If I spent all of this time improving my cooking skills...

[smalltown2001]

Seriously though, I spend a lot of time trying to improve my brewing skills, different techniques, buying better brewing equipment, using better ingredients, but when it comes to cooking dinner for the wife, it is pitiful. And I was thinking if I spent that time improving my cooking skills, I might come up with some tasty food. It is just funny, how I can feel pretty confident about brewing a stout that takes the majority of the day, but when it comes to trying a new dinner recipe, I am a serious newbie!!! And brewing is an extension of cooking, so you would think some skills would carry over. Anyone else have this experience?

 

[Revvy]

Nope, I have been cooking since I was 10 years old, in fact I came to brewing through my love of cooking.

Between the recipes here on hbt (including some of mine) and these two favorite sites of mine, you should be able to find a recipe or too that gets your attention and gets yo a little more excited about cooking...

Just like a great beer recipe, and great food recipe can inspire creativity.

My husband cooks

Crash Test Kitchen

Plus I have found that being a great cook has led to a few seductions and bouts of hot sex for dessert. They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but I have found that it's the way to some women's panties as well....I have dated a few women that were just turned on by watching a man confident and knowing in the kitchen.

 

[VTBrewer]

It is just funny, how I can feel pretty confident about brewing a stout that takes the majority of the day, but when it comes to trying a new dinner recipe, I am a serious newbie!!!

Does she enjoy a nice stout better than say a veal saltimbocca? If so you're golden. But you should give the saltimbocca a shot anyway.

I would surmise that you're in the minority here though. Most brewers I know are also avid cooks, myself included. I'm actually thinking about organizing a local homebrew/chili contest. Haven't met a brewer yet that doesn't have just as many chili opinions as he/she has on whether or not to secondary.

 

[smalltown2001]

Actually, the wife does not drink any beer at all, and wouldn't touch veal with a ten foot stick. I guess that means I need to give my cooking a good kick in the pants!!!

On a side note, I am an avid woodworker, and the majority of furniture that I build is for her/our house, so it all works out in the end I guess.

 

[justbrewit]

I also like to cook but lately its been all about the smoker. Instead of trying to learn to cook in the kitchen, take the learning out to the grill, you'll find that a lot of people prefer grilled foods.

 

[justflow1983]

This year I've been working part time, so I've been trying to get good at both brewing and cooking. I try something new every brew (this time it was a liquid yeast starter) and once a week I make something from the recipes here Dining & Wine - The New York Times . About half are easy to make and all have come out good.

Revvy is absolutely right about the desserts.... rarely fails, especially paired with a strong homebrew

 

[MeatyPortion]

Grill her a steak with tomatoes, onions, and pita bread. Works for my wife, anyway.

 

[niquejim]

Seriously though, I spend a lot of time trying to improve my brewing skills, different techniques, buying better brewing equipment, using better ingredients, but when it comes to cooking dinner for the wife, it is pitiful. And I was thinking if I spent that time improving my cooking skills, I might come up with some tasty food. It is just funny, how I can feel pretty confident about brewing a stout that takes the majority of the day, but when it comes to trying a new dinner recipe, I am a serious newbie!!! And brewing is an extension of cooking, so you would think some skills would carry over. Anyone else have this experience?

I also like to cook but lately its been all about the smoker. Instead of trying to learn to cook in the kitchen, take the learning out to the grill, you'll find that a lot of people prefer grilled foods.

Starting on the grill is a good first step, but getting good in the kitchen is as fun as brewing sometimes

 

[azscoob]

I feel the secret to cooking is figuring out what can be used as a substitute if you dont have or like all the ingredients for a given recipe, its this improv that makes for great meals. Think of how many of us have switched out a given grain or hops for what we had at hand, and we have made some damn fine beer!.... Now get in that kitchen and impress SWMBO with your skills!