Boys Don't Cook

Need to make a feed? Have something in your Back Pocket...  What am I talking about pockets for? Well, if you’ll indulge me; my first and only memory of, or being shown anything cookery related, was my father showing me how to use the back of a spoon on the mash potato to top a shepherds’ pie. His reasoning behind this was that Shepard's Pie was the only thing he —as a uni graduate from the 1960's north of England— had any idea how to cook.  But! He could pull it off to such a degree that first-dates were a hit, so why break a good habit? (...and since he’s been married to my mother now for nearly 50 years, obviously it’s a damn good pie).  I don't know that it was the point of his lesson, but it put in my head the idea that you keep a few best dishes ‘ in your back pocket ’, so that if needs be, whether or not you’re always been told “Boys Can’t Cook” you can pull something special out of... your back pocket. (Yes, I started a sentence with 'But' back there... if ...

“Boy’s don’t cook” You probably guessed with a title like that, that that would be the opening line of something like this... (—blimey— there were a lot of ‘that's’ in that sentence!) This was the message I heard as a kid, anytime I asked... we’ll come back round to that in a second - I've come round to it thirty five years later.  First I want to make it clear that it’s not ‘boys can’t cook’ as in they are not able to. Nor that identifying male, or female, or wherever else you fit into; affects your ability too —or enjoyment of— cooking wonderful things. It’s actually embracing and dispelling, exactly that! As a young boy I was barely taught anything about cooking. Despite growing up in a family that championed learning, when it came to meal times, I was better served ‘learning to cut the grass’ or ‘help dad with the car’ or ‘don’t let your uncle run with that, you know how he gets!” (that last one is me being silly, my uncles are wonderful) I don't think that's a ...