Strengths and Weaknesses

[Selkie]

Each of us have preferences and things we avoid when it comes to cooking a particular food group or style. This thread would get pretty lengthy if we listed everything we could cook, but what I've started off with are just my strengths and weaknesses. For instance:

Strengths:
Breads - I bake some sort of bread (biscuits, dumplings, baguettes, artisan bread, tortillas, pita bread, cream puffs, johnny cakes, pizza, etc.) several times a week.

Asian - While I still consider myself a beginner, I've been cooking Asian dishes for more than 30 years.

Seafood - Because it's so easy to cook and make it look elegant during special occasions.

Weaknesses:
Desserts - I love pies and make more than a dozen each year, but cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, etc. are something I may try only once every 5 years or so.

Mexican/South West - With the exception of chili, most Mexican and South West cooking eludes me. Maybe because I'm not a spicy/chili pepper fan.

BBQ - I try, and I really like it, but in general BBQ is best made by people who have the patience to make it tender without burning it to a cinder.

What are yours?

 

[my_psychosis]

Strengths

Mexican
Italian

Weakness

Pie crust and
Omelets

I just CANT make those 2 things no matter how hard I try.

 

[Alix]

Strengths:

Pastry
Baking (with the exception of cream puffs choux escapes me)
Down home cooking
MEAT

Weaknesses:

Presentation - no patience for art on a plate
Asian food - I can stir fry but no one else is very adventurous here so no practice for me

 

[qmax]

Strengths:

Traditional European - Spanish, French, Italian are my favorite stuff
Inventive side dishes
Adventurous - Have played with about every cuisine, and where I live there is access to ton's of "unusual" ingredients, particularly Asian.

Weaknesses:

Desserts - no interest, ergo no practice.
Deep frying - probably more of an equipment issue here, got rid of a home fryer because it was just too small, as I think all the home models are. I do use a large pot on occasion, but have a hard time maintaining temp.
Doughs - don't know why, but I seem to struggle with them a bit.

 

[LPBeier]

Strengths:
-Specialty cooking (diabetes, gluten free, lactose free, vegetarian/vegan)
-Cakes (baking and decorating)
-Cookies
-Pastries (sweet and savory)
-chocolate, candy
-French, Italian and Asian cuisines
-Presentation - Alix, I love making my food look "just right" but my family just wants to eat it no matter how it looks!

Weaknesses:
-Bread outside of a machine!
-Oatmeal (I can make enough for 100 people, but not for one or two unless it is instant)
-Cooking small amounts
-Making the perfect pot roast

 

[BigAL]

Strength:
Smoker
Grill

Weakness:
Everything else

 

[mollyanne]

Strengths:
Pesto and all dishes using fresh herb
Spaghetti & Meatballs (i know, everyone thinks their's
is the best but, no, MINE is...really...no, really)
Mediterranean
Lo-Cal Chocolate Milkshake (tastes better than a regular one)
Healthy Soups
Pies
Turkey Stuffing & Gravy (ditto regarding spaghetti parenthesis...lol)
Mashed Potatoes
Vegan (for my daughter, the yoga instructor/spa esthetician)
Seafood
Grilled Cheese (made with Rosemary Bread, sharp cheddar...not processed,
EarthBalance"Butter", soy-based Nayonnaise, saltNpepper, sometimes grilled veggies)
French Toast (nothing like it on the planet)

Weaknesses:
Homemade Bread
Homemade Pasta
Homemade Icecream
Gas Grills
Green Salads (they always seem to taste better when someone else makes them...not sure why)

 

[Robo410]

strengths: roasts, sautes, braises, grill, garde manger, small plates, sides, soups

weaknesses: bread baking--need more practice and don't eat enough of it to get it, and
house too cold.
highly decorated deserts--no interest

 

[luvs]

strengths- roast beef, steak, & other meats, soups! i make a great curried carrot soup, veggie soup, fruit soup. interesting salads. my french toast/grilled cheeses get great reviews! seafood. pairing foods. presentation. making the mother sauces & others. & my curried chix salad.

weaknesses- baking! desserts, piping my duchesse taters. tournes.

 

[yourstrulyewalani]

Strengths:
-Pastas
-Muffins
-Cookies
-Cakes (Just regular ones not like wedding cakes or anything.)
-Salads

Weakness:
-Breads, I need good recipes and advice for sure. I can get the dough to rise and even taste good but consistancy and moisture are an issue. Thanks to the bread advice I received on this community I can get my dough to rise and behave like bread! It's a start. (No pun intended.)
-Asian. Love the food, can't cook it.
-Fried Rice. Always screw it up.
-Following recipes exactly. For cooking I don't always do this and sometimes I make a disaster and other times I discover something wonderful!

