I’m not a rebel. I turn my papers in on time. I never borrow something without intending to bring it back. I would return rented movies back on time if anybody still rented movies nowadays. Still, there are just some rules in the kitchen I don’t care for. Of course I’ll change my ways when I step foot into a real restaurant kitchen. But you can bet on none of these happening when I’m at home.
1. Wash your hands before starting cooking.
I’m sorry. If I’m cooking for other people or guests are over, sure I’ll wash my hands. But if it’s just me, myself, and I eating, I just don’t care. Hell, depending on the hour of the day I might not be wearing pants. Don’t drop by unannounced.
2. Always attend a heated oven.
Now, in my defense I’m always present and counted for when it comes to a stove top. But not an oven. I’ve even left the house at times with the oven going and no one home(don’t read that, mom). I have better things to do than stand by and watch a potato bake for 2 hours.
3. Wash and peel your fruit and vegetables before eating.
If I don’t wash my hands, do you really think I’ll wash my vegetables? Besides, the skin is wear all the nutrients are. This has left for some unsavory moments, like biting into lettuce from the farmer’s market(which I did wash, just not thorough enough I guess) and chewing on dirt. They’re just extra B Vitamins.
4. Bake with room temperature eggs.
Really? Does anyone remember to do this?
5. Always heat oil in a pan before adding anything else.
When you’re searing tuna or a steak this is a great idea to get a nice, browned outside and rare inside. But when you’re a veg-head sautéing chickpeas and vegetables, there’s not much you can do to ruin the dish. I usually don’t even thaw frozen veggies before putting them on the stone. Sue me.
So, now that some of you might never want to eat with me again, fess up: What kitchen rule do you break when no one’s looking?
To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, put them in a bowl of warm (110 F) water. They’ll be room temp in about 10 minutes.
I do all of those things. I really just never think about germs. I think one other rule I break is that I have no problem eating things past their expiration dates, the smell test is fine for me!
hahah yes I am guilty of breaking most of those rules!
of course the baking with cold eggs isn’t really an issue because I rarely bake anymore – too many rules in baking 😉 hehe
You are not alone. I choose to ignore germs and they seem to ignore me back. My gram says everyone has to eat a peck of dirt before they die. My dirty veggies haven’t killed me yet!
I also cook sans pants, and my friends have learned not to drop by unannounced. Also, when I’m just cooking for myself I will reuse the same tasting spoon. Who the hell am I giving germs to?
I break 2, 4, and 5/
If you could see me right now, you would see that I’m smiling. This is the happiest blog post I’ve read all week. I’m with you on all these, especially the peeling veggies!
I leave my oven and stove unattended all the time. I’ve left my apartment to pick up laundry from downstairs while the burner was on, which I felt bad about intellectually but not emotionally. Also, I don’t always wash pre-bagged produce, my knife skills are just comme ci comme ca, and I’m not a fan of pre-salting eggplant.
I think I’ve broken all of those. I also don’t really pay attention to expiration dates unless it smells or looks funny. I’ve never gotten sick from food before, so until I do…
I also like to reuse silverware while I’m cooking – I try and use as few dishes as possible! Hey I’m saving the environment, right?
Haha! I love this. I break those rules, too! Another rule I break is “don’t eat raw cookie dough.” I mean, seriously? How can any one resist the amazingness of raw cookie dough? Now, I don’t go eating wads of the stuff, cuz I don’t wanna get crazy sick, but a little bit never hurt no one. 🙂
Oh, yes. I’d forgotten about that. I’ve definitely eaten my fair share of raw eggs.
I break a lot of those rules too, especially when cooking for myself. Who has time to peel carrots anyway? They don’t taste any different.
Guilty of all five too. I never wash vegetables…and rarely peel them, unless they’re skeezy carrots or something.
I only wash my hands if I’ve been doing something like laundry or been out in the garden, etc.
also, I don’t wash EVERY fruit or veggie.
and i only use room temp eggs to bake if I remember to put them out on the counter…but it usually doesn’t happen.
I’m apparently a big rule follower, because I do all five of those things. Yes, I even bake with room temperature eggs. 🙂
I had no clue about the room temp egg thing…and I’m definitely not rigid about washing my hands unless I deal with meat. Also, with certain things I find expiration dates to be optional to pay attention to 🙂
Washing fruit and vegetables is very hit and miss for me. I do not get too worked up about it. When cooking for myself there are few rules to follow. If I can reuse my plate from lunch for snack I will. I use the same cup all day. If coffee was in a cup, and now I am looking for a place to put a sliced apple, why not? Rinsing with water does the trick between.
Pants Off Cook Off? I also like to cook without pants! Actually, I like to do a lot of things without pants, which is much easier now that I no longer live with roommates.
I do most of those things, and I’m sure plenty more. Often I don’t wash a pot or pan if I know I’m going to cook the same thing in it the next day (I repeat a lot of meals). And sometimes I put metal in the microwave…but that really isn’t such a good rule to break, I do NOT recommend it
I leave the stove unattended all the time. Especially if something needs to simmer for 30 minutes – perfect time to check email, put laundry away, take out the trash…
I almost never wash my hands before cooking – I do wash them all the time, just not specifically for preparing food.
