[This is in the game forum is because cooking will get you laid. Cooking builds comfort, it generates attraction, saves you money on dates, and gets girls into your place. Oh, and it keeps you healthy and buff.]
I saw an article last week on ROK about the benefits of cooking. I don't think anyone disagrees with that. But how does someone become a decent chef without taking all kinds of stupid classes, reading cookbooks, buying all kinds of crazy equipment, etc.?
In years past, I had no idea how to cook. I'd get a cookbook, wouldn't have like 90% of the ingredients, and everything I tried to make just came as a hot ball of mixed stuff anyway. Then I'd just say "screw it", this is too complicated, and get something from the store. The most I could do at home was scrambled eggs or a steak on the Foreman grill. Learning to cook seemed like too big an investment, and too big a challenge to waste time with. Plus, I go out all the time, I'm single, and everything I buy would just go bad in my fridge. Cooking seemed like something people with families do, or people go to culinary school for.
That all changed a few years ago when I actually took the time to learn how to cook....
Before we begin, here are some realities:
- Cooking is not hard. Anyone can do it.
- Cooking is not feminine. It's science. It's self reliance.
- I cook for myself, but sometimes I make enough for two. Never to "impress" women. Women have said on many occasions that they find watching me work in the kitchen is sexy.
- You do not need a bunch of exotic ingredients on hand all the time. The best meals you make will often have like 4 ingredients, simply cooked at the appropriate temperature. When in doubt, omit.
- You do not need a bunch of equipment other than some cast iron cookware and a knife. Total investment is like $200 at the most.
- You do not need to know how to cook a bunch of random fancy crazy dishes. (I have no idea how to bake a cake, because I don't eat cake, and I have no reason to make one).
- Becoming a good cook is not a big time investment. Total time to go from a total n00b in the kitchen to "damn that was tasty!" is like two months.
All a playboy really needs to do is know how to turn meats and veggies into meals that taste good and look cool.
Step 1: Read this book - The 4 Hour Chef by Tim Ferriss.
http://www.amazon.com/The-4-Hour-Chef-Le...0547884591
I'm not a Tim Ferriss junkie or anything. 4 Hour Workweek was fun but not applicable to my profession. 4 Hour Body was interesting, but overlooks the actual commitment required to be in shape (there is no such thing as a 4 hour body).
However, 4 Hour Chef is the most practical guide on cooking I've ever read. It's not a cookbook with recipes (though it has some in there), it's a "greatest hits of stuff you can do to cook well with a minimal investment."
It's perfect for bachelors, and all the recipes in there are low carb. This is a book that changed my life.
If you read the book and do all the meals, you'll be a pretty damn fine cook within a month or two. I give this book out to all my playboy friends.
Read it. Do the meals. Post them on social media. Get bangs.
Step 2: The stuff you will need.
My equipment -
- Stove (electric is easier than gas)
- Cast iron skillet and dutch oven (can be bought from Cabelas.com for $40 - get one that doubles as a skillet and dutch oven to save space and money. You can also use a non-stick skillet, but I prefer cast iron).
- Pot with a steamer (not entirely necessary, but fun)
- A good knife (Wusthof 4183-7 Wusthof Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife)
- Cheapo cutting boards from Ikea (I have a red one for meat, and a green one for veggies).
- Rags
Step 3: Stuff I keep on hand that keeps, and go through regularly
- Tamari sauce (this is gluten free soy sauce)
- Limes (for cooking and boozing)
- Mustard (Sir Kensington)
- White wine or sherry vinegar
- Onions
- Rooster sauce
- Butter (Kerrygold or Finlandia - do not use shit butter)
- Lard (MUST be organic, if you don't have access to organic lard, avoid. The stuff in supermarkets tastes like chemicals. The real stuff makes everything delicious).
- Ginger
- Coconut oil (Ferriss suggests using grape seed oil for cooking. DO NOT USE GRAPE SEED OIL. It tastes like shit, even though it has a good smoke point. Lard, butter, and extra virgin coconut oil are way better and make everything taste good).
- Olive oil (not for cooking. For salads only. Use good stuff, not cheap stuff).
- Chicken breasts
- Steak, ground beef
- Stock (use chicken stock for chicken dishes, beef stock for beef dishes.)
- Eggs (eggs are healthy, delicious, and extremely versatile)
- Veggies (since it's fall, I do a lot of hearty soups - beets, carrots, leeks, mushrooms, peppers, etc). Just don't go nuts here because if you're a bachelor all this stuff goes bad.
- Fish sauce (smells awful, tastes delicious)
- Avocado and/or guacamole
- Garlic (I get the stuff that's already diced up, and then bottled in water. Garlic keeps for a long time).
Step 4: Basic spices to keep on hand
- Black pepper from a grinder
- Sea salt from a grinder (salt is good for you, don't believe the bullshit. And it makes stuff taste good).
