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I feel you on cooking not being a hobby. However where it clicked for me: Once I got good enough at it, I realized I could 80-90% of the time cook food that tas

I feel you on cooking not being a hobby. However where it clicked for me: Once I got good enough at it, I realized I could 80-90% of the time cook food that tasted way better and was a lot cheaper than what I could find out at a restaurant. Then it didn't become a matter of hobby but a matter of practicality. Some of my own personal specialities: Omelettes and steak. Almost every restaurant I have been to has no idea how to properly execute an omelette. They are suppose to be light and fluffy, not wrapped-up scrambled eggs. Also, most restaurants have no idea how to grill a steak, especially if it is a thick cut. When you learn about the reverse sear technique, you'll never waste money buying a 50$ steak dinner out again. The only other problem left at this point is the efficiency equation -- can I think of, buy and then execute on the ingredients faster than it takes for me to drive, get seated, and eat my meal at a restaurant. I am finding the more I do it, the more the answer becomes: yes.

ghaff 9y ago
Reverse sear is effectively doing something similar to using sous vide. It works very well. The only time I go to steak places is for business dinners as they often seem one of the defaults for high-endish places to take customers. But I basically never go on my own. They're generally pretty boring and steak is something I can make easily at home. When I go to fancier restaurants I usually have something that would be way too fussy for me to make at home or that I simply couldn't do a good job of.
- treehau5 9y ago
  I'm the exact same way. There is a very scientific and analytical aspect of cooking that people miss out on and I think would appeal to many more here on HN. Baking is the ultimate example in my opinion of you must get everything perfect -- measurements, mixture, consistency, and cook time. It's applied physics. Plus, the best part is you get yummy treats to enjoy afterwards as your reward.
  - ghaff 9y ago
    That's true but it's actually why I'm usually more of a cooking person than a baking person :-) Sous vide and reverse sear notwithstanding, I tend to be more improvisational than someone who carefully follows recipes.

ghaff 9y ago

Reverse sear is effectively doing something similar to using sous vide. It works very well. The only time I go to steak places is for business dinners as they often seem one of the defaults for high-endish places to take customers. But I basically never go on my own. They're generally pretty boring and steak is something I can make easily at home. When I go to fancier restaurants I usually have something that would be way too fussy for me to make at home or that I simply couldn't do a good job of.

treehau5 9y ago
I'm the exact same way. There is a very scientific and analytical aspect of cooking that people miss out on and I think would appeal to many more here on HN. Baking is the ultimate example in my opinion of you must get everything perfect -- measurements, mixture, consistency, and cook time. It's applied physics. Plus, the best part is you get yummy treats to enjoy afterwards as your reward.
- ghaff 9y ago
  That's true but it's actually why I'm usually more of a cooking person than a baking person :-) Sous vide and reverse sear notwithstanding, I tend to be more improvisational than someone who carefully follows recipes.