 

[kadesma]

Strengths:

Pastry
Baking (with the exception of cream puffs choux escapes me)
Down home cooking
MEAT

Weaknesses:

Presentation - no patience for art on a plate
Asian food - I can stir fry but no one else is very adventurous here so no practice for me

Alix,Alix,Alix, If I can make cream puffs so can you.I can't make pie crust for the life of me but cream puffs, around here that is what they ask for for special days,
kades

 

[Alix]

Oh kadesma if only I COULD! I have just given it up. mudbug tried to teach me, my Mom tried, my MIL tried. I have done it supervised and everyone agrees I'm doing everything right...they just come out like hockey pucks. *sigh*

S'OK though, I'd rather be good at making pastry.

 

[mollyanne]

Alix,Alix,Alix, If I can make cream puffs so can you.I can't make pie crust for the life of me...kades

kades,kades,kades, If I can make pie crust so can you. Here is my Grandmother's recipe that I use and it's light and flaky and perfect everytime...and easy!

Gammie's Pie Crust:

Mix with hands until crumbly:
2C flour
1/2tsp salt
3/4C Crisco

Add about 4Tbsp water and lightly squish together ONLY until dough doesn't stick to your hands...otherwise it might be tough. Roll it out on a floured board (or clean counter) with a floured rolling pin. Place it in the pie pans (one if it's deep dish or double-crust).

If doing a pie that requires a pre-cooked crust like lemon meringue then prick bottom for air holes and bake at 475 for 8-10 minutes.

Some pies like pumpkin don't require that you cook the crust first.

 

[LPBeier]

Oh kadesma if only I COULD! I have just given it up. mudbug tried to teach me, my Mom tried, my MIL tried. I have done it supervised and everyone agrees I'm doing everything right...they just come out like hockey pucks. *sigh*

S'OK though, I'd rather be good at making pastry.

Alix, Your cream puff experiences sound like my knitting. Tried many times with different teachers but could never get it......so I crochet and cook

But when I move into your neighbourhood I am going to show you fool-proof pastry and cream puff methods. If I can do it, so can you

PS In return maybe you can help me with my pot roast. Dad and DH like the frozen dinner ones (Stouffers. M&M's, etc.) better than mine!

 

[bigdaddy3k]

I can straighten out that pesky potroast problem. Do you own a crock pot?

 

[LPBeier]

I can straighten out that pesky potroast problem. Do you own a crock pot?

Yes, and that is how I have been making them for the past year but the meat is always dry. I have been using cuts called "Pot Roast", "Blade Pot Roast" and "Chuck Pot Roast". So it must be me!

So, BD can you help? Pretty Please!!

 

[babetoo]

i am very strong in baked goods, cookies,cakes, bread and so in. also strong in everyday cooking, am willing to try new dishes.make great salads with lots of interesting goodies in them that i find in store. fairly strong in pies.

no bbq skills whatsoever. just have no feel for it. ok in chinese food if i stick to stir fry. no pasta skills, why bother , the store has fresh made. i love to try things i find here.

 

[Kayelle]

What a really interesting thread, Selkie.....thanks for starting it.
I've been cooking since I was a kid, and never really thought about it before. I'm pretty good at what I like to eat......the best motivation I think.

I'm good at adapting recipes and once in a while, I think outside the box with my own idea.



No offense, Mollyanne, but it is I who makes the best spaghetti sauce ever, although I know nutten about meatballs. The meat is in my sauce, but you'd have to come over for me to teach you. I'd love that.

I don't have any interest in baking.......well, that's wrong. I don't need to eat sweets or breads or refined carbs. SOOO

Have I told you all lately how much I love this place and being a part of it??

 

[kadesma]

kades,kades,kades, If I can make pie crust so can you. Here is my Grandmother's recipe that I use and it's light and flaky and perfect everytime...and easy!

Gammie's Pie Crust:

Mix with hands until crumbly:
2C flour
1/2tsp salt
3/4C Crisco

Add about 4Tbsp water and lightly squish together ONLY until dough doesn't stick to your hands...otherwise it might be tough. Roll it out on a floured board (or clean counter) with a floured rolling pin. Place it in the pie pans (one if it's deep dish or double-crust).

If doing a pie that requires a pre-cooked crust like lemon meringue then prick bottom for air holes and bake at 475 for 8-10 minutes.

Some pies like pumpkin don't require that you cook the crust first.

Thanks youMollyanne, I'm making a copy and will give it a try this weekend. I've wanted to make pastry crust forever. I really apreciate this more than you know. Thanks again,
kades

 

[kadesma]

strengths: roasts, sautes, braises, grill, garde manger, small plates, sides, soups

weaknesses: bread baking--need more practice and don't eat enough of it to get it, and
house too cold.
highly decorated deserts--no interest

Robo, everyone assumes you need a warm room to get your bread to rise. a long cool rise will give you a bread that tastes more like sourdough and you don't have to baby sit it. I made a loaf that J. Pepin has in one of his books, it took hours to rise, but it turned out wonderful. Give it a try and see if you like a loaf that takes time to rise.
kadesma