master chef

[katster]

So, for about a month or two now I've been responsible for making meals for the family. And the truth is, I'm starting to get really bored with it. I've proven to myself that I can make edible stuff, and I think it's time to branch out. The problem is, I don't have a clue where to go next. I can do real basic stuff, and I can follow a recipie, provided that I can get a translator for some of the far out cooking terms. (Sautee? Broil? ...okay, I guess they're not far out, but hey, I grew up in a house where high cuisine was Olive Garden, give me a break.)

Anyway, I guess, where do I go to learn some of this? In particular, I'm curious about what all those spices and things do. Also, I'm looking for something to break the routine of stuff. I get a couple nights where I'm allowed to play with new recipies the family's never tried, but they tend not to go over well. (The pea soup is an exception.)

So yeah, any help y'all could give would be wonderfully great.

Comments

[glinda-w.livejournal.com]

Go to the library and get out the 1975 Joy of Cooking (NOT the latest
version!)

seconded! That book has been my cooking bible since, um, 1975...

Another favorite, if you can find it, is the Alice's Restaurant Cookbook (ca. about 1969), with a wonderful attitude of "just because you have four plates, six chairs, and two bowls doesn't mean you can't invite twelve guests for dinner" (quote is approximate, my copy is still buried in the storage locker).