Course 1: The Basics

Ok, the first course is about the basics. The first portion of Course 1 goes over kitchen basics - what you need, how to organize, etc. This of course prompted me to go on a cleaning/organizing marathon and really tackle the kitchen. I organized all my equipment - I got rid of all the crappy pots and pans I have, organized the numerous spatulas and the spoons, moved stuff on the counter-top around so I had more space. I tackled the spices as well (definitely have a bunch of duplicates), collected all my baking supplies and basically took apart the kitchen. The result - a completely organized, clean, easy-to-use kitchen! I am definitely running low counter space and storage (I do have an apartment kitchen, so its small anyway. However, it is so much better than the apartment I lived in last, which could hardly be called a kitchen). Therefore, while I would love to invest in some additional pots and pans (like a big stock pot and maybe a few more sauté pans), I realized I need to reign myself in. I did however make a trip to a local TJMax store, and get a bunch of small items to help me organize and add to my collection of kitchen equipment (like a meat tenderizer!). I think I am stocked-up enough on those items to handle pretty much anything, however, I will have to see as I move forward with more recipes and see if I am missing any major items. Next step is to actually start cooking!>  

The Project: Top Chef University

As I may have mentioned in my previous post, I have decided to undertake a project (or my new years resolution) to *really* learn how to cook. I have thought about a variety of different options to accomplish this task, such as to take a cooking class. I did some research and found a very good cooking school near my apartment. It overs a variety of recreational cooking classes - from a couple of hours, to three three-hour sessions of the basics, to a weekend 101 class. However, the classes are not cheap. This was on the top of my list, however, I was doing some research and found a look to the Top Chef University website. Basically, its an online cooking school - it has videos (by former Top Chef contestants) that walk you through the basics and more advanced recipes. It includes recipes, instructions, and all sorts of interesting information. Ok, this looked very cool and very me - I can work at my own pace, I don't have to go somewhere to take the class (which is good considering how busy I am at work), I can cook what I want and don't have to cook what I might not like (a perfect example of me being a picky eater). To top it off, I found a Groupon for it (75% off!!), so I used my Xmas present from the Grandparents and bought it!

Therefore, the project: Completed Top Chef University (within a year). I think a year is more than enough time to work my way through the 12 courses and really practice my skills (plus the Groupon was for a 1 year membership).

While the boyfriend's new years resolution might be to try to get in shape and eat better, my thought process is this -- I want to eat less crappy food (such as junk food, pizza, chipotle, etc.) but that doesn't necessarily mean I have to bland, boring food. Rather, I want to eat food I can really appreciate - with good flavor,  fresh ingredients, classic combinations - overall, just good food.  I learned in my family that food is important - making food, eating food, was an important part of my family (even when I was a picky eater).  I think good, decent, food is much better than either junk food or bland, supposedly "healthy" food. I want to use olive oil and butter in my cooking - but I want to be able to appreciate the food while also eating healthy. Thus, I will undertake this endeavor to really learn how to create good, and healthy, food.

The Background: My (non-existent) experience cooking

I have always been a picky eater. My childhood staples were pasta, bread, carrots (the only vegetable I consented to eating voluntarily), more bread, and chicken. It wasn't because I didn't have options - my Dad was an excellent cook (I mean excellent), who is fabulous at making both simple yet delicious meals as well as complex (often south-east asian inspired meals). I wasn't too interested in learning to cook when I lived at home because my Dad made amazing food every time (note - my mother doesn't cook, we don't let her in the kitchen except to bake). I could boil water and make pasta, but that was about it. 

When I went off to college, I ate the crap college food (cafeteria food, pizza, instant mac and cheese) and didn't have much interest in cooking. However, my sophomore year I went abroad and had to fend for myself for the first time - no Dad to cook amazing meals, no cafeteria or cheap and easy places to pick up a meal on the way to class. I was in London, where there is an emphasis of fresh food, and which was cheaper than anything processed (which was not cheap at all given the exchange rate at the time). This was my first time really having to cook consistently for myself. Not only that, I had to cook in the smallest kitchen known to man, sharing it with at least 30 other students. It had two pans, two pots and three utensils. That's it. My goal was to cook the food as quickly as possible (since it was always crowded), which pretty much means all I did was burn the food. 

The next few years I improved my skills in the kitchen and mastered the basics. I would make chicken, stir-frys, pesto sauce, and that's about as adventurous as I got. I finally got a kitchen I could actually cook in, with some counter space and storage. I got myself a food processor, a good-quality chef's knife, a crock-pot, a kitchen-aid (pink!!), and a couple of decent pots. I played around with come recipes, made some good and some-so-good food. However, I decided that I really wanted to take it to the next level. Thus, my project: learn to cook properly. More on that later.