Art

Amber, couldn't resist. My ex would ask me to get something from the fridg and half the time I couldn't find it. This was because she never put things in the same places, ie would hide the wine behind the milk. I now can always find what I'm looking for as I have specific places for things and always put them there. <BR>

amber

art, aah, maybe i should see if that's what the problem is. i figured it was him because he's legendary for forgetting things. i'll say to him after dinner, "honey, don't forget to put the condiments away in the fridge when you're done with them". he'll respond with "i won't". next morning, i'll find them all sitting out on the counter. he will also take milk out while looking for something in the back, and then forget to put it back in again. it's funny, but when i once gently suggested he might be a tad absentminded and forgetful, he bristled at the notion and demanded that i produce evidence. after about 15 minutes of stories and laughing on both sides, he was convinced.

Jon

My upcoming wedding will ensure my lifelong post in the kitchen. Beth's culinary skills take her as far as a mean root-beer float, all else is up to me. <BR> <BR>Not only do love cooking, I no longer allow her to participate in the process (she's very happy to oblige). In each of our homes, she has a seat within earshot of the cutting board where she enjoys her wine while I prepare dinner and we discuss the day's events. <BR> <BR>I thought for a while that men's role in the kitchen was generationally determined. To my knowledge, my father has never cooked a meal, largely because he has never had to as Mom rarely left the kitchen. However, as my peers (early 30s) get married and establish their roles in the home, in most cases, neither husband nor wife have any cooking skills. Most often, the wives struggle through store bought semi-prepared meals or they eat out. <BR> <BR>I have never considered boiling pasta and heating a jar of Ragu "cooking." Rarely do my friends buy raw meat that hasn't been pre-cleaned, pre-seasoned, and in most cases, completely prepared (heat & serve). Rarely do they buy raw produce except for salads or crudite; in most cases buying only the pre-cut pieces. <BR> <BR>I'm forever thankful to my mom for teaching me how to cook with flour, sugar, spices, fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs and lots of butter. <BR> <BR>If my friends heard mention of chicken stock, they'd immediately consult nasdaq.com or Ameritrade. <BR> <BR>j.

SharonM

Jon, <BR> <BR>You're a man after my own heart! <BR>And your fiance and I would get along perfectly!

Thyra

Jon, <BR>If I give you my husbands email.... can you send him instructions???? lol.

Justluckyiguess

My husband has been doing the majority of the cooking in our house for the past 4 years. (That's when I went back to work fulltime). He gets home about half an hour before me. Whenever he complains about it, I offer to cook, but he and the kids don't want to wait for me! It's become such a habit, he generally cooks on the weekends too...I guess I've actually cooked maybe 1 meal in the past 2 months! (Don't like to brag, but he also does the grocery shopping AND ironing!!!)

Michele

"chicken stock on NASDAQ"...hee hee! ;-) <BR> <BR>An "I can barely boil water" friend once ordered from a place here in London that will deliver all the necessary ingredients pre-measured, cut and cleaned and the recipes. She thought she was going to surprise hubby with a fabulous meal....well, when she went to turn her gas stove on for the pot for the potatoes, her recipe went up in flames!! Luckily, she extinguished the fire and frantically called the company who, after a fit of laughter, rushed over a new recipe. The husband is now taking cooking lessons to save his home!

Dail

I am one of the lucky ones. My Italian husband is an accomplished and inventive 'chef de cuisine'. I, the 'sous chef' slice, dice, puree, wash, dry and very best of all - get to eat what we make!! After 30 years of marriage our roles in the kitchen are set. It's a good thing he can cook - my pies are like door-stops and biscuits, well does hockey-puck say it all? We have guests often, and all our friends always ask "what's Mike making?' <BR>I'm a Lucky Woman!

J. Child

Wow, what a response! Very interesting. I thought the comment re:the quality of British cooking was funny, but it occurs to me that the two men I know who were doing all the cooking even in the 70s were both Brits -- but their cooking reflected, shall we say, the glory of the Empire in that it tended strongly to the non-European. <BR> <BR>Now two questions -- how many of these male chefs do the weekday, day-in-day-out cooking for a family with kids? And I would love to know which posters are European and which American.

