This post by Jennifer Flaten
Another food based holiday has passed and I managed not to poison anyone. I am, I think, a competent cook, but there is just something about the holidays; or more specifically cooking for a large (and by large I mean anything over 5 people) crowd that throws me off my game.
On any other day of the week, I can bake a chicken and be 100% (okay, maybe 98% because you just never know) certain that my cooking won’t forever doom the event to be known as “The day I got so sick I thought I was going to die”.
Thanksgiving, on the other hand, with all that thawing and basting, not to mention working with a gargantuan bird that just barely fits in the oven cause me to have heart palpitations.
Part of my anxiety could stem from growing up with my grandmother. For her there was only one way to cook meat. There was either (over) done or OMG we’re going to die of Ptomaine poisoning.
She was the queen of well done. I can’t imagine what she would think about sushi or some of the other wacky gastronomical creations they have Food Network. She cooked everything on extremely high heat for the maximum amount of time.
I didn’t realize there was any other style of steak besides over-done until I moved in with my mother and then it took some time for me to actually try my steak that way. I still haven’t tried sushi with actual raw fish, I go for the tame rice and veggie version of sushi. I don’t even eat raw cookie batter for cryin’ out loud.
How about you? Do you dare to go medium rare?
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I don’t like anything rare or uncooked. I get afraid of possible sickness if I eat these things.
Sushi, never tried it, but maybe one day!
I think you may also get nervous about cooking for a large group because you hold onto the notion of, “Will my guests like my food? Did I season it right? I hope there’s enough.”
I know sometimes I do.
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I feel your trepidation. Doris
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No. I like everything well done. My holiday meals usually have about 25 people at them. Cher’ley
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Have tried sushi and it was fine. Like meat medium well in steak, no pink otherwise. Love raw cookie dough and ate from three kinds last night! Use to drink egg nog made from raw eggs on the farm. Healthy gut bacteria protects us from all kinds of diseases, and possibly even thought to play a part in preventing depression now. Never had food poisoning. Would prefer raw milk if could get it and we all drank it for 6 years on our farm in MN. I believe it may provide the bacteria we need to digest it, and not have milk allergies. Guess I am blessed.
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I prefer my steak medium well only because I like it tender, and as for sushi, no thanks.
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Jennifer,
I’ve always been a medium-well done person. I do occasionally get looks from the wait staff when I order it that way, like I’m ruining the meat. But that’s how I like it. I’ve tried sushi but don’t care for it. I think it’s partly a texture thing.
I do love to cook big meals, especially turkey with all the trimmings.
May your holidays ahead be wonderful for you.
– Stephen
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I’m definitely a medium rare to rare kind of girl. I like my steaks and burgers pink and yes, bloody. Which is weird coming from a former longtime vegetarian. I just started eating meat less than 10 years ago and now I’m game to try anything. I used to eat sushi a lot but now I’m sick of it. This Thanksgiving, my friend wanted me to try her stuffing pre-baked in the oven and I knew there were raw eggs in it. I didn’t care, tried it, it was tasty, and I was fine.
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For steaks, medium rare. I’ve had well done steaks… and they turn me into a sourpuss. I don’t like hamburgers undercooked… not a good taste and a chance of ending up in the hospital. And I’m not a sushi fan. In fact, I’m not really a ‘fish’ fan.
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OOps! Here speaks the carnivore. I love my steak blue, i.e. a very rare steak and I love real sushi. I’ve always been able to eat virtually everything and have a pretty varied regular diet. Fish and seafood are regularly on the menu…haggis too! 😉
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I don’t eat much red meat, but when I used to eat steaks, I liked them seared on the outside and just barely warmed in the middle. Any more and it’s tough and flavorless, in my opinion.
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Cooking Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd doesn’t scare me any more. I have had my Thanksgiving disaster. There were over a dozen people in attendance and the turkey was bad. FYI when a turkey goes bad it tastes very very peppery. So that year for Thanksgiving dinner we had spaghetti, with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing and biscuits. It was the most unusual Thanksgiving anyone had ever had and we still laugh about it.
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No sushi for me and medium well steaks for me — I tried medium a few times, but ended up sending those back, so I stick with what I know I’ll eat: COOKED!! 🙂
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Mine must be rare to medium rare or I send it back. A funny story – When I lived in Mexico I ate at all the little stands and family restaurants. I never got ill. Then one year 15 of us went to a Canadian owed restuarant and all got food poisoning. Just goes to show…… And I love Sushi!
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