Learning to Cook

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Best thing that ever happened to me. I discovered that I actually have a passion for something: cooking. I’ve always been the kind of person interested in everything but no one thing in particular. Trying to control my diet led me to cooking. Learning to cook led to an obsession. In fact, I’m getting married soon – May 28 – and I think I enjoyed registering more than she did. I went nuts in the kitchen section.

Before learning to cook, this would have been too difficult for me.
Photo by Icons8 team on Unsplash

However, having a passion for cooking doesn’t mean I do it well. While I don’t think I’m bad, my skills are still on the beginner’s side. My fiancée loves everything I cook…ok the one time I broiled steaks was a very notable exception. However, I have high standards for myself. It’s not I want to be able to cook some crazy dish that the food network stars make; I want to be able to look in my pantry, fridge, and freezer and make something I haven’t made before because I think it will be good. This is a slow, fun, and sometimes painful process.

Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything was a perfect present at a perfect time. Bittman’s book reads as if he is speaking the instructions to you in conversational manner. I’m going to buy the iPad app soon. Having a farmer’s market within 3 miles of my house is also a wonderful asset. Those two things, plus a supportive partner (who doesn’t mind cleaning up my mess since she doesn’t have to cook) allows me to really enjoy this new adventure. Also, I live 20 minutes away from New Orleans. And, I love New Orleans. Sure, it has it’s problems, and they are major, scary problems. But if you love New Orleans, she will love you back, eventually. I love the food of New Orleans. I love that a meal in New Orleans is both totally about the food and totally not about it.

My new year’s resolution was to cook more. By cooking more I know I will become healthier since I know exactly what I’m eating and where it comes from. My other resolution is to keep track of my cooking and dining experiences.

Cooking: Stuffed Shells

Cristina is a first generation Italian-American. I've been to Italy. Cristina has asked me to make stuffed shells for her for some time. She knows I love to cook and has confidence in my abilities. Yet, I get nervous anytime I cook Italian food, especially since her dad was an…

March 2, 2012

Cooking: Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything

I taught graphic design to high school students for years. In that class, I teach that you judge a book by its cover. Ok, if you are in high school you judge a book by its size first then its cover. When I first started to get into cooking, a…

January 14, 2013

Cooking: How Cooking Benefits Us

Yesterday, in the Sunday Review of the New York Times, Mark Bittman wrote an Op-Ed piece on how junk food is not actually cheaper than regular food (if you want to read it, go ahead, we’ll be here when you get back). He talks about how families can really cook…

September 26, 2011

Kurt Hargis

I'm a husband to a woman who is nerdier than I am, and a father to a near perfect child. I am one of the main authors for this website, plus I handle most of the technical aspects (web design, editing podcasts, and videos, etc.) During the day, I'm a Computer Science and African American Studies Teacher. Most of my free time I'm listening to music or podcasts and watching soccer. I love Star Wars and Star Trek equally. I'm a horrible gamer yet I game. You can reach me at nolanerdcouple@gmail.com