Judy

Hello All, Jon: what a good son you are! And your fiance is a lucky woman IMO. My husband and I love to watch Emeril and Mario cook, (we love the Food Channel) then go out to eat at a good restaurant...... Seriously however, we try to cook together on the weekends, and we love variations of Italian. He makes a mean "stuffed cabbage"! <BR>Amber and Art: I think sometimes it is a genetic trait in some families, that SOME men can't find anything, my son takes after his Dad? <BR>Dail: you are a lucky woman! <BR>Fun thread! Judy ;-)

Oaktown Traveler

J: <BR> <BR>My husband scares me to death when he is in the kitchen so I cook. He leaves dairy products including frozen ice cream out for "hours". I am a cleaning machine even after he boils a huge "pot" of water for our tea. I got us a new tea pot, but he does not "like" <BR>it. <BR>I do not cook ever day but I do make a lot of reservations! <BR> <BR>Oaktown

Diane

Not only does my wonderful husband cook most of the time -- he does the laundry, too. We've found the need to re-work the who-does-what stuff from time to time over the course of our life together. It's not worth the hassle NOT to do what makes the most sense at any given point in time. If you can read, you can follow a recipe. If you like good food, you can figure out how to make it! We just celebrated (and I mean CELEBRATED) our 25th anniversary.

Kathy

Dear J. Child, <BR>My guy & I are American DINKS (double income, no kids). <BR>Bon Appetit & Save the Liver, <BR>Kathy

SharonM

Judy, <BR> <BR>How funny. <BR> <BR>I Love to watch "Julia & Jacques", "Mexico — One Plate at a Time" with Rick Bayless, and other fun cooking shows!!! <BR> <BR>(And yes... then do the reservation thing....lol) <BR> <BR>It CAN be fun to cook together! <BR> <BR>I Do Especially enjoy the "hang-over-the-counter-with-a-glass-of-wine-and-great-conversation part of cooking... That's the best. <BR>(And really, it IS fun being with, and watching someone that really enjoys cooking!) <BR>To my credit, I CAN be pretty darn good at the chopping-and-cleaning-up-along-the-way part of cooking. <BR> <BR>Need be.

peter

what is the fuss?? me and two of my very good friends cook all the time. especially in the winter, we pprepare a full multicourse indian feast from scratch. better than the restaurants i might add. also i do all the grilling outside all summer long. many men can and will cook especially if they like to eat. i refuse to eat frozen or prepared crap- i would just go ahead and make something where i control the sodium and fat content. mange bene

Tracy

My husband, before we were married, cooked at all the boy scout jamborees he ever went on (dozens) but when we got married I decided I didn't like to share the kitchen too well (it's tiny!) So as a "trade-off" he does most of the grocery shopping and the laundry (both are chores I hate!) Thankfully, I love to cook and I am a very good cook so we have a wonderful life!

Rex

Not sure what will be made of the "anecdotal data" you collect here. <BR> <BR>But I'm American, born and raised in America. Married in 1976 to first and only wife; three daughters 1980, 1892 and 1984. And as far as "weekday, day-in-day-out cooking for a family with kids" (weekends not much difference for us) - - I'm guessing that I do 15-20%, wife twice as much as me, kids half as much - - and increasingly (40%? 60%?), catch as catch can, or eat out. <BR>

Celeste

When I met my husband, I told him that my father had done all the cooking in MY house, he said his father had done all the cooking in HIS house, and now, 24 years later, my husband still does most of the cooking in THIS house! <BR> <BR>My husband likes to remind people that the great chefs of the world are men. I have never argued with him!

egg

"I thought the comment re:the quality of British cooking was funny." <BR> <BR>Yes, most amusing from a member of the culture that brought us McDonalds, Coca Cola and the stuffed crust pizza (yuk). In fact, you will find that many European commentators say that the best food in the UK is that produced by British women in their own homes.

mj

Friday night's meal for SO and 2 of her lady friends: <BR> <BR>Zuppa Di Pesce <BR>Tagliatelle con Vongole <BR>Dolcetto Di Ricotta - Mario Bitali's recipe <BR>"Asti" for all <BR> <BR>That's what a guy can do w/a stove that might be connected to the fires of hell, a love of cooking (my Mom's gene) and a commerical fisherman for a friend. BTW, my four brothers do the same thing...and yes, we all have day jobs. <BR> <BR>Who cleaned up? Everyone