Things you do while cooking and aren't sure why.

[esoo]

Curious about any cooking habits that you may have picked up along the way but may be the kind of thing you're not sure why you actually do it.

One of mine that the wife and I were talking about last night is that I always add a touch of butter to the water when I'm cooking rice. No idea where I learned it from, but plain rice of all types always gets it.

Any of yours?

 

[sumis]

great thread concept. internalised ideology, half truths and unmotivated behaviour should be exposed and discussed. personally: apart from always touching my crotch before the salt hog, i can't come up with anything at the moment, but i'll think of something soon.

.

 

[jaydee]

touching my crotch before the salt hog

This plus some phantasy made my monday morning. Eeeh Eeeh!

I am in busy mode whilst cooking, running around like a chicken, cleaning up, making space, preparing dishes/table, sometimes listening to music when on my own, sometimes sharpening, browsing alternative recipes for inspiration.
(Already found out the hard way that listening to music with in-ears can be a bad idea as you don´t hear things starting to heavily sizzle in the pan..)

 

[Michi]

For much of my life, I added oil to pasta water, until I finally found out that this not such a great idea.

 

[Metallicats44]

..not sure this counts since it’s not me personally.. but I know a guy that will only eat eggs if the shell has been washed

 

[esoo]

For much of my life, I added oil to pasta water, until I finally found out that this not such a great idea.

I used to do it, but now only if required - to break up the starch from boiling over.

 

[Michi]

I used to do it, but now only if required - to break up the starch from boiling over.

Don't fill the pot as high?

 

[Michi]

Or use a bigger pot

 

[esoo]

Those are both my general options, but sometimes when cooking some new brand of pasta, you don't anticipate how much starch it will let off and how high it can boil.

 

[esoo]

Or sometimes you've got to use the smaller pot because the wife has played Jenga with the dishes and you just want to make mac and cheese for lunch without putting all of the rest away.

 

[stringer]

Something I have noticed from watching myself on YouTube. I will wiggle my knife at a pile of veggies before cutting them. It is completely subconscious.

 

[MowgFace]

Something I have noticed from watching myself on YouTube. I will wiggle my knife at a pile of veggies before cutting them. It is completely subconscious.

 

[OkayMode]

I will wiggle reload my knife

fixed

 

[MarcelNL]

somehow I see loads of trained chefs tapping the cuting board with their knive before cutting, it looks soo weird...

I find myself sprinkling some fine salt on nuts toasting in a pan, somehow I have convined (?) myslef it draws out water and helps crisp up the nuts but I never properly researched that.

 

[simona]

Curious about any cooking habits that you may have picked up along the way but may be the kind of thing you're not sure why you actually do it.

One of mine that the wife and I were talking about last night is that I always add a touch of butter to the water when I'm cooking rice. No idea where I learned it from, but plain rice of all types always gets it.

Any of yours?

Yeps, adds a lovely aroma and a nice mouthfeel - I have worked with Indian and nepalese chefs who put it it when it was cooking, and some who put it in when to was resting.

 

[simona]

For much of my life, I added oil to pasta water, until I finally found out that this not such a great idea.

You and a million pro chefs....

 

[OkayMode]

somehow I see loads of trained chefs tapping the cuting board with their knive before cutting, it looks soo weird...

Haha I do this - no idea where I picked it up from, assuming it must have been from working in a kitchen at university.

 

[panda]

Curious about any cooking habits that you may have picked up along the way but may be the kind of thing you're not sure why you actually do it.

One of mine that the wife and I were talking about last night is that I always add a touch of butter to the water when I'm cooking rice. No idea where I learned it from, but plain rice of all types always gets it.

Any of yours?

when rice soaks up water the melted butter coats the grains, especially after fluffing

 

[Uncle Danny]

I snap my fingers after putting things in the oven and after take stuff out again.
Never thought about it, until someone asked me a couple of months ago why I do it? I don’t know Now I can’t stop noticing it

 

[panda]

I snap my fingers after putting things in the oven and after take stuff out again.
Never thought about it, until someone asked me a couple of months ago why I do it? I don’t know Now I can’t stop noticing it

I'm gonna start doing this now

 

[HolyDiverScallop]

Food Jazz. Are ya hip to the tri tip?

(Sorry.)

(Skibbitty bibbity bip)

 

[Uncle Danny]

That’s going to be a wird thing

 

[YumYumSauce]

Spinning plates on the table and click clacking tongs.

 

[daddy yo yo]

I find myself sprinkling some fine salt on nuts

Yeps, adds a lovely aroma and a nice mouthfeel

I spit out my coffee when reading these 2 comments, because I honestly read in the first comment, "I find myself sprinkling some fine salt on my nuts". Add the second comment to that, and I can't stop ROFLing...

 

[themobilesharpaner]

I have this weird leaning slightly to the left when prepping, started it in my 2nd year of culinary school and have no idea why. Even 30 years on, I still do it, my wife thinks it hilarious

 

[cooktocut]

Sometimes I will set my giant cleaver down to grab my normal size bench scraper to transfer ingredients. I think I tapped the side of a stock pot with a cleaver one time when dumping ingredients in, and even though it didn’t cause any damage it must’ve stuck with me.

 

[petrel]

I tap the tip of the knife, on the flat side, on the cutting board occasionally. It makes a little ding noise. I guess I think I’m at a Japanese steakhouse.

Maybe more of a neurosis than a habit. I hate a messy kitchen! The kitchen must be spotless and organized when I start. I must clean constantly as I cook. When the meal is served, the kitchen must be as close to how it started as possible, except for the floor. Facing a wrecked kitchen after a meal diminishes the experience for me.

if someone else wants to cook, and they are known kitchen slobs, screw it. I’d rather order carry out.

 

[MarcelNL]

I spit out my coffee when reading these 2 comments, because I honestly read in the first comment, "I find myself sprinkling some fine salt on my nuts". Add the second comment to that, and I can't stop ROFLing...

I always read stuff like that, someone told me it's a sign of being a pervert ;-)

I'll try it and will report back

 

[daddy yo yo]

I always read stuff like that, someone told me it's a sign of being a pervert ;-)

I'll try it and will report back

We’re soul mates!

 

[sousme]

Spinning plates on the table and click clacking tongs.

Haha I do this - no idea where I picked it up from, assuming it must have been from working in a kitchen at university.

These are a few of my many tics. Also, the six-gun spinning of tongs.