Recipes for success: coaching and cooking
I’m not very good at cooking – but I’m getting better.
My understanding of what prepared food was, is, and could be, was predicated on growing up in the 1970s in the UK.
Faced with overcooked vegetables, limp salads, gristle as a substitute for meat, at home and at school, I instinctively turned my attention to ‘treats’ – sweets, crisps, puddings – packed full of colourings and E numbers. Get the horrible stuff out of the way first, then get the treat. Even better, find a way to bypass the mundane offerings and head straight to the dessert!
Such an unsophisticated palate proved to be the stepping stone to ‘TV dinners’, quickly prepared in the microwave and doing the job in serving as suitable filler.
The first time I gained an insight into the versatility of cooking was when I went to college. I remember being in the kitchen with a flatmate who scanned what was in the cupboards and in the fridge, and basically ‘knocked something up’ that combined what was available. And very tasty it was too!
With the proliferation of TV chefs, and wider availability of ingredients and products, some from far away places, the prospect of interesting cooking has advanced significantly over the last 20 years.
In the spirit of the age I have attempted to be more versatile, following cookery books and making fairly decent meals, but always keeping rigidly to the instructions. Certainly the discipline and patience were important secondary skills to develop; but ultimately I haven’t gained the confidence to know when to add a bit more of ‘this’, a bit more of ‘that’ or go totally off piste.
Recently, not only have I tried to slow down my eating, but also attempted to recognise different flavours on my palate (which tends to slow down the eating process anyway).
Two years ago my brother-in-law bought me a book for Christmas entitled: ‘The Flavour Thesaurus: A Compendium of Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook’. I glanced at it, thought it was extremely interesting… and then put it on the shelf where it has been gathering dust.
But, having been coached and now being a coach, I am inspired to take it down again.
I started thinking about what would give me the confidence to be creative, to use cooking instructions as a guide rather than a rigid set of rules. I’ve realised the real learning comes from trying combinations of different flavours, using smell and taste as a guide rather than ‘reading instructions’ as the sole route to creating a good meal.
Most coaching scenarios involve a similar transition. Metaphorically, we have been taught how to boil and egg, and can read a cookbook, but need to find a way to trust our senses of taste and smell; it’s about a way of learning that does not necessarily involve preparing the perfect meal, but (on a number of levels) the most satisfying meal.
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