Cool Tip: Men Who Cook...

Ask any woman, and she’ll tell you that guys who cook are catnip. They have a sexy self confidence and aren’t afraid to experiment. It also shows a nurturing side that is very appealing.

And there are some practical benefits: cooking a meal can be a great (and often inexpensive) date.

So… if you’re a guy, give it a try: start with some simple recipes like Roast Chicken, Salmon Tahoe, Thai Chicken Coconut Soup, or Beer-Marinated Flank Steak, and practice them so that you can reproduce them easily and with consistent results. Then build the meal around that by adding a side dish and maybe a dessert. If you’re not yet adept at pairing wine with food, take your recipe to your local wine store and ask for their advice on what wine will highlight your meal. There are usually several choices in various prices ranges. Your date will be delighted and you’ll be surprised at the benefits this could reap. :-)

If you’re a friend or relative of a man who is just starting to cook, here’s what you can provide:
First and foremost, give encouragement and positive reinforcement (along with some constructive criticism where necessary.) Then, if you have any tried and true recipes that aren’t too difficult to master, share those with your new cook, along with any cooking tips for the dish that may not be intuitively obvious.

And then, of course, there are gifting opportunities! We believe that a good Cool Tool is the next best thing to an experienced sous-chef, and we have some starter suggestions in this Newsletter and here. If the cooking is easier and the results are better, then it’s way more likely that your new cook will want to repeat the experience.

And most importantly, cooking should be viewed as a fun adventure. So give it a try...and Enjoy!