I’m tickled at the thought of emotional involvement with pasta salad. Then I considered the things I’m most nervous to cook — mainly whole chickens — and realized I, too, am emotionally involved when I carve up and plate them. Is there anything that you cook with a certain amount of nerves?
Eclairs and cream puffs. I’m a good baker, but I have trouble with this dough. One fourth of the time it’s beautiful, half the time it is merely edible, and a quarter of the time it’s trash
I’m pretty competent about food, but making is my weak spot! Every time I bake, especially a pie, I’m on pins and needles!:I worry if my crust will be flaky, if the bottom crust will be soggy, if the apples will be sweet enough and if there will be enough of them in the pie.
Growing up, I started cooking food at an early age. Noth my mother and aunt showed me how to make things, then let me try to make them. However, when it came to baking, my aunt did that solo, no one in the kitchen but her, so I never had the chance to learn her techniques. My mother didn’t make desserts at all! She bought ice cream or something from Junior’s for a special occasion and that was it! My aunt didn’t write down any of her recipes, so it’s been trial and error, finding good dough recipes and recipes for the fillings.
I don’t cook for friends and rarely for myself so I avoid that issue. I do remember my horror at my first attempt at making fresh soup. I didn’t know what I was doing and it turned out inetable (is that a word?).
I love Cilla’s comment! I have a love affair with pasta, one of my all time favorite foods. I enjoy scenes where someone doesn’t know how to cook and faces the prospect with trepidation. The summer before my sophomore year in college, I did my first dinner party where I planned, prepared and cooked everything. My college roommate that fall had also done her first dinner party – she had it catered! 🤣 She couldn’t even boil water – go figure.
My biggest “nerve” food is fish. I am always nervous when I cook it is it going to be overdone or raw. I am one of those people that can imagine Gordon Ramsey yelling at me “you fish is F-ing RAW!”
I make a pound cake for special occasions, but esp. in the spring & serve it with fresh strawberries. It’s a family recipe that my mother used to make so very well. I love the cake & the memories, but each time I worry that I’ve overbeaten or overbaked it & it’s a bit tough. It should be very tender with a marvelous flavor. So yeah, I always worry about it. Now deviled eggs; those I make a lot but never worry about them!
Everything, outside of a few standard recipes.