Am I a Good Cook?

I like to consider myself a decent cook, albeit with a touch of humility. My family, who often receive the fruits of my culinary endeavors, frequently remark that they believe I should open a restaurant. Oddly, many of these statements are followed by the admission that my recipes can ruin meals at specific restaurants. So, to be exact, I am fairly good at cooking.

Experimenting with Pizza

In recent times, I have been experimenting with pizza, a versatile and highly enjoyable dish to prepare. Last week, I made a particularly impressive crust, which I would say is my largest and thickest yet, surpassing even the 2-inch deep-dish variety.

A Bit of Creativity in Traditional Recipes

Occasionally, I venture into uncharted territory. My sister introduced me to a concept of putting sugar in spaghetti, something I hadn’t even considered before. Interestingly, she found that a pinch of sugar enhances the spaghetti's flavor. However, before you dismiss this crazy idea, I need to mention that I have yet to experiment with this myself, and it remains a mystery to me whether it is as delightful as she suggests.

Health and Variety

My culinary pursuits serve a more practical purpose: ensuring I eat healthy, balanced meals made from fresh ingredients. I shop for these ingredients myself, cook them from scratch, and vary my meals every day of the week. I wouldn’t say I’m an extraordinary chef, but I’m certainly good enough to sustain my health and well-being.

Experience and Improvement

With over five decades of experience under my belt, I certainly feel I’ve honed my cooking skills over the years. Interestingly, I identify myself more as a baker than a cook. I often find myself more comfortable in the kitchen when I'm baking rather than cooking, maybe because baking follows a detailed set of rules, which I find exhilarating.

Adapting to Retirement

Being a medical student and doctor kept me quite busy, so my criteria for what constitutes "good food" were quite simple. In those days, good food was anything that I didn’t have to prepare, anything I could eat quickly, and anything that wouldn’t make me ill. However, since retiring, I've taken to cooking for enjoyment. Remember the famous adage, 'Cooking is an art, baking is a science,' but I find the art of cooking much more rewarding since I can experiment without limits, as long as the food tastes great and satisfies my palate.