face when I make something he loves.
[Reply]
Hi Emily! Thanks for the boost of confidence! My best friend has not had much confidence in her cooking. She’s always stressing about the grocery store and afraid to “throw things together” Well, the more I talk to her and share recipes and ideas and stories the more she started to (uhem…enjoy!) cooking! I told her one day she was doing so awesome and cooking way more than I was, and I asked her what came about? And she told me that I was her movtivation! Talk about a confidence booster, and everyone wins! ;)
[Reply]
1. I think it’s a little easier if you’re just cooking for yourself – you’ll be the only one that knows if it’s terrible! :)
2. People think that in order to cook ANYTHING, you absolutely have to know what you’re doing. This is totally false. There are millions upon millions of great recipes to get you started. (Like the ones on this website!) You don’t have to know exactly how to chop things or how to put flavors together, you just need to follow the recipe.
3. I think another problem people have is that they’re afraid to just throw away something that’s messed up and order pizza or make a quick sandwich. They feel like it’s a lot of wasted money going into the trash. So start with dishes that are made with cheap stuff! Like beans! :D
[Reply]
I love this post!! That is such a brilliant mistake to make – soo sweet of Casey to eat it! Aaah :)
[Reply]
The fact that you wanted to go to cooking school and were seriously considering it before even making a recipe shows serious cajones! I respect that!!!
[Reply]
I love this post!! So true! Looking back over the years, my meals were not as good as they are today. It is all about experimentation. I consider myself a great cook, but every now and then, I still have flops. But you can bet the next time I try to make that meal, I know what will work, and what won’t! My husband still eats the bad ones too even though they may not taste that good. I guess that is also a sign of real love too! haha
[Reply]
Food processors and blenders are definitely not the same… I learned that the hard way. ;)
[Reply]
Whenever I visit my family I am always appalled by how dull their knives are!! I love my sharp sharp, expensive knife.
[Reply]
When I first started reading your blog, I thought it was just another healthy living blog, blah, blah, blah, but over time I have come to ADORE your writing style, recipes, positive outlook, and spirit. I can’t wait to see your name in national magazines in the future. You’re awesome, chica!
[Reply]
I love how you talked about confidence.
[Reply]
What a beautiful post. So many ppl say “I cant cook” but all you have to do is believe in youself. So you mess up? Start over and the next time it will be better!
Loved this Emily!
[Reply]
Thanks for this Emily. So, so needed. :) You’re the best!
[Reply]
I totally agree with this! My boyfriend is an amazing cook, so I always deferred to him for all of our meals. About a year ago I decided that I wanted to start cooking, so I slowly did. Since then I’ve started to love cooking, and now I do most of the cooking at our house. I would love to go to cooking school…perhaps one day I’ll be able to! Thanks for this wonderful post :)
[Reply]
Lovely post. Thank you!
[Reply]
Loved this post! Confidence is a key ingredient in life and you illustrated this point beautifully. :) I love your blog!
[Reply]
“Every mistake is a learning experience, and if you don’t take a few risks with trying new ingredients or combinations, you will never learn what works and what you like best.” That makes a great quote for life! Can’t agree more on the food processor and blender comparison — they are not the same! :)
[Reply]
OMG! That story is HYSTERICAL! My how times have changed. ;-)
[Reply]
I love your story about the dried red beans! I have definitely had that experience in the grocery store where you’re wandering around for what feels like hours, refusing help because that’s what we automatically do. You have come a long way!
[Reply]
Question – how do you keep your knives sharp? I’ve read you should always take good quality knives to a professional sharpener – is that true? Or do you have a knife sharpener you use at home? Is there a place people can go to learn more about this?
Great post! Thanks!
[Reply]
Emily, I do not know if you read comments written on old posts but honest to God, we could not have a more similar story (except I am still in the absolutely CAN NOT cook phase)! My husband as been the primary chef in the house since we started dating and I would always sit on the counter, chit chat and sip on wine (and was always in charge of dish duty ugh). Once I decided to cut meat out of my diet I had to start fiddling around with fun vegetarian recipes, which is when I first started your blog. Your bean story made me laugh because I have a similar story. I was trying to make your butternut squash and black bean enchiladas. I had bought some bulk beans at Earth Fare (love) and was trying to go the healthy route by not using canned beans. I soaked them all night like my mom said but then only cooked them for the time allotted in your recipe. Lets just say we had a crunchy dinner like your red bean incident and my husband choked both enchiladas down, I started spitting my raw beans out. Ok, so I am still learning what different ingredients are and how in the heck to prepare foods and it is often frustrating but your story gave me hope. Thank you once again for your post, it is really changing my life for the better. And by the way, Cullen is one of the cutest babies I have ever seen.
[Reply]
[...] P.S. I feel compelled to beg you to read this awesome post from Emily Malone of Daily Garnish: Most Important Kitchen Tool [...]
Growing up, my parents were great cooks and I was the designated dishwasher. When I got married, my husband was also a great cook. All of which to say, there was never a “need” for me to learn to cook as I was surrounded by far better “experts”. Whenever I tried my hand in the kitchen, it was an exercise in frustration. I felt like I just didn’t have the knack for it. Even to this day, how does one ruin a 3-4 ingredients recipe? Well, I’ll find a way to do so. The biggest difference now is that I don’t give up. And yes, some days, the results, while not completely inedible, are so unappealing that I just have to throw it out. While I don’t exactly have the Confidence part down yet, at least I have the Motivation. Thank you for the continuing inspiration that your blog, recipes and writing provide!
[Reply]
Leave a comment