To Cook Or Not To Cook?
by Emma G Carlson
http://www.atozcooking.com
In the 50's and 60's, the days of the Betty Crocker
mothers, no one really asked "to cook or not to cook?"
Women cooked. Men came home expecting dinner on the table.
But things are very different now. Often as not, it is the
woman who comes home wondering what there is to eat after
her busy day at the office.
Men cook more now, too. Male chefs are no longer just a
television rarity. Men have ventured into the formerly
female art form and are showing their prowess in the
kitchen.
Home cooking can be a fine thing. Sure, there are still the
kids whining about eating their broccoli and mother-in-laws
criticizing everything you do in the kitchen. She still
thinks you couldn't possibly be good enough for her son.
And when you burn the potatoes because you were trying to
be polite and pay attention to her rambling conversation,
it just proves her point.
But technology has changed everything. Starting with frozen
TV dinners, then fast food restaurants, then microwaves and
pizza delivery, there is less and less reason for anyone to
have to cook unless it's your day job.
In the 1950s, when television was new, people started
spending all evening in front of the TV. Dinnertime became
an annoyance, something you had to do while you were
missing your favorite TV show.
So Swanson's came up with the TV dinner. Due to an
overproduction of turkey, about 250 tons of it in 1953,
Swanson had to find a way to store the stuff and sell it
fast when they missed the mark in their Thanksgiving turkey
sales.
A smart salesman took the aluminum tray idea from airplane
dinners, divided it up for meat and vegetables and
presented the idea to Swanson food executives as a fast
dinner that could be served in front of the TV. How to
convince housewives? Just saving time probably wouldn't be
enough.
Advertising Department to the rescue! Make the packages
look like television screens. Suggest eating in front of
the TV and not at the kitchen table. Why not? That's where
everybody wanted to be anyway.
Actually, the first person to invent this shortcut dinner
was Clarence Birdseye. He invested $7 in 1953 to purchase
buckets of brine, ice and an electric fan. Presto! You've
got your first cardboard box of fresh frozen food. Yummy,
yummy.
Technology has also brought us a wide variety of kitchen
gadgets, machines and accessories for those who really love
cooking in spite of all the changes. Just look at any
kitchen store, mail order catalog or department store to
see the many nifty devices you can give.
Microwaves are a fancy shortcut that has become
commonplace. New models come out all the time and they are
a fabulous gift for the cook. Find microwave cookbooks,
racks, and utensils at your local kitchen boutique for fun
ideas on what to give.
If the cooks in your life are determined to do things the
old fashioned way, they can still use a food processor.
Almost no one wants to spend all day chopping vegetables by
hand. Food processors are good basic kitchen equipment
that come in many forms from basic to really elaborate. A
good one will be treasured and used for years.
What about a gift basket? Those are practical gifts when
filled with kitchen items. You can fill them with anything
from gourmet foods to gadgets to spices and recipes, even
specialty dishes and silverware for the true gourmet. Try a
Japanese theme with chopsticks, sushi dishes and soy sauce
for your basket. Maybe your cooking friend likes Italian
foods with spaghetti servers and spices?
College students just out of the nest will really love a
package of the basics. Send them measuring cups & spoons,
decorator canisters, hot pads, knife sets, kitchen towels
and barbecue utensils. Remember to include a basic cookbook
with quick recipes they can learn. If you aren't sure the
gift will fly, send them some restaurant coupons in the
basket, just in case.
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