Learning to Cook

I have always been fascinated with food. Yes, I love eating, but that's not all that interests me about food. I like to find out where food comes from, how it is made, and how I could recreate a recipe, or use a food product to create something of my own in the kitchen. I could spend hours browsing through food blogs and recipe sites or reading cookbooks. There is nearly always a cookbook on my bedside table.

I started cooking when I was maybe eight or nine. When I say cooking, I mean of course trying out simple recipes from children's cookbooks.

This was the first cookbook my sisters and I owned.



We got it when I was about eight and I still have it. It is full of fun, easy to make recipes and colourful step by step illustrations. The first recipe we tried from it was this: Coconut Ice.

I remember having made this a few times. And particularly remember how we needed to vigorously stir the pan of sugar, milk and coconut mixture to stop it from burning. I remember how the sugary coconut stuck to the sides of the pan and hardened, making washing up later a nightmare.

I haven't made Coconut Ice since then, but today I helped Em make it. Rather than have a white and pink layer, we decided to go for all-pink squares.

A concoction of sugar, milk and coconut spells disaster health-wise, and takes me further and further away from my weight loss plans (it has remained only a plan - can't seem to actually get started on it!). But what the hell - the sweet, chewy squares were just so good.

I like the fact that Em is able to learn to cook using the same book I used when I was learning. Em says this is what she wants to try next: Knicker-bocker Glory. I always used to think it was such a funny name, but had never made it. Basically it is fruit, cream, ice cream and jelly layered into tall glasses. Another not so heart-friendly recipe!