YES!
I was once told that anyone who could read, could cook!
OK, if they follow the steps in the recipe they should be able to produce a decent meal, but it takes time and experience to learn about texture, taste, aroma and presentation!
I have male friends who confide that their wives will not allow them in their kitchens!
My late father was a typical Irish husband of his time, he never set foot in the kitchen. His head might appear round the door to enquire “What time will the dinner be ready?”, but he never offered to help.
When I got married, it was rather a shock to find Jack at my elbow when I was preparing a meal. Did he not trust my cooking skills? Did he think that I would kill him off? No!
One day while preparing a chicken for roasting, he stood silent, intently watching my every move. I asked if he was worried that I might poison him, but he assured me that he was there to learn. In his time as a widower, he had a limited number of dishes in his repertoire, but never bought a chicken. It was thirty six years ago, long before chicken portions or goujons, and he did not know what needed to be removed or left in the chicken cavity before cooking.
As I put a prepared meal in the oven one day, Jack turned and said to me, “I think I now know how to do that recipe, so next time we are having that dish, I’ll make it!”
He did. With time his culinary skills increased and he often offered to make our meals!
He had one rule: If I prepared and cooked the meal, he cleared up after it! In fact on most days he had the preparation dishes washed and away before we sat to the table! He was my dishwasher – fast, portable, no need for electricity, and his whistling was tuneful!
Some of the best cooks I know ARE MEN.
Padmini from This and That, There and Here, asked the question: Can men cook daily meals? I know all the male members of the Loose Bloggers Consortium can cook, but have yet to enjoy a meal at their tables. Now there is an idea… A tour of all the LBCer’s kitchens…. While I dream about that, why not join me on my weekly jaunt to see what delicious tidbits they have on offer for us to share this week.