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quiviran

Assistant Cook
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
6
Hello all. Just a few words of introduction.

I'm here to learn. This site was suggested to me by my son as we were discussing silicone bake-ware. I'll be posting my questions on that in the cookware thread later.

I am a retired engineer and I have always prepared much of our families food. Being an engineer, there was always a tendency toward the chemistry experiment school of food preparation (follow recipes exactly, no variation possible) and, while I was still working, speed of preparation (a can of mushroom soup is a great base for a sauce, isn't it?) was important.

Now I have different possibilities and interests. I live and travel full time in an RV. So I cook in a galley, but it has a three-burner propane stove, a propane oven and a microwave/convection oven. Not a bad setup, but requires some forethought when planning meals and selecting cookware, etc. I have also read The Omnivores Dilemma. While I'm not becoming a retro-hunter-gatherer, I'm working to improve what I eat. I'm at the point where I believe that Natural and Fresh foods are the things to look for, Balance in consumption is required and Simple in preparation keeps it real. Now I'm trying to put those beliefs into some meaningful practice.

I see I kind of blew the few words of introduction. This looks like a great community. I expect to read much more than I post. Like I said, I'm here to learn.

Larry
 
Hello quiviran - said like a true engineer! Welcome. Not being much of a cook myself I started by paying strict attention to recipes. Now I wander a bit, but not in baking. You will like this place.
 
Welcome to the site. I think you will find yourself posting just as much as reading. This place gets addictive :LOL:
 
welcome q.

the beauty of cooking for engineers is what i like to call the da vinci principle. it's as much art (on many levels) as it is science. one benefits and expands the other.

what kind of engineering did you used to do?
 
Electrical Engineering technologist (disguised as a telecom tech) here. I agree with Bucky. ON the engineering side, I have to know the why's and how-comes about what I cook. I have to understand the techniques to get the results I want. After the understanding comes the artistry. Once you know how and why foods react to heat and combinations of ingredients, you are free to explore the creative side of things. You will find that engineering and artistic creativity are closely linked. Both satisfy a need to make something new, and to explore new information, test new theories.

You will enjoy this site. There is more information here than one can learn in a lifetime as we have some very accomplished cooks and chefs around here, as well as some very new beginners. You appear to be in the middle of the pack. Be prepared to have fun.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
Welcome to the forum Q! Sounds like you will have a lot of fun here, we got some folks here that will truly entertain your engineering side!
 
Thanks for the welcome. I am an EE, and my career was with Boeing in Wichita, KS, mostly on defense contracts.

I agree with you buckytom. Engineers have been miscast as analytical types. We're really quite creative and just use all those numbers and formulas to convince others to go along with us.

Goodweed - I can relate. I find Alton Brown very helpful in understanding what is really going on. OBTW - I haven't tried it yet, but that pancake recipe looks great
 
Thanks for the welcome. I am an EE, and my career was with Boeing in Wichita, KS, mostly on defense contracts.

I agree with you buckytom. Engineers have been miscast as analytical types. We're really quite creative and just use all those numbers and formulas to convince others to go along with us.

Goodweed - I can relate. I find Alton Brown very helpful in understanding what is really going on. OBTW - I haven't tried it yet, but that pancake recipe looks great

I'm looking forward to your critique. Oh, and by the way, I just love to dispell the old wive's tales of how to make things. I have done a lot of experimentation to get to my skill-level. And there are those on this site who could put me in my place, as far as creativity, experience, and plating go. I think we all can say that. We are all learning here. That's half-the-fun.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
Welcome, Q. I was an English teacher, but I still liked to know why something worked. Starting here and reading and learning, I finally understand why bread rises and how to avoid some of my earlier problems. Now when I get creative, I am less likely to have to apologize.

Enjoy, whatever you like to cook, someone else will love to hear about it, here. Your life sounds most enjoyable right now.
 
Q-remind me to show you how to do that cream of mushroom thing with heavy cream, sherry, and mushrooms. It takes about five minutes longer and tastes ten times better. You'd like a lot of our family's old recipes even better if you tried them that way.
 

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