From Reuters this morning: <BR> <BR>"LONDON (Reuters) - A leading supermarket has discovered what long-suffering British women have known for years -- the kitchen is foreign territory to most men who remain unrepentantly unreconstructed. <BR> <BR>"The survey of 800 British men by supermarket chain Safeway found that nearly half of them spent less than half an hour a week in the kitchen, and then usually only to boil the kettle. <BR> <BR>"For those who did not describe cooking as women's work and actually tried their hands at knocking up a meal the result was more often than not a somewhat unappetizing plate of baked beans on toast." <BR> <BR>Okay, we're not talking about the Great Chefs of Europe, here -- but in what countries/areas do men actually do some cooking at home? <BR> <BR>In the US for men over 40, it's generally whatever can be cooked outdoors. Indoor cooking is far too complicated for them. But a lot of younger men are becoming quite adept in the kitchen, and some have gotten almost insufferable about shooing the women away from the stove, for fear they might whip up a batch of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. <BR> <BR>

I already knew that I was weird, but I cook, and I continue to experiment with new make-it-up-as-I-go foods and ways to prepare them. <BR> <BR>And it's a reason that I love to get a place with a kitchen, whenever possible. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

My husband only goes into the kitchen to make a mess. He can make scrambled or boiled eggs, lunchmeat sandwiches and sausages. <BR> <BR>I'm teaching him to boil rice and make pasta. Very frustrating. He takes out a saucepan too small for the job, fills it an inch under the brim, and then is SHOCKED when it boils over. Do all men do this?

My husband is a wonderful cook. He claims he learned to cook out of self-interest - his mother was and still is a terrible cook. (However, I wouldn't call him exactly 'neat' in the kitchen.) My brother trained as a professional chef - given that my mother was a very good cook, I think it's just that he likes food. (He's also very neat in the kitchen and cleans up as he works.) <BR> <BR>For several years, my mother has been in poor health and she is now in a nursing home. My father is on his own, and he's become quite a good basic cook. I saw basic, however his baking is amazing. He could easily go into business selling his pies, tarts, cookies, etc. <BR> <BR>So some men can actually manage in the kitchen.

Based on my assesment of British cooking I would say the women have been in the kitchen too long, the men could make it no worse.

Maybe water seeks its own level, but a majority of my men friends are good cooks. One man just put in a full kitchen on his deck - wood oven, gas grill with 3 burners, full size fridge, etc.; when J & S were building their new house, both designed the kitchen (he wanted a tandoori oven, but she ixnayed that); when our company gave each employee a $100 American Express gift certificate, Mike and I couldn't wait to go to Williams-Sonoma - with a sidetrip to the restaurant supplier for a chinois; my boss is trying to decide between a cooking cruise or a cooking week in Italy for his sabbatical. <BR> <BR>To balance it all out is Chris, who has Domino's, Tokyo Bowl, Frank's Pizza and the China Palace on speed dial. <BR> <BR>Hee hee "beans on toast" - my Irish grandmother used to make this all the time; we blamed it on her having gone through the Depression, but apparently it's cultural, not economic. <BR> <BR>

My wife, thank god, cleans up behind me when I cook. I'm pretty sure the kitchen would look like a disaster if it were not for her. I don't know. She never lets that happen. Interestingly enough, she insists that she can't cook, but we make a great team. <BR> <BR>We have a daughter who has added baking to the family repertoire. Good thing. I can make a decent loaf of bread, from frozen bread dough. Knead a bunch of olive oil and herbs and stuff into it. Or banana bread, zucchini bread, things like that. But cakes and pastries and such, I've just never tried hard enough maybe. Thank goodness for our daughter! <BR>

My Dad is a great cook. His french toast kicked Mom's french toast in the butt!

