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House and home

The main cook in the house

(56 Posts)
Daddima Wed 15-Feb-17 17:02:31

Now, firstly may I say that the Bodach has NEVER cooked a meal for anyone. He has no interest in food, and would happily eat the same thing every day ( plain meat/ fish and potatoes, no vegetables)

As a child, my father was the main cook. My mother did the everyday meals, but my father did weekends and high days and holidays.

When our sons were at home I still did all the cooking, but now that they have all taken wives, they've morphed into Gordon Fe**in' Ramsay!

We did laugh at how they've followed my father's " home from work" ritual of going to the kitchen, lifting pan lids, and adjusting cooker rings.

grannyactivist Thu 16-Feb-17 15:41:23

We share. The Wonderful Man eats very healthily and likes lots of vegetables, beans and pulses so the children used to refer to dad's cooking as 'brown stuff'. He's also very inventive and I'm more of a traditionalist. We neither of us like processed food so almost every meal is cooked from scratch.

LadyGracie Thu 16-Feb-17 17:13:51

We share the cooking too, no processed food here either. We both love spicy food, and prefer any veg to meat, if having meat it's usually chicken, and we both love fish.

Yorkshiregel Fri 17-Feb-17 09:32:24

Christiefrance you could be talking about my OH! He loves cooking, he even dreams about food, but like yours he uses every pan he can get his hands on. I used to wash up myself, but it got too much. Now we have a dishwasher so peace is restored and a bonus....I get amazing meals and do not have to do anything. I know, I am so lucky. But then he doesn't like gardening so I do it and I am a dab hand at decorating and cleaning windows.

Yorkshiregel Fri 17-Feb-17 09:34:50

rosesarered Do not let him hear you say 'cooking breakfast is not hard! No, no, no! If you do you will be back to cooking it yourself.

cathyd Fri 17-Feb-17 10:24:13

My OH used to cook when the children were younger, but after DD decided she didn't want to eat red meat and two different meals were being cooked daily he stopped.That was over twenty years ago. He only does barbeques now and doesn't do any housework other than his own laundry.

annodomini Fri 17-Feb-17 10:25:05

My long-gone Ex was a menace in the kitchen. Did I mention the cloves he put in my pot of soup? Or the grapefruit he decided would enhance a fruit salad? Just two of the interventions that remain in my memory - and my taste buds - after all these years! Happy to say that my DSs don't take after him: both competent in the kitchen - one of them ex-professional chef.

EEJit Fri 17-Feb-17 10:25:08

Beloved without a doubt. We don't have a cooker, meals are cooked from scratch in one of our 2 microwaves. I can manage simple stuff but meals are definitely her domain.

Lilyflower Fri 17-Feb-17 11:53:36

When we were younger and had more free time the Dh cooked all sorts of fancy nosh. Now I do it as he is too exhausted after 12 hour days. However, he does a mean lobster risotto which the kids would swim through treacle for. They have a sixth sense about it. If he expresses an intention to make one the phone goes and it will be the DD and D B/F inviting themselves over.

The DH says he will take over the cooking when he is retired but in the meantime I have got a bit territorial over MY kitchen.

inishowen Fri 17-Feb-17 12:06:02

DH loves to cook. The only thing I do is toast for us both in the morning. He makes all our meals but I clear up afterwards.

Diggingdoris Fri 17-Feb-17 12:08:53

Oh you lucky women! Like grannypiper I can only get DH to make tea or coffee and he leaves a mess behind him so I don't ask him to do it very often.

harrigran Fri 17-Feb-17 12:22:25

DH is the cook and prepares every meal, he took over the running of the house when he retired.

Sheilasue Fri 17-Feb-17 12:58:53

Me unfortunately, I must be getting old not enjoying cooking so much. My Aunt is 87 sh eats out two or three times a week or orders in food. Says she has cooked long enough. Can't say I blame her, my h, looked after me when I broke my pelvis and cooked ping meals, (microwave) but my d made sure they were from m&s.
We are now sitting in our living room waiting for new carpet to be delivered and laid h has said if they are here to late we can eat out yippee

David1968 Fri 17-Feb-17 13:25:08

Mr David 1968 does virtually all of the cooking. (I clear up and load the dishwasher.) He also bakes all of our bread - by hand. All learned since we married in 1983.

