16 1 / 2011
Can You Cook?
I would imagine that in just about every culture or society, there’s a fairly fine tuned set of questions that goes along with getting to know someone. I think most of us are used to the standards:
So, where are you from? (Oh, Napa? Do you, like, own a vineyard?)
What do you do? (Previously: Oh, that’s interesting *feigning interest in vegetables for a few seconds before moving on* and Now: Yeah, the economy’s so tough right now… *before quickly trying to think of something more positive to say*)
How do you know _____? (You can use your imagination here.)
As a somewhat newly wedded person and, in particular, a newlywed of a (may I just say tall, dark, and very handsome) Pakistani man, the set of questions I’ve run into has evolved a little bit.
Of course most of the new family and friends I’ve met have still taken interest in where I’m from, what I do for a living, how I met Ahmed (don’t listen to anything anybody says involving a strip club), where I went to school, etc. They also are interested in hearing about my family, how many siblings I have, and all that good stuff. But the question that I’ve now heard enough times to enjoy waiting to hear pop up in the list of questions is can you cook?
I was never quite sure how to answer the question. I mean, can I cook as well as Ahmed’s mother? Noooo way, Jose! Can I make biryani without a recipe? Ummm… no. But can I follow a recipe? Why, yes! Yes, I most definitely can.
Even now, I’m not entirely sure I know what the questioner was really asking - if I’m able to follow a recipe or if I have my mother’s entire repertoire of dishes memorized - but I’ve decided that I’d like to be able to answer the question with a more confident Yes! next time I’m asked.
With this in mind, I’ve tried out a handful or two of recipes since we’ve returned from our trip, and I’m happy to report that I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well each of them turned out! Next post: recipe recap. Until then, keep your fire extinguisher handy in case I call for help!
