The New York Times had an interesting article discussing how people are cooking more at home now that the economy is ailing, and that while home cooking is generally more healthy than eating out, it’s not necessarily healthier. It all depends on what kind of cook you are. They break it down into 5 different categories :
“Giving” cooks are enthusiastic about cooking and specialize in comfort food, particularly home-baked goodies.
“Methodical” cooks rely heavily on recipes, so their cooking is strongly influenced by the cookbook they use.
“Competitive” cooks think less about health and more on making the most impressive dish possible.
“Healthy” cooks often serve fish and use fresh ingredients, but taste isn’t the primary goal.
“Innovative” cooks like to experiment with different ingredients, cooking methods and cuisines, a process that tends to lead to more healthful cooking.
Can you guess what category you fall under? If you’re having trouble, they provide a short quiz to help you figure it out.
I end up falling into the last one — Innovative. “An innovative cook likes to experiment with different ingredients, cooking methods and cuisines, a process that tends to lead to more healthful cooking. Innovative cooks have the best eye for freshness, yet there is still a big emphasis on taste. If you like great food and still want to eat reasonably healthy, the innovative cook is the person to hook up with.”
It’s not all wine and roses though, cooking this way. Ask my wife. I rarely cook the same thing the same way, ever. And if she really liked how I made it last time, she doesn’t appreciate the tinkering I do the next time, or that I usually can’t even replicate what I’ve done.
giving, definitely. I use crazy amounts of butter in my cooking!