Because we all need to eat...

One of the problems with the Food Network is that the “how to cook” shows are too advanced for the average person.

This is not because the shows are that advanced. It’s because the average person lacks the skill required. People just are not learning to cook like they used to. Parents are too busy to teach their kids to cook, and Home Economics class is seen as, well, let’s just say it’s unpopular since the second generation of feminists. In short, a lot of people simply aren’t learning to cook like they used to.

This means that you have bachelors that are having to learn to cook completely by accident. That first year you keep hearing about where the wife burns more than her fair share of dinners? It’s now lasting longer than that year. People are learning a few basic dishes and then giving up because a cookbook has too many terms that they simply can’t figure out. You have other terms, such as “blackened” that have become running jokes .  In short, people need to learn how to cook.

This blog and the associated podcast is meant to help people to learn the basics. After a few of these blogs, you should be able to learn the basics, and probably a bit more. You may even be ready for the Food Network’s shows. Fair warning: The first few entries are going to be boring. I’m going to show you what you need to start a kitchen in terms of utensils, and then basic supplies. Once that is done, we start with a few basic meals, and then we start in earnest.

This is not your standard cooking blog. I’m not going to teach you how to cook every meal from scratch; expect a lot of meals that use boxed meals, such as ramen, noodle and cheese dinners, even Hamburger Helper. This is not for a healthy, vegetarian diet; health tips will be given, no doubt, but expect to see a lot of bacon and Spam. Make no mistake: You will learn a lot about cooking. But it’s not always going to be “healthy” as some would define, and I’m going to do a lot of stuff you were no doubt told not to do. But you will learn to cook. I can only hope you will enjoy the lesson.

In case you’re curious about my credentials, I have experience working in several South Dakota steakhouses. I’m also the guy who can walk into a kitchen and make something edible out of just about anything. Trust me; it’s easier than you think.

So…Let’s have some fun learning the basics. After all, we all have to eat; may as well as have some fun learning.