"Cooking from Scratch" - What's it mean to you?

[CWS4322]

Funny, Ya know CWS, today DH and I were driving through some the farms and orchards here in the middle of the desert
(yes we do grow stuff here too the 5 C's, citrus, cattle cotton and the other two are climate and copper)
and I said that I would really like to spend a week or so on a working farm or ranch and WORK!
DH asked me WHY?
My response, without the ranchers and farmers you'd be walking around naked and starving. I support our local farmers and ranchers, for sure!

+1 although I know how to spin, weave, knit, and sew, I don't rely on my own talents to make my own clothes. I'd be walking around naked!

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

The discussion that DH and I had on this car ride was that most folks don't know nor do they care, were their goods come from, how it got there, what's in it, just that it's there and they buy/pay for it.
I like fresh eggs from either my DF or the nice gal down the road a piece, I try to purchase organic when possible from local small farms, crafted cheeses and butter (there's loads of goats, sheep and cows 'round these parts). The beef here in the middle of the desert is amazing!
Granted, I am retired and I have that luxury of time to seek these products out, but it's now my hobby, my quest to feed us two well and as healthfully as I can afford within our fixed income.
But honestly, with all of the farmers markets all over the place on the weekends only, I see oodles of working folk shopping there.

 

[Kayelle]

Back to the subject at hand.

IMO cooking from scratch certainly doesn't mean that one is necessarily a "superior" cook, or that one ends up with a "superior" product.

 

[Addie]

Oh how I wish we had year round farmers markets.

 

[GotGarlic]

Back to the subject at hand.

IMO cooking from scratch certainly doesn't mean that one is necessarily a "superior" cook, or that one ends up with a "superior" product.

+1..

 

[GotGarlic]

Oh how I wish we had year round farmers markets.

We have the next best thing. Our farmers market is open from April till Dec. 20, and the primary farmer will deliver orders weekly through the winter to the home of the market manager for pick-up.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Back to the subject at hand.

IMO cooking from scratch certainly doesn't mean that one is necessarily a "superior" cook, or that one ends up with a "superior" product.

I agree.

It is also a modern phenomenon that people seem proud of the fact that they can cook from scratch and duplicate a processed food, just like KRAFT or some other manufacturer used to make!

 

[bakechef]

Oh how I wish we had year round farmers markets.

We do here, although during the winter months the produce isn't really local. There is still the honey vendors, bakery vendors, greenhouse/landscape vendors(since we can plant some things in the winter). The veg when though shipped in, in the winter is often cheaper than the grocery store.

Sent from my IdeaTabA2109A using Discuss Cooking mobile app

 

[Roll_Bones]

When you have over 300 tomato plants in the garden, you make tomato paste, and sundried tomatoes, and ... Some people prefer to use what they can grow in a garden and go from there. The logical reason not to use prepared products depends on a person's sensitivities to preservatives and chemicals or a person's financial situation. Not everyone can afford the luxury of buying prepared products. I can't tolerate a lot of prepared products because of the additives. Hence, I find a way to re-create the same at home from ingredients I trust with no additives.

No one is chastising you. The point is we all cannot live this life you live. To be honest, I would not want to live like you.

I disagree--it is a luxury to buy prepared products--I can do a rotisserie chicken in my oven for less that it costs to buy one already cooked at Costco.

That's not true.
Costco rotisserie chicken is $4.99.
Store bought uncooked whole chicken @$1.49LB x 3 Lbs = $4.47
Energy cost?
Time?
= more money than picking up the cooked rotisserie chicken.

While i do agree with you for most prepared items, using a Costco rotisserie chicken as an example does not work mathematically.

 

[Aunt Bea]

We all have to make choices and we all run the risk of ending up living under a bridge.

If I do end up living under a bridge I will probably continue cooking from scratch, most of the time!

 

[CWS4322]

We all have to make choices and we all run the risk of ending up living under a bridge.

If I do end up living under a bridge I will probably continue cooking from scratch, most of the time!

+1 Very true. I probably would end up living in my car before I'd live under a bridge, and the two dogs would help keep me warm because one of my choices would not be to give up my dogs. The girls, on the other hand, would have to go into the witness protection program so as not to end up on someone's dinner plate.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

That'll be enough of baiting each other about lifestyles.

Back the the actual topic at hand: Cooking From Scratch

 

[Addie]

I got the corned beef and Swiss cheese at the Deli and the loaf of rye bread from the store bakery. The sauerkraut is freshly made. Does that count as cooking from scratch when I make my Reuben Sandwich? After all I did have to wait for my number to be called at the deli.

 

[Dawgluver]

I got the corned beef and Swiss cheese at the Deli and the loaf of rye bread from the store bakery. The sauerkraut is freshly made. Does that count as cooking from scratch when I make my Reuben Sandwich? After all I did have to wait for my number to be called at the deli.

I would consider that cooking from scratch. No-one specified WHOSE scratch.

 

[Addie]

I would consider that cooking from scratch. No-one specified WHOSE scratch.

Thank you. Quite true. No one did specify, did they. At some point someone started from scratch to make those items. And they did a darn good job.

 

[GotGarlic]

I got the corned beef and Swiss cheese at the Deli and the loaf of rye bread from the store bakery. The sauerkraut is freshly made. Does that count as cooking from scratch when I make my Reuben Sandwich? After all I did have to wait for my number to be called at the deli.

I'd call that assembly, not cooking from scratch. I don't think everyone needs to grow (grains, fruits and veg), raise or catch (fish, poultry, meat), or ferment all their ingredients, but buying a bunch of ingredients and putting them together doesn't equal scratch-made, imo.

 

[Kayelle]

Addie, I'd say you have a "homemade" sandwich...Made from scratch, nope.

 

[Addie]

Addie, I'd say you have a "homemade" sandwich...Made from scratch, nope.

My remark was made with tongue in cheek. I should have put a there for it. But your right. It is homemade.

 

[CWS4322]

November was a tough month--but is it just me, or have DCers gotten snippy since I joined in 2011? We've lost some regular contributors...wondering if they backed off because of the snipping? DC used to be my favourite forum to check. Now I go days without checking in because I don't want to read the posts where members are sniping at one another...or maybe, it is just me, but there seem to be certain members that can be counted on to "pick" on others' posts. Probably just me. Back to finishing baking Christmas cookies so I can call it a night.

 

[Addie]

November was a tough month--but is it just me, or have DCers gotten snippy since I joined in 2011? We've lost some regular contributors...wondering if they backed off because of the snipping? DC used to be my favourite forum to check. Now I go days without checking in because I don't want to read the posts where members are sniping at one another...or maybe, it is just me, but there seem to be certain members that can be counted on to "pick" on others' posts. Probably just me. Back to finishing baking Christmas cookies so I can call it a night.

No, it is not just you. A lot of posts have been getting removed also for sniping at others. Depending on what mood I am in, I try to ignore them when it is aimed at me. But sometimes I feel like I have to defend myself against the snipers.