- Cayenne pepper
- Chili pepper
- Garlic pepper (if you don't have real garlic)
- Taragon (only tastes good on eggs)
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Montreal steak seasoning (makes all meat products taste good)
- Curry (if you like curry)
- Freeze dried chives
- Paprika (Hungarian food, holla)
Step 5: Basic principles
- Chili + lime always taste good. For Mexican stuff. (for example, throw ground beef in the oven, season it with chili and lime, and then wrap it in lettuce. Hot sauce and guacamole. Bam, low carb Mexican.)
- Garlic + butter + vinegar always tastes good. For French stuff.
- Tamari + oil + ginger always tastes good. For Asian stuff.
- Meat + cinnamon (i.e. cinnamon bacon) always tastes good
- Paprika + meat + tomatoes + onion = gulash
- Thyme tastes good on red meat
- Mustard makes an excellent dip for anything, particularly stuff cooked in garlic and butter
- When in doubt, bake it at 350. Chicken, bacon, etc.
- Braising, meaning cooking at a low temperature in liquid, is foolproof. You can buy really cheap cuts of meat, cook them in a slow cooker while you're at work, and come home to deliciousness. Throw in some veggies for a soup.
- Grilling vegetables (meaning in your skillet or non-stick pan) in lard, garlic and butter makes them taste good.
- When cooking thick steaks, sear them on the outside for a minute and then bake them at a low temperature (225). You'll have a little bit of crunch, but it will be nice and red in the middle.
- Eggs are awesome. The problem is most people (a) don't bring them to room temperature before cooking; and (b) cook them on too high a heat. Run your eggs under warm water before throwing them in a pan, and then cook them on a low heat.
- For bangs, keep the lights low, and red wine flowing. Play some music. Enjoy yourself and make conversation.
Step 6: Protips for Max Bangs
- I drink a lot of wine, so boxed wine is my go to. If you have a lady over, put cheap wine in a decanter and she'll think it's expensive stuff. Boxed wine actually tastes really good, and even better when decanted.
- Presentation is key. Putting a few pieces of arugula on top of something makes it look fancy. Stacking stuff makes it look fancy.
- Get square plates. They look cooler. Also get a few tiny round bowls for dipping sauces. This tremendously ups the presentation.
- If you make Asian food, have some good chopsticks on hand. It's like $5 for the good ones. (Asians do exceptional food presentation generally).
- Salad in a big bowl prior to the main dish makes it like you're in a restaurant. Salad is just arugula, light olive oil, light white wine vinegar, cherry tomatoes, and avocado if you're feeling fancy. Maybe some pepper on top.
If you guys like this post, I'll do a few recipes, with pictures. But I feel kind of gay exchanging recipes on the RVF.
I saw an article last week on ROK about the benefits of cooking. I don't think anyone disagrees with that. But how does someone become a decent chef without taking all kinds of stupid classes, reading cookbooks, buying all kinds of crazy equipment, etc.?
In years past, I had no idea how to cook. I'd get a cookbook, wouldn't have like 90% of the ingredients, and everything I tried to make just came as a hot ball of mixed stuff anyway. Then I'd just say "screw it", this is too complicated, and get something from the store. The most I could do at home was scrambled eggs or a steak on the Foreman grill. Learning to cook seemed like too big an investment, and too big a challenge to waste time with. Plus, I go out all the time, I'm single, and everything I buy would just go bad in my fridge. Cooking seemed like something people with families do, or people go to culinary school for.
That all changed a few years ago when I actually took the time to learn how to cook....
Before we begin, here are some realities:
- Cooking is not hard. Anyone can do it.
- Cooking is not feminine. It's science. It's self reliance.
- I cook for myself, but sometimes I make enough for two. Never to "impress" women. Women have said on many occasions that they find watching me work in the kitchen is sexy.
- You do not need a bunch of exotic ingredients on hand all the time. The best meals you make will often have like 4 ingredients, simply cooked at the appropriate temperature. When in doubt, omit.
- You do not need a bunch of equipment other than some cast iron cookware and a knife. Total investment is like $200 at the most.
- You do not need to know how to cook a bunch of random fancy crazy dishes. (I have no idea how to bake a cake, because I don't eat cake, and I have no reason to make one).
- Becoming a good cook is not a big time investment. Total time to go from a total n00b in the kitchen to "damn that was tasty!" is like two months.
All a playboy really needs to do is know how to turn meats and veggies into meals that taste good and look cool.
Step 1: Read this book - The 4 Hour Chef by Tim Ferriss.
http://www.amazon.com/The-4-Hour-Chef-Le...0547884591
I'm not a Tim Ferriss junkie or anything. 4 Hour Workweek was fun but not applicable to my profession. 4 Hour Body was interesting, but overlooks the actual commitment required to be in shape (there is no such thing as a 4 hour body).
However, 4 Hour Chef is the most practical guide on cooking I've ever read. It's not a cookbook with recipes (though it has some in there), it's a "greatest hits of stuff you can do to cook well with a minimal investment."
It's perfect for bachelors, and all the recipes in there are low carb. This is a book that changed my life.
