Do you NOT know how to cook?

Page 1 of 3 [ 38 posts ] Go to page 1, 2, 3 Next

Joined: 4 May 2008
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,431
Location: Florida

01 Jan 2010, 4:32 pm

I was curious if other people on the spectrum SUCK at cooking. :-( The most I can do is the following

1) stove/pot (noodles or whatever)

2) Stove (put it in a pan pop in the oven cook X amount of time done)

3) Microwave

I can't even cook a Grilled Cheese RIGHT! Also Just the last weekend I made muffins and screwed them up. :-( I'm HOPEFULLY planning on frying up some bacon tonight (I like skillet NOT microwave like the family does it.) My mom's against it since I can't even do a Grilled Cheese Sandwich I'M GOING ON 24 FOR GOD SAKE!! !! !! !! !! !! !! !

Spokane_Girl

01 Jan 2010, 4:35 pm

I can cook simple things like eggs, noodles, and cake using boxed cake mix all you need is eggs, and oil and water and stir. Same as for cookies when you buy the doe and put them on the cookie sheet and cook.

dddhgg
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 Dec 2006
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,108
Location: The broom closet on the 13th floor

01 Jan 2010, 4:52 pm

I honestly don't understand why so many people (Aspies as well as NTs) have trouble cooking - apart from maybe the very beginning of the learning curve. If the recipe used is anywhere near decent, then cooking is just following a certain set of rules. Cooking is indeed very much an algorithmic activity.

_________________
Dabey müssen wir nichts seyn, sondern alles werden wollen, und besonders nicht öffter stille stehen und ruhen, als die Nothdurfft eines müden Geistes und Körpers erfordert. - Goethe

Captain_Kirk
Blue Jay

Joined: 19 Dec 2009
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Posts: 83

01 Jan 2010, 5:00 pm

The first time I cooked, I made macaroni and cheese. And the noodles turned gray. I gave up cooking for a while after that. I tried macaroni and cheese a few years later, and the noodles turned gray again :roll: People with AS sure are amazing. Now I can cook a lot better. I have this chicken I make that is excellent. So don't give up, maybe you will get it eventually.

persian85033
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 1 Jul 2009
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,869
Location: Phoenix

01 Jan 2010, 5:46 pm

I can't cook because I'm afraid to get burned. I can do things kind of like salads, etc, however, nothing that I must cook on the stove. I can't even turn tortillas. I have to use something to turn them, I can't just do it with my hands the way everyone else can. Thing is, I've never gotten burned before, so...I'm not sure where that phobia comes from. At least I think it's a phobia. Myabe it's just fear. Well, I did get burned was, but that was on my back, not on my hands or anything.

Spokane_Girl

01 Jan 2010, 5:50 pm

dddhgg wrote:

For some reason I have difficulty understanding cooking instructions but I can understand simple instructions like I can with easy cookie mix and easy cake mix and how to make cranberry salad, I just need to learn the steps.

I think me having difficulty is due to my learning difficulties so it makes it hard for me to understand cooking instructions unless they are simple.

iniudan
Sea Gull

Joined: 4 Aug 2009
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Posts: 231

01 Jan 2010, 5:55 pm

dddhgg wrote:

Would more say like chemistry activity then algorithmic cause I don't do that much calculation and lot of testing while cooking. =)

Through I do apply some algorithm from time to time. Like one that made me realize that you can replace refined sugar in every recipe by 2/3 brown sugar, 2/3 honey the quantity of refined sugar in almost every recipe, and actually improve the taste of most of them while been more healthy glucose type. =)

Odin
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 12 Oct 2006
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,475
Location: Moorhead, Minnesota, USA

01 Jan 2010, 5:58 pm

I'm a good cook and I like cooking.

_________________
My Blog: My Autistic Life

dddhgg
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 Dec 2006
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,108
Location: The broom closet on the 13th floor

01 Jan 2010, 6:01 pm

Spokane_Girl wrote:

dddhgg wrote:

You're right. Many recipes are sort of abbreviated and use all kinds of culinary jargon which often obscures rather than clarifies. But once you get the hang of the words used, most recipes aren't all that difficult. You've just given me a great idea for a cooking thread.

iniudan
Sea Gull

Joined: 4 Aug 2009
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Posts: 231

01 Jan 2010, 6:04 pm

persian85033 wrote:

I suggest finding some kind of heat insulated glove that still leave room for some dexterity. Think you might find in specialized store some kind of silicone glove that could do the trick. Might help just enough to be able to do the task. =)

Me has example I use latex glove to do the dishes for I hated the feel of dirty water and thing floating in it on my hand. No idea how long I could let the dishes accumulate, before I was forced to do it, before I get them.

Last edited by iniudan on 01 Jan 2010, 6:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

dddhgg
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 Dec 2006
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,108
Location: The broom closet on the 13th floor

01 Jan 2010, 6:06 pm

iniudan wrote:

dddhgg wrote:

From Wikipedia: "An algorithm is an effective method for solving a problem using a finite sequence of instructions." Problem in the case of cooking: turning the input (ingredients) into the desired output (the meal one wishes to prepare).

iniudan
Sea Gull

Joined: 4 Aug 2009
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Posts: 231

01 Jan 2010, 6:21 pm

dddhgg wrote:

using a finite sequence of instructions.

And that why I said chemistry for I can go without instruction and test out stuff. Thus no sequence of instruction, thus no algorithm. =p

For example one time I made a rice on the fly, the thing tasted very good with the spice and other thing I mixed but let's just say no one else would have eaten it, cause the color was just plain awful. The rice and the cooking water were between, in RBG, (193, 154, 107) and (160, 120, 90).

Bataar
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 18 Sep 2008
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,846
Location: Post Falls, ID

01 Jan 2010, 6:31 pm

Odin wrote:

I'm a good cook and I like cooking.

Same here. It's actually one of my Aspie interests. I just wish I could make a career out of it. But because of my increased sensitivities, I can't wear the type of attire required to be a professional cook/chef. Also, I'm sensitive to heat and can't be in a hot kitchen that long. Also, standing for that long makes my feet hurt really bad.

Spazzergasm
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 15 Sep 2009
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Posts: 4,415
Location: Maine

01 Jan 2010, 6:56 pm

persian85033 wrote:

I can't cook because I'm afraid to get burned. I can do things kind of like salads, etc, however, nothing that I must cook on the stove. I can't even turn tortillas. I have to use something to turn them, I can't just do it with my hands the way everyone else can. Thing is, I've never gotten burned before, so...I'm not sure where that phobia comes from. At least I think it's a phobia. Myabe it's just fear. Well, I did get burned was, but that was on my back, not on my hands or anything.

THAT is where it comes from