I have to admit, when I received a review copy of The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn and flipped through it, I was a little disappointed. It was not the book I expected it to be.
And yet, when I sat down and started reading I was hooked. Possibly because the author starts out by admitting that she stalked one woman in the grocery store. You know the one: cart full of Lunchables, boxed pasta mixes, jars of gravy, frozen waffles. I have stalked a similar woman out of sheer curiosity. What I didn’t do, though, is what the author did. Kathleen Flinn managed to strike up a conversation with this woman and ultimately discovered that she shopped the way she did because she didn’t know how to cook.
As someone who cooks from scratch pretty much daily, the idea of not knowing how to cook blows my mind, though I know there are plenty of people out there who just never learned thanks to generations of packaged foods and the demise of Home Ec classes in the schools.
A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, the author definitely knows how to cook – and cook well. Her encounter with the lady in the supermarket inspired her to share those skills with others who simply couldn’t find their way around a kitchen. With her unpretentious manner, the author convinced nine volunteers to take part in what she called her “project.”
The lessons – from knife skills to cuts of meat to spices and seasonings – are chronicled in a narrative format that introduces readers to the volunteers and their shortcomings in the kitchen and follows them as they learn to master the skills needed to cook for themselves and their families. Each chapter concludes with a recipe or two, and there are bonus recipes included in the back of the book. Unlike a lot of other narrative non-fiction books I’ve picked up, this one held my interest from beginning to end and I found myself taking mental notes about improvements I could make in my own kitchen.
This book would be a great gift for a new bride or for a young person heading out into the world, but it’s an enjoyable read even for folks who are comfortable with a skillet and grill.
I like the sound of that book. I learned some cooking from my mom and was responsible to make dinner often as a high schooler, but I really started getting into after I was married. My motive? I love food. I learned to bake when my son was diagnosed with wheat allergies, but he could eat spelt and kamut. So either I learned to bake or we did without all bread products. Now I make just about everything from scratch. My husband will never eat a store bought tortilla again. He’s too hooked on the good stuff. when I was learning to bake I loved Alton Brown’s book, “I’m just here for more food”. I still reference it. I’m always looking for ways to improve my skills. I actually have most of his books. I also have a James Beard book that I’ve skimmed. I might have to get this book.
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Funny how once you’ve “discovered” homemade bread products, it’s hard to go back to store bought!
I can relate. When I lived in SC and opened my first cooking school it would blow my mind at the questions some of the class participants would ask….I mean, some of the questions were so basic that I could not believe everyone wouldn’t know the answer!…and Kris, this was back in early 1980….when Home Ec was still being taught in some schools and I know that due to the age of the class participants, they ALL were exposed to Home Ec courses….;-)
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Well, I for one did not learn how to do any cooking at home or at school (I did have home ec for one quarter in 7th grade) unless it involved microwaving something. I wish someone would have taught me how to cook. I am learning as I go, but I do notice that I am nervous to try a lot of new cooking. I am glad I have the internet, because I can learn step by step, which is very helpful. I will definitely read this book.
I realize every day how much we save since I’m a good cook and can cook from scratch. My mom did not know how to cook. She was a career woman back in the 1930s, when that was really unusual. When she married my dad, she could only cook hard boiled eggs. That’s why my dad decided his daughter would know how to cook. The skill has really served me well throughout my life.
I’m SO picking this book up for myself! Thanks for sharing it.
This is really an informative post and I have to admit that I learned a lot from you.Yeah! I for one also did not learn how to do any cooking at home or at school unless it involved microwaving something. I wish someone would have taught me how to cook. I am learning as I go, but I do notice that I am nervous to try a lot of new cooking too.
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My mother was a good cook, but she did not cook from scratch. While she wasn’t a career woman, I think she felt all of the “convenience” of package foods was liberating her from house chores and allowing her more time to do things she LIKED to do. I also had a pathetic excuse for a home ec teacher. So, for a long time,I only cooked from packages. Since we’ve moved, I’ve learned to cook from scratch, because, well, we cannot even go out that often here. I have a friend who cooks only from scratch. When she tried to use a boxed cake mix, she ruined it! Interesting on the book, I’m going to look into it. At 47 and married for 25 years, I still have a lot to learn.
When I was first married I relied on those boxed foods. Not because I didn’t know how to cook – I did – but because they were cheap and fast. Something newlyweds on a budget could really appreciate. Now I cringe to think about it.
I never understood the not knowing how to cook thing until I realized that if your mom (or whoever raised you) didn’t know how to cook, you likely do not know how. Sounds like a great book for those who need a little help
NoPotCoooking recently posted..Tilapia Florentine
This sounds great. It also sounds like a good book to have on hand to teach older children the basics of cooking!
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I like the angle she starts with–grocery store stalking, so fun. I’m going to have to look for this book, thanks for the heads up.
MyKidsEatSquid recently posted..Savory apple pizzas
I’m reading this post and its comments feeling embarrassed, since I know so little about cooking. I think for the generation of women like me who came of age during the feminist movement, cooking was considered too sex-stereotyped — so we avoided it. And went to law school. Who knew you could do both?
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I am a confident cook, and always interested to see how others teach. this sounds like an interesting book, Kris. thanks for the heads up. maybe she’ll do a next step version — that would be interesting too I’ll bet.
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I took half a semester of Home Ec but my Mom’s idea of cooking was making Kraft Mac & Cheese or defrosting hot dogs. Since then, I’ve learned my way around the kitchen a bit better thanks to cooking magazines and friends who love to cook. This sounds like an interesting read!
This sounds like a terrific book for learning the basics of cooking. I could have used it years ago when I was I’ll-equipped by my mother to find my way around a kitchen.
I can’t wait to read this. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
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I think it was in Fast Food Nation or Omnivore’s Dilemma or something of that like where the author discusses shopping only around the inside perimeter of the store. Produce, fresh foods, dairy…because what is on the interior aisles is all processed, as a general rule.
I was curious what the concept was behind this book. Thanks for the insights.
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[...] the basics, The Kitchen Counter Cooking School is an excellent introduction to becoming adept at putting good food on the table. Image: Adams [...]
[...] 3. I was happy to read that Pack of Hungry Snails is making the foray into cooking from scratch courtesy of The Kitchen Counter Cooking School. [...]