Badenkate Fri 17-Feb-17 13:27:57

I do most of the main cooking, although DH can put together a simple meal for lunch etc. He almost always makes the tea and coffee (has to be done properly, apparently). He is also the dishwasher -although we have one which we use a couple of times a week. He loves hovering, but has no idea what a duster is!

Both DSs are good cooks, and younger DS does all the cooking in their house - I'm not sure his wife knows how to cook! They also both help with the cleaning, washing etc. I'm very proud of my men! smile

suzied Fri 17-Feb-17 13:36:18

The men in my family are all good cooks. DH always does the evening meal, mainly as he got fed up with my vegetarian cooking and missed his meat! He does cook veggie meals for me but adds a steak or sausages to his . He does good curries and chillies. He leaves all the washing up till the morning he does do the kitchen then. I do the rest of the cleaning , washing etc.

Marnie Fri 17-Feb-17 14:35:08

Fortunately/unfortunately my DH has dementia. Before this happened he enjoyed cooking but we did not enjoy the results. He used to stir fry a lot but we called it a stew fry as it often took over an hour to cook despite many lessons. One Christmas he decided to cook dinner. Oh a Christmas off thought I. Wrong he put the sprouts on first before putting the Turkey in the oven. It is sad though that he can't concoct his specialities any more. The laughter was good.

Marydoll Fri 17-Feb-17 15:55:58

When he retired, my DH said he would take over the cooking, as I was still working. I would come home at night, exhausted, thinking at least dinner will be on the table. It was, indeed on the table, but mostly inedible and usually lukewarm. He never made allowances for traffic or me being held up at work. .
I then had the bright idea of preparing " fail safe" meals that could be either reheated easily or stuck in the oven.
I gave up, it was too stressful.He managed to ruin those too.
However, he is a dab hand at ironing, dusting and vacuuming!

Funnygran Fri 17-Feb-17 16:19:26

I do most of the cooking but since retiring I really enjoy trying out new recipes. DH is the pan washer upper. He does however make a fantastic curry from scratch although uses every pan and bowl for mixing spices and marinating etc. Both my sons cook well I'm pleased to say.

Legs55 Fri 17-Feb-17 16:52:08

Simple answer here - me, my late DH did some simple meals but I was always the one to cook meals from scratch, all fresh ingredients.

Now I'm on my own I do still prepare most meals from scratch, my real treat is if I go out for a meal with friends, no preparation, no washing upgrin.

Victoria08 Fri 17-Feb-17 17:03:22

What is a Bodach?

morethan2 Fri 17-Feb-17 17:12:35

Oh how I envy those of you with men that cook. Just by chance as I stood peeling the potatoes I suddenly thought barring the odd meal out or occasional rice dish I've been stood at a sink peeling potatoes almost every day for around fifty five years. Bit sad isn't it. sad

Thebeeb Fri 17-Feb-17 17:19:26

No cooks in our house!!!

Lilylilo Fri 17-Feb-17 20:10:20

I do all the cooking. I love my kitchen and my husband makes a dreadful mess so he is more or less banned. He really appreciates everything i cook for him tho! If necessary he is capable of heating up a dish, pie & chips, poaching eggs etc so he's not entirely hopeless just incredibly messy!!!

Blinko Sat 18-Feb-17 08:52:44

Mr Blink worked from home for 15 years when our DSs were young. He cooked all meals in the week and I took over at weekends. We sat down at the outset and planned about a dozen or so weekday meals then I wrote instructions which he followed religiously. Since retirement though, he hasn't done any. Probably because I enjoy cooking. It works for us.

Jaybird1955 Sat 18-Feb-17 20:31:48

Hubby could always cook as his mum taught him, however when working rarely did anything around the house. Now he's retired he does all the cooking and I have to elbow him out of the kitchen at weekends to keep my hand in ?
I'm still working full time and really appreciate not having to cook when I get home, although even after two years I still have to heap praise on him or he thinks it's not good enough. Funny that - I don't remember receiving much praise for doing all the housework, cooking and childcare although I've always worked too. I'm not complaining though. We've just celebrated our Ruby wedding anniversary. smile