New to cooking, where do I start?

[Anonymous No.12464826]

After 15 years in the Army, eating at on post DFACs, and MREs in the field, I'm finally out. I don't know the first thing about cooking, where do I start, what should I read?
I'm not interested in (text book recipes) which is essentially memorizing ingredients, I want to know and learn more, starting with the basics.
I want to know how to hold the knife, how to use it correctly, what all the different kitchen knives are for, other kitchen items and how to use them. How to cook with vinegar or wine, what not to do.
Is there someplace I should start? A particular book that will guide me, or video series on YouTube or something? Thanks

[Anonymous No.12464833]

>>12464826
I started with eggs and usually recommend people to begin there. Gives you a good sense of heat and cooking styles. Good luck, man

[Anonymous No.12464855]

First of all, thank you for your service :^)

Secondly, I think what's important and also beautiful about cooking, is that like most 'art' forms, you have to freedom of expression in creativity in that there's no 'wrong' you can do. Skateboarding, and music are a lot like this too, they're hobbies that only develop as much as you please.

That being said, I think cooking comes intuitively (at the start). Just make things you like, make them in the way that seems natural to you and comfortable, and learn more as you go. The little bits like 'this vegetables is better sliced thin in this dish' or 'you should soak that in ice after boiling it' type of stuff just comes with time. You'll get it through reading recipes, discussions, etc...

I think what might be good for you OP is to pick 3/4 ingredients that you like, and learn everything about them. Or learn a countries cuisine and learn every dish, what makes the backbone.

I'm 23 years old (24 in 10 days) and a faggot little vegan for almost 10+ years now, and I've beat the odds cooking and made it enjoyable for myself and those around me. The little bits of information I picked up were from working in (non-vegan) kitchens (I've cut fat and skin from more meat than your mother could take in 6 years) and watching youtube videos/gordon ramsay/talking to old people.

Anyway OP, I think if you set aside some time to really just be yourself with cooking and just express yourself through what you wanna eat and make, it's not even about 'working hard' or studying or anything, just keep making food and it'll come together eventually.

Hope you have a good week bro, and I hope your cooking career returns fruitful.

[Anonymous No.12464965]

>>12464833
Ok, got it. Will do, thank you
>>12464855
Good advice, I appreciate it, I'll try for learning about Greek dishes as much as I can and see where it takes me! Thank you very much for the input!

[Anonymous No.12464989]

Salt, Fart, Acid, Heat has a few recipes towards the back, but the first 3/4 of the book ia chapters on each of those topics, talking about why they're important, different ways to achieve them, and counterbalancing them against each other at a fundamental level.

I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wants to break into cooking at the ground floor.

[Anonymous No.12465001]

Start off simple. Get a crockpot and a good crockpot cookbook."Not your mother's slowcooker" I think. You can do ribs pulled pork and other suprisenly good dishes. Study receipes, learn ratios, easy and almost fool proof. Get comfortable then you can move on to a stove.

[Anonymous No.12465003]

>>12464989
Excellent! Thanks anon!

[Anonymous No.12465011]

>>12464989

>Fart*

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat*

[Anonymous No.12465013]

>>12464826
You should buy a grill and grill steaks and burgers in your yard and yell at the neighbor kids for being queer

[Anonymous No.12465097]

>>12464826
Try some of the israeli food cooking sites, that should be something you enjoy.

[Anonymous No.12465109]

>>12464826
Think about taking a class. Maybe a community college or other community program. Or get a job in a kitchen. Not some Applebee's a real kitchen with a chef. I didn't know fuck all about cooking and them started to do prep for two chefs. Within a year I knew almost of the basics and learned lots of good lessons.

[Anonymous No.12465232]

Get the book How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. I was in the same boat as you & this book helped me so much. It assumes no prior knowledge, teaches fundamental stuff that no one talks about (cutting technique, how to properly boil noodles, how to pick out good produce at the grocery store etc.), and has recipes for EVERYTHING with no bells & whistles to them, just the bare minimum to get a good meal. It's on libgen if you search.

[Anonymous No.12466942]

youtube is a great resource. Jamie Oliver has a video youtube channel and a website dedicated specifically to beginners. Gordon Ramay has a series of videos for beginners too.

I would specifically recommend the Laura in the Kitchen channel with Laura Vitale. Great recipes and she also shows a lot of what is very important in cooking but is never shown in cookbooks, technique. Food Wishes with Chef John is great too for that reason if you can bear his way of talking.

[Anonymous No.12466957]

>>12465232
Seconding this recommendation. If nothing else, it includes the recipe for Jim Lahey's no-work bread and actually bothers to credit the guy. I should dig my copy up sometime.

[Anonymous No.12466969]

>>12464826
Take a basic cooking class OP. I took one in high school and it’s not that bad. One class will show you the simply does and don’ts of cooking as well as how to shop your grocery’s and how to not be wasteful.

[Anonymous No.12467282]

>15 years in service and was never authorized BAS

[Anonymous No.12468591]

>>12464989
>fart acid
is this a book about mexican food?

[Anonymous No.12468613]

Look up some videos on basic knife skills and then make some French onion soup.
It's cheap, delicious, and gives you lots of knife practice. It's also almost impossible to fuck up. Go low and slow with the onions. Don't be afraid to take several hours to caramelise them.