Anyone can be a cook

If you are an avid cook or baker and make food for others to enjoy, you often hear someone say “I wish I could cook but I just don’t have a knack for it” or words to that effect. When this happens I am often at a loss for what to say. The next time it comes up in conversation I will be better armed, however, thanks to Diana Henry. She has written a lovely column in the Telegraph explaining why absolutely anyone can learn to be a cook. 

Henry relates the fear that some people have for cooking to the hesitation she had when learning to use a computer. She had to be encouraged and helped in the beginning, but once she saw how beneficial using email and other software could be, she embraced it and understands that it makes her life that much easier. 

For her, it’s the same with cooking. Learn a few basic skills, and you can be set for a lifetime of good eating. Once you master a simple dish like roasting a chicken with potatoes and onions, for example, you can riff off that and swap in sweet potatoes and cherry tomatoes, play around with the herbs and spices, and create something new yet delicious without going too far from your comfort zone. 

And when you master one dish, you can expand your repertoire, says Henry. “Every time you make these dishes it’ll get easier. Then, bit by bit, you can add new dishes. Not only will you be able 
to feed yourself better, you’ll also experience the pleasure of feeding your friends.” And then when they say they can’t cook, you can point them in the right direction too.