Iron (Pyrite) Chef

If you read the Thanksgiving post, you may be wondering how I made it this far in life with little cooking experience.  Maybe your thoughts didn't go that far but I'll illuminate you anyway.

I did help my Mom in the kitchen as a kid.  It wasn't much but at Christmas I would help decorate the cookies.  I learned how to make scrambled eggs and pop popcorn on the stove.  Yes, before there were microwaves we would make popcorn in a pan on the stove.  Beyond that, Mom took care of the rest.

I went off to college.  Two words - meal plan.  There was always food available and I would keep heat and eat type things in my room.  The dorm had a full kitchen but I had no clue what to do with it.  During my last year in the dorms, I paid a guy down the hall to buy groceries and make dinner.  He got to eat for free and I had to clean up afterwards.  It was a great deal.  He treated me to cornish game hens.

My final year, I moved out of the dorms and in with a friend.  He had more cooking ability than I but we still ate prepared meals that required little real cooking.  My grocery shopping didn't include actual ingredients.

I started dating the girl I would eventually marry.  She happened to be a gourmet cook and would bring over her own supplies.  This is when I was first introduced to heavy cream.  I put on 35 pounds from her meals.  Those who knew me at the time would agree I needed the extra weight.  A 31 inch waist on my 6 foot height will give you some idea.  Her cooking was one of the reasons I married her.

When the marriage ended, I was back to eating prepared food.  The small apartment I moved to did not have a full kitchen but I did my best.  I started with chili and meat loaf.  I learned to make bacon and pancakes.  This came in especially handy for those mornings I didn't wake up alone.  I still wasn't really cooking.

She who shall not be named came along and we would eat at restaurants mostly.  Moving in together didn't change much.  She wasn't much of a cook either.  The quality of prepared meals has gotten better but these still aren't very good for you.

Back to me!  Chili is back on the menu now that I'm single but I was told it needs to be made with fresh ingredients.  I was amazed at the taste difference using real vegetables and pieces of beef rather than ground.

So I'm on my way to being a real cook.  I just slow roasted a salmon steak and it turned out great.  Pulled pork is next.  Yes, I'm bragging.