It's incredible how Christmas television cooking programs make me feel like I am a subspecies of the cooking race. Everyone looks so graceful and pristine, with their flawless make-up and their impeccable clothes whilst cooking a turkey or a ham.
Their nails are all done even though they are supposed to have been cleaning the turkey's bottom and chopping two kilos of onions and carrots for hours, and their kitchens are immaculately clean and dolled up with decorations even though we all know what mayhem a kitchen can become when preparing a festive meal.
It's ridiculous how they want us to "buy" that whole false concept of the home cook. I mean, take Nigella, who is actually the instigator of this post. I was watching her Christmas special this morning on BBC and I realised that her producers must be geniuses of their trade, because they're making me wanna purchase her series of plates and cups so I too can feel like the domestic goddess that she is. Well, you know what? I don't!
I am happy with the messiness of my kitchen when I cook my favorite food for my favorite people. I don't mind when my clothes get spilled with a little bit of sauce, and I don't own every fancy kitchen gadget that exists out there. But I still am a happy and creative cook!
It's a nice fantasy, these cooking shows, don't get me wrong, and I wouldn't be mentioning Nigella if I was not actually watching her programs, and sometimes I am a sucker for the latest fashion in cooking appliances and gizmos, it's just that I wish for something a little bit more real.
Their nails are all done even though they are supposed to have been cleaning the turkey's bottom and chopping two kilos of onions and carrots for hours, and their kitchens are immaculately clean and dolled up with decorations even though we all know what mayhem a kitchen can become when preparing a festive meal.
It's ridiculous how they want us to "buy" that whole false concept of the home cook. I mean, take Nigella, who is actually the instigator of this post. I was watching her Christmas special this morning on BBC and I realised that her producers must be geniuses of their trade, because they're making me wanna purchase her series of plates and cups so I too can feel like the domestic goddess that she is. Well, you know what? I don't!
I am happy with the messiness of my kitchen when I cook my favorite food for my favorite people. I don't mind when my clothes get spilled with a little bit of sauce, and I don't own every fancy kitchen gadget that exists out there. But I still am a happy and creative cook!
It's a nice fantasy, these cooking shows, don't get me wrong, and I wouldn't be mentioning Nigella if I was not actually watching her programs, and sometimes I am a sucker for the latest fashion in cooking appliances and gizmos, it's just that I wish for something a little bit more real.
That's why I love the Hairy Bikers. There's nothing pretentious about them... and I bet their nails are even a little bit dirty, hehehe.
ReplyDeleteI was wathching a BBC episode of Nigel Slater in his pristine kitchen the other day. Then I saw him carelessly flick some herb leaves onto the floor (like only a really messy cook would do) and I thought: a-ha! he's not the one keeping that kitchen so clean'. which made me a whole lot feel better about my less than sparkling kitchen.
The Hairy Bikers are hilarious! They're crazy and definitely not pretentious, I agree.
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