MIKE OSBORNE CAN COOK

IF I CAN, YOU CAN

I thought I was quite an accomplished chef. Beans on toast, boiled egg, tinned soup and and and …well that’s it.

Then I had a family and discovered the sanctuary of the kitchen.

Imagine the scene. Dad, a man, is GOING TO COOK SUNDAY LUNCH!

I know. It sounds crazy but listen. There were benefits.

  1. A man in the kitchen CANNOT BE DISTURBED.

  2. He has no idea what he is doing so he needs time to create.

  3. The rugby is on the iPad. (Or football commentary on the radio).

  4. The wine rack is in the kitchen. (And so is the beer in the fridge).

  5. A man cooking, impresses, wives, partners, children and friends. (And pisses off the wives/partners of those men who do not know their way around a potato masher).

Cooking Sunday lunch was fine for over 40 years. Then things changed. Retirement.

TIME TO STEP UP TO THE HOTPLATE

Cooking at first was more about preparing food. Stick some meat in the oven, boil some potatoes and veg. Add some taste with some chutney. Simple.

And I could take hours putting that together -

DO NOT DISTURB. I’M COOKING! (Aka the test match is on Test Match Special.)

SO WHAT CHANGED?

As far as time to cook with the obligatory happy extras were concerned nothing.