If you read the book and do all the meals, you'll be a pretty damn fine cook within a month or two. I give this book out to all my playboy friends.
Read it. Do the meals. Post them on social media. Get bangs.
Step 2: The stuff you will need.
My equipment -
- Stove (electric is easier than gas)
- Cast iron skillet and dutch oven (can be bought from Cabelas.com for $40 - get one that doubles as a skillet and dutch oven to save space and money. You can also use a non-stick skillet, but I prefer cast iron).
- Pot with a steamer (not entirely necessary, but fun)
- A good knife (Wusthof 4183-7 Wusthof Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife)
- Cheapo cutting boards from Ikea (I have a red one for meat, and a green one for veggies).
- Rags
Step 3: Stuff I keep on hand that keeps, and go through regularly
- Tamari sauce (this is gluten free soy sauce)
- Limes (for cooking and boozing)
- Mustard (Sir Kensington)
- White wine or sherry vinegar
- Onions
- Rooster sauce
- Butter (Kerrygold or Finlandia - do not use shit butter)
- Lard (MUST be organic, if you don't have access to organic lard, avoid. The stuff in supermarkets tastes like chemicals. The real stuff makes everything delicious).
- Ginger
- Coconut oil (Ferriss suggests using grape seed oil for cooking. DO NOT USE GRAPE SEED OIL. It tastes like shit, even though it has a good smoke point. Lard, butter, and extra virgin coconut oil are way better and make everything taste good).
- Olive oil (not for cooking. For salads only. Use good stuff, not cheap stuff).
- Chicken breasts
- Steak, ground beef
- Stock (use chicken stock for chicken dishes, beef stock for beef dishes.)
- Eggs (eggs are healthy, delicious, and extremely versatile)
- Veggies (since it's fall, I do a lot of hearty soups - beets, carrots, leeks, mushrooms, peppers, etc). Just don't go nuts here because if you're a bachelor all this stuff goes bad.
- Fish sauce (smells awful, tastes delicious)
- Avocado and/or guacamole
- Garlic (I get the stuff that's already diced up, and then bottled in water. Garlic keeps for a long time).
Step 4: Basic spices to keep on hand
- Black pepper from a grinder
- Sea salt from a grinder (salt is good for you, don't believe the bullshit. And it makes stuff taste good).
- Cayenne pepper
- Chili pepper
- Garlic pepper (if you don't have real garlic)
- Taragon (only tastes good on eggs)
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Montreal steak seasoning (makes all meat products taste good)
- Curry (if you like curry)
- Freeze dried chives
- Paprika (Hungarian food, holla)
Step 5: Basic principles
- Chili + lime always taste good. For Mexican stuff. (for example, throw ground beef in the oven, season it with chili and lime, and then wrap it in lettuce. Hot sauce and guacamole. Bam, low carb Mexican.)
- Garlic + butter + vinegar always tastes good. For French stuff.
- Tamari + oil + ginger always tastes good. For Asian stuff.
- Meat + cinnamon (i.e. cinnamon bacon) always tastes good
- Paprika + meat + tomatoes + onion = gulash
- Thyme tastes good on red meat
- Mustard makes an excellent dip for anything, particularly stuff cooked in garlic and butter
- When in doubt, bake it at 350. Chicken, bacon, etc.
- Braising, meaning cooking at a low temperature in liquid, is foolproof. You can buy really cheap cuts of meat, cook them in a slow cooker while you're at work, and come home to deliciousness. Throw in some veggies for a soup.
- Grilling vegetables (meaning in your skillet or non-stick pan) in lard, garlic and butter makes them taste good.
- When cooking thick steaks, sear them on the outside for a minute and then bake them at a low temperature (225). You'll have a little bit of crunch, but it will be nice and red in the middle.
- Eggs are awesome. The problem is most people (a) don't bring them to room temperature before cooking; and (b) cook them on too high a heat. Run your eggs under warm water before throwing them in a pan, and then cook them on a low heat.
- For bangs, keep the lights low, and red wine flowing. Play some music. Enjoy yourself and make conversation.
Step 6: Protips for Max Bangs
- I drink a lot of wine, so boxed wine is my go to. If you have a lady over, put cheap wine in a decanter and she'll think it's expensive stuff. Boxed wine actually tastes really good, and even better when decanted.
- Presentation is key. Putting a few pieces of arugula on top of something makes it look fancy. Stacking stuff makes it look fancy.
- Get square plates. They look cooler. Also get a few tiny round bowls for dipping sauces. This tremendously ups the presentation.
- If you make Asian food, have some good chopsticks on hand. It's like $5 for the good ones. (Asians do exceptional food presentation generally).
- Salad in a big bowl prior to the main dish makes it like you're in a restaurant. Salad is just arugula, light olive oil, light white wine vinegar, cherry tomatoes, and avocado if you're feeling fancy. Maybe some pepper on top.
If you guys like this post, I'll do a few recipes, with pictures. But I feel kind of gay exchanging recipes on the RVF.