Who Was Your First Cooking Teacher?

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Posted by Theresa111 • 2/02/11
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Tell us of your first few cooking experiences with that special someone showing you the ropes ... or the spoons.

Everyone has a special story and it will be such fun to hear who inspired you to cook.

1st cooking teacher, learning to cook, sharing memories

Discussion Replies

+1 vote

sugarpies (2/02/11)

Mama taught me the basics - often through osmosis it seems. Probably my biggest influence was her holiday baking and cooking when she would make hundreds of various things to give as gifts and then cater a huge family meal (often with 100 or more people). From Thanksgiving to Christmas day she was in the kitchen every minute she wasn't at work. That's where I learned to use a mixer for the very first time as I'd help her mix up things. Her fruitcakes, using a very old recipe replete with soaking in wine for days, was a favorite in our area. She had a huge bowl (I do mean huge) that she would use to mix up the batter then pour it into dozen of individual size loaf pans for baking. Some years she would clean out the local grocery store of their glaceed fruit when she not only gave them as gifts but sold them as well.

Here's a story about her later in life when she was still making her Christmas Fruitcakes: www.sugarpiesfood.com/2010/05/happy-mamas-day-mama-and-wine.html

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1. +2 votes
  
  Theresa111 (2/03/11)
  
  I LOVED that story! I like your Mama, too. She sounded so sweet. Sweet people are such a treasure and I am so happy you had her.
  
  I could just see you snapping up that bottle of port and drinking the remaining wine. I want more of your stories!
  
  They sell glaceed fruit in regular grocery stores? We used them in culinary school but I assumed they ordered them from Albert Uster Imports. I have a cool recipe from my Chef Mark you would like, for Christmas. Remind me.
2. 0 votes
  
  sugarpies (2/03/11)
  
  Here's one about Mama in New Orleans...
  
  www.sugarpiesfood.com/2009/12/mardi-gras-cake.html
  
  and a video of me telling part of the story at a local storytelling event about cooking...
  
  www.sugarpiesfood.com/2010/04/mardi-gras-cake-story.html
+2 votes

Belle (2/03/11)

My grandmother was my first teacher. I watched her, and my dad (my mom was not a cook) until I think I just osmosed it through my pores. I fried my first chicken at age 12 (me not the chicken) and never looked back. Of course, nowadays, who fries chicken? Too many calories, too much fat. Except every once in a while I'll slip out to Popeye's. Not since I got to Portland, however; I'd have to take 2 buses to get there!

[reply]
1. +2 votes
  
  Theresa111 (2/03/11)
  
  I still fry chicken and it is just the way my Daddy taught me to cook it. What else did she teach you to cook?
2. +1 vote
  
  Belle (2/03/11)
  
  Truly, I remember the style of the cooking and how it informed my own cooking and menu choices for many years. She was always a wonderful cook. She could roast a turkey, make chicken and dumplings, cook a leg of lamb, fry oysters so they'd melt in your mouth. Some of her gifts must not have been transferrable, or perhaps I was too chicken to try; I've never made ck w/dumplings, and I've never fried oysters. But boy, did I enjoy hers!
3. +2 votes
  
  Theresa111 (2/03/11)
  
  Oh boy! Oysters fried were always such a treat to me. I remember sitting with my siblings in the back of our station wagon in Miami, while our parents shopped. Daddy and mother would bring us fried Gulf shrimps and we would eat until we were full.
4. +1 vote
  
  Belle (2/03/11)
  
  They were too ashamed of you to bring you inside, right?
5. 0 votes
  
  sugarpies (2/03/11)
  
  Honey, I could live on fried chicken. We have it at least once a week although I rarely fry it since Michael prefers getting the boneless chicken in bulk at the grocery store. But I still fry fish pretty often, although I haven't done oysters in years.
  
  I just wish I could get Crawfish tails to fry. I absolutely love those!
0 votes

Theresa111 (2/05/11)

Mmm I might get some oysters and fry up a batch. thanks for the suggestion!

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0 votes

urbanideas (2/07/11)

Not quite sure but I would have to say my grandmother. She was an amazing cook very well known to make beautiful lengthy meals out of almost nothing. Well she did not believe in throwing away anything so she would re-use leftovers like no-one. Rare was the occasion the normal lunch or dinner would not be a 7 meal course. We always had to have some type of salad, soup type, fish and meat then 2 to 3 types of deserts

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1. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (2/08/11)
  
  She understood that variety is the spice of life. what a lovely way to bring her family together. You were very blessed.
0 votes

Theresa111 (2/08/11)

I took one year of home economics, in eighth grade. They did teach us some very good rules. the first recipe we made was Welsh Rarebit and then Cinnamon Buns. We loved the days we got to prepare food because we were always hungry students. I don't recall the teacher's name or face. Pity that. Oh well, I'll thank her anyway!

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0 votes

LadyGourmet (2/11/11)

My first cooking teacher was my mom. She was very patient and always set up a little station for me in the kitchen to make whatever she was making on a smaller scale. I loved that. My dad also was a wonderful cook. He too had the patience of a Saint..he would teach me how to make homemade sausage and many other things. I loved every minute of it. I always participated in the cooking process. My parents had completely different styles of cooking since they were from different parts of Italy and each region has its own version of cooking. Anyway, that is my story of how I grew to love food! I hope that I pass down the tradition.

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1. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (2/11/11)
  
  I bet you could write many stories in your upcoming cookbook Catherine. I can picture it in my mind. I have never made homemade sausage but I did finally purchase some mild Italian sausage and will use them in one of your recipes.
  
  I'm certain you have been instructing your children in the kitchen and they are going to have many memories to last and last.
0 votes

Theresa111 (3/09/11)

My Grandmother, Mama was my first teacher and I flipped my first fried egg at age 3 1/2 years. Today is my middle sister's HBDay! and here we are in this photograph. Our Daddy had taken us into Manhattan to spend the afternoon. My Daddy was a wonderful cook and he was also my cooking teacher. Anyway, I am about five months older that when I flipped that egg (without breaking it) Ha! Happy Birthday Mary!

Mary & Theresa

You know ... food is about people and families and memories. With each passing year we can look back on those times, so many of them precious moments, that we shared and recall the growing years. Food is like a glue that can make a bond between families and friends. Food is there when a loved one passes and the neighbors gather round to help restore balance. Food brings families together for reunions, and ball games, and tail-gating outside football stadiums. Imagine a baseball game without a hot dog. Food is key and it is a gift from God. We are all so very blessed by the choices we have and the friends we forge those bonds with.

Here at Half Hour Meals we might sign up as members but many, many of us end up as friends.

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