Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Feed Me

"Can you cook?" he asks casually. 

I pause in middle of twirling my pasta. Uh-oh. 

"I can cook," I attempt to explain, hoping a defensive note wasn't creeping into my tone. "It's just that when you live with an amazing chef like my mother, any of my efforts are kind of moot." 

He nods, and asks something else, but I have a feeling I just flunked the test. 

He is not first, nor the last, guy to ask. I try to dazzle them with my other hobbies - shopping ("Do you need a suit? You're a 42 Regular, right?"), painting ("Well I wouldn't say I was Michelangelo, exactly . . . "), super child-raising skills ("By the time my nephew was sent home he was not only potty-trained, he could make omelettes.")

He takes in all these tidbits with a pleasant smile, but I know that on his mental checklist, I have been crossed out. 
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmAl8TeYrRovl-brbpjDqjL3z-OoIJMHwssd7wvqN9k7iKCmoY5rychBYPfJfsq3S-0we74NR-9gq7R4aZl7X3tKmWxPcChFegurGcCDZbfVHORkpJHdG7q79BVNM1m7fQhCHSQrjqsS1/s320/feeding+husband.jpg
Am I imagining it, gentlemen?

19 comments:

JerusalemStoned said...

Before I got married, I could make ice. And toast, if pushed.

The recipes are written down. In a recipe book. You read it. You follow the directions. You make it. Viola! You can cook.

Men.

Frum Fashion Maven said...

Shallow question IMO!
IME...I could barely fry an egg and now I can even make my own bagels from scratch! Seriously ...If you get in touch with the good old Jewish food=Love ratio you become a pro very quickly just like I did.

Princess Lea said...

I'm starting to pachke now with the stove; guys don't seem to realize how easy it is to learn, providing one is willing to learn. That's why I'm so surprised when they ask. I'm not the Mommy yet; why should I cook like Mommy? Mommy still cooks for me! :D

JewishWhiteGuy said...

Girls should know how to cook. Guys understand it to mean she can take care of them. Nurture, mother... etc...

That doesn't mean if she doesn't cook she can't or is a bad cook.. just means she hasn't had experience. Kinda makes sense if a non married girl doesn't know how.. they don't have anyone super special to cook for.

If a guy writes off a girl for that, he's a moron.

On the flip side, I'm a guy that likes to cook. There will be a very pleasantly surprised maidel in the future.

I'll also be a good balance for any girl that lacks in that department.

Anonymous said...

I think its not really big on the guys list. It probably is an added bonus , but we all learn sooner or later, some better than others. but its not a reason not to or yes to go out with someone. he was just curious. and you probably cook great anyways! rachelli

nruls said...

You got me thinking White Guy... so that's why I always make the fanciest dinners the day after weekly date night with hubby

Princess Lea said...

I'm sure it wasn't the only reason why he said no, but I always wonder why they ask.

still jewish said...

yea actually i understand how to cook better then my wife she allways tell me she doesnt want to be in the kitchen when im there because i understand better then her
but yea women can learn how to cook faster then men and they learn that prety fast (onnly if they want to)

Sunshine Dreamer said...

silly silly question! i dont care for cooking...dont get me wrong, im ok at it but i see it as a chore... my husband loves cooking! so it all woked out neatly in the end. everyone learns. just because a girl doesnt cook when shes single doesnt mean her husband is doomed to bad food for life.

Princess Lea said...

I know! That's why I don't get why guys ask that on first dates! He can always wield a skillet if that is so important to him.

itchemeyer said...

For me, it's important that you make food. It's not a deal breaker at all, but it makes me happy. And it doesn't have to taste great, just that you try.

Although if you can master a few comfort foods, you definitely get points. Good choc chip cookies, a solid pasta/tomato sauce dish, good cholent. Those 3 are all you'll ever need to get extra credit.

Princess Lea said...

I am not a cookie person. I'm a cake person.

Pasta sauce will come from a jar.

Cholent has never been a big thing in my house.

I'm sorry, it's not meant to be.

itchemeyer said...

Nah, like i said, not a deal-breaker. You are a star wars fan, so mad points there.

N said...

Try telling them that you are vegan ;) trust me, the reactions are priceless.

Princess Lea said...

You're VEGAN?

There's my reaction! I probably could be vegetarian since I can live without meat, but I can't live without my dairy.

Kudos! Good thing cholent is mostly beans . . . and mushroom can taste like steak . . . and there are all sorts of alternate dairy . . .

A man needn't be terrified.

N said...

haha point proven lol some care more than others or I should say, some express their concern more loudly than others ;)

I happen to really love cooking and I still cook many non-vegans things. I've only been for almost a year and we'll see how long I continue for, though I really do love it.

Princess Lea said...

A year is very impressive! Cool.

Anonymous said...

Interesting- I also got asked that question- twice (different guys). I asked the second one why he was asking. Didn't really get a satisfactory answer ;)

Princess Lea said...

It's weird, isn't it? It would sort of be like my asking, "Will you be a good provider?" Let's not get ahead of ourselves, especially on the first date!