Haha, I love this. I’m terrible about washing my hands also. But I do make sure I do if I have just been petting the dog or handling raw meat. I also suck at washing fruits and veggies. If there is something super obvious, I’ll try and shake it off and resort to water only if I must.
I’m also guilty of leaving raw meat (packaged) on the counter to thaw and I know that is a no-no.
Haha, I have left the house with food in the oven 😀 And eggs. Yeah I never use room temperature eggs. I think there are only a very few special recipes that really need the eggs to be room temperature. Maybe one day I’ll find out the hard way, haha.
hahaha i am getting better about washing my hands but sometimes i really only feel like washing them after the gym. that would be really gross if i didn’t do that. i almost always forget to pull out the eggs and butter before baking. and i nuke my butter until it’s soft. i know that’s a no-no, but whatever, it works as long as you watch it!
let’s be honest, everything you said here applies to me. whoops!
…I’m just glad there’s someone else out there who does the same. 😉
Baking with room temperature eggs would require two things: planning ahead and patience. I’m bad at both!
I only wash my veggies if my family is home. even if they’re not eating it, they’re horrified by my dirty veggies!
I’m so glad to hear that so many other people don’t wash their veggies that well (if at all)! haha! I scrub potatoes, they’re pretty dirty, but yea I’m pretty bad about washing stuff myself. 😛
I have extended the five-second rule too many times to count… This is why I keep my kitchen floors and counters extra clean! I am sure collectively I have eaten 3 entire meals off of my kitchen floor over the past few years! I tend to drop things…
Guilty as charged on all 5 of those.
#3
I bring home produce and sometimes, whoops, dont wash it! Whoops! glad to know i am not alone!
yay for posting this 🙂 it makes me feel like not such a terrible cook in the kitchen. because i violate all 5 rules. oops.
I’m with you on most of these–unwashed produce is good for us, imho… I don’t refrigerate eggs in the first place, so they’re always at room temp. And I virtually never follow a recipe precisely.
I usually don’t measure anything. That’s probs a big no-no..and why some of my recipes have been flops!
I see nothing wrong with breaking any of these rules…mostly because I do the same thing:)
I never chop an onion the “proper” way–seriously? Who spends the time to cube it up besides Giada? I usually just hack at it until it’s in tiny pieces.
Wow I can’t believe how many people don’t wash their vegetables. I must be anal. I don’t peel ’em though.
I don’t watch the oven or remember to use room temperature eggs either … but the other rules you listed, I always follow.
This is so funny! I used to wash my fruits and veggies thinking it made a difference until I did a little research…what a waste of time!
http://dalailina.wordpress.com/2010/09/13/can-you-wash-pesticides-off-produce/
I’m so glad I’m not alone!!!
I could care less about dirt on my produce (it’s natural, right?) but I worry about pesticides so that is why I try to wash my veggies and fruits. However, when I washing them, I always wonder if I’m actually removing anything dangerous!
Your post really made me laugh, especially the part about your pants. I break some of those rules too, as well as others. I don’t believe in rules for wine, I don’t always fully cool leftovers before they go in the fridge, and have been known to thaw something on my counter.
I also like to not wear pants or wash my hands first while cooking for just myself…it might just be the best me time ever lol
This is SO me in the kitchen! I break probably more rules than I even know exist. I certainly don’t wash. It builds the immune system, right? That’s my story at least.
I wish I could cook without pants. Living with people is a drag.
I break quite a few of those. I don’t peel a lot of veggies, but I do wash them…well, most of them I wash. Ok, some of them.
I have cooked things overnight, so unless it’s something you have to really watch, I’m almost never in the kitchen watching the oven.
The biggest few for me that aren’t on your list is I ignore sell by dates and go by smell/look/texture more than anything.
And, if I do thaw things out, I thaw them out at room temperature.
Guilty as charged!! I always forget to take out the eggs…and I never wash my veggies when I’m cooking just for me. 🙂
I have definitely been shoving a carrot (or any other veg) into my juicer and at the last second seen some… sand? dirt? perhaps a bug? 😀 protein! fiber!
it’s like when I was taking my driver’s test after driving by myself nearly a year – remember hands at 10 and 2, DO NOT reach to turn on the stereo, do not drive with one hand casually… I sometimes have to remember to wash my hands.
…before leaving a bathroom?? always! and my kitchen is always clean. except for those vegetables…
Haha, funny list! I never bring eggs to room temp either. I also never follow a recipe exactly. I feel compelled to change SOMETHING pretty much every time I cook.
There are actually people in this world that watch a warm oven? Must be nice to have THAT kind of time 🙂
I break all of these rules too. In fact, I didn’t even know about the egg at room temperature one! I don’t know if I could ever LEAVE with the oven on though 🙂
haha, guilty as charged! =D I’m also one to ignore expiry dates – If it hasn’t sprouted blue fuzz, or legs, or is making an attempt to crawl across the kitchen floor to exact it’s revenge upon me… Then I’m going to eat it. I’ve also been known to pick blue fuzz off the corner of bread and chuck it in the toaster.. (slightly different from my father.. who insists on eating fresh bought bread every day)
Also – If you drop a tomato on the floor, and wash it, that’s perfectly fine isn’t it? After all, potatoes grow in dirt and we eat them. My tomato washing freaked my bf out slightly.. though thankfull, he still eats me cooking 😉