I am very lucky -- my husband cooks weekday meals and I cook weekend meals. Hubby retired two years ago promised me that he'd like to cook if I'd agree to teach him. Well, we darn near divorced over the training period of three months but after "Teach" showed him the ropes (he had never cooked anything other than breakfast), he wrote down the recipes, put them on his computer and he's now a fabulous "from scratch" cook! <BR> <BR>BTW, he knows his way around a supermarket and gets better deals than I do because he's the coupon clipper! <BR> <BR>Spanky

We both do. Both of us came from families where dad cooked breakfasts regularly, barbecued in summer months & mom was kind of a so-so cook. We're both very good cooks & cooking together sometimes, I think, has made us better. We pretty much split the marketing, too. If I cook, he cleans up & vice versa. We like having company for dinner & usually have small dinners parties a couple of times a month. My guy has made me a little more adventuresome by using ingredients or recipes I've never tried, so I look upon my good fortune as an opportunity to become a person of more varied tastes. <BR>Bon Appetit! <BR>Kathy

Hubby was almost 34 when I married him, and did fair with his own cooking. I do the marketing, prepping, cooking, clean-up. Do I mind? Heavens no -- the guy is appreciative of every morsel!! <BR> <BR>The grill is his domain; I don't mind doing the prep work for that, either. <BR>

I cook occasionally, but so far my talents are fairly limited. My wife absolutely hates to cook. My mother almost always made good home-cooked meals for lunch and dinner, whereas my mother-in-law has never been into cooking. When she does cook, she tends to cook the *^&*%^ out of everything, which can really make for some mushy peas.

Question: Where do all you women find these men who cook?????!!! My husband has a tough time inserting a frozen pizza into the microwave!!!(He makes up for this by being a great all-around guy). I am a downright lousy cook, so we eat out a lot... make Peanut butter and honey sammies... coffee and various sweets... however I can upon occasion cook spaghetti that isn't fatal. <BR>The first time my then future in-laws came for dinner I bought this terrific Thai salad from my favorite restaurant.. took it home and put it on my plates... 4 years later and they STILL don't know I didn't make it... but when my Mother in-law asked me for the recipe recently.. I was pretty stumped.

I can cook (well, microwave) a mean lean cuisine or mix up a great salad! (Well, actually, I can cook a few things..just don't particularly like to...) <BR> <BR>It IS funny though, without ever really having thought about it, seems like every man I've ever have a long-term relationship with, has been an awesome, happy cook! Perhaps I just like men who aren't afraid of their "feminine side", don't let old stereo-types get in the way of what they love to do, or are simply the creative sort.

Thyra, <BR>My guy's ex was "domestically challenged" & this left him to do all his own laundry, all the marketing, etc. He was 30 when they married, & I have to say, she turned him into an absolutely fabulous wife for me!!! <BR>Kathy

I did all the cooking for 10 years, then I went to Italy w/ a girlfriend and came back obsessed with cooking authentic Italian food. My husband enjoyed it but didn't "get it". Then I took my husband and son to Itlay the following year. My husband, who was laid off just before the trip, is now the obsessed one. He's got the homemade past and sauce (and many ohters) down!

It's funny, but my husband cook *before* we got married.... Now, when I come home from a trip I ask the kids what they ate, all I hear is "soup". Go figure.

when living in Germany and single, I learned a few basics. I got engaged to Brunhilda and she did all of the cooking while we were together. Met my first wife who was a great cook. The only down side was that I was always a guinea pig for her new recopies. I did all of the cooking outdoors though, which was almost every weekend. After our divorce, I had my son almost every weekend and had to make sure that he ate well, so I learned to stir fry as well as other general cooking. My 2nd wife was not a very good cook but passable. Now I'm back on my own and doing some cooking but don't have time for a lot. I make a mean meat loaf, spaghetti and beef stew when I have the time. <BR>Regards <BR>

I am one of the lucky ones. My husband is a great cook - on the grill and inside. He likes to try new recipes and can make chocolate oatmeal cookies to die for. He also grocery shops and sometimes even cleans up his mess. I am happy to clean the dishes after a meal he prepares. He says when you are a family of 6 children and both parents work you learn to cook or starve.

my boyfriend can cook one dish. it's a great dish, and he makes it once a week. but the problem is, after living together for 6 months, he is still clueless about where things are in the kitchen, even if he's the one that put the dishes and groceries away. i have to be there to tell him where each pot is stored and where the garlic is in the fridge. so i sit at the kitchen table with some wine and watch my dear, absentminded fella proudly whip up his famous stir fry. makes for a nice meal.