Ready, Steady, wait until the smoke alarm goes off and you know it’s cooked

Girls Think I’m Funny

Has anyone else noticed that their social media feeds and TV channels are clogged up with people telling us to do more with food than just eat it?

While I’m busy ordering Deliveroo to cure my hangover, foodies galore are telling me how to cook the perfect asparagus brunch and then host the perfect asparagus dinner party in the perfect asparagus restaurant.

It makes me wonder if anyone else is feeling the pressure to be a culinary mastermind…

I’m not quite sure where and how I’m supposed to have become a kitchen expert?

My time at university was spent looking for my lost forks and spoons in an 11-person-house-share. By the time I lived with my boyfriend, I’d watched so many TV talent shows I felt that anything I cooked had to be a three course meal, complete with terrible entertainment and a gruelling judgement at the end of it.

When did food become such a competition?

Pinterest Fails

In years to come there’ll be old wives tales of ‘do you know what happened to the hipster who burnt his organic polenta? HE DIED on a TV show called ‘Think you can cook? We’ll break into your kitchen and make you prove it!’ 

Quite frankly, I don’t feel inspired to cook.

To tackle this, I asked two people I trust if I could cook with them to build my confidence – my mum and dad. I’ll be honest, it was a test in itself:

Mum – plies us both with gin,  plays the entire back catalogue of Ed Sheeran loudly (complete with vocals by her), gives a lot of instructions but does everything herself.

Dad –“so, are you okay to get on with this then?” *Leaves room and sends in Mum*

But once I got past these hurdles, it was really very simple.

We chucked together a few ingredients, read up on some tips, had a good laugh, shoved it in the oven and hoped for the best.

Was there ever anything wrong in being average and bloody well enjoying it?