What is Mother Would Know?

2010-12-23T00:53:40Z

Whether you already cook reasonably well, have a few simple meals you can prepare or just have the feeling that you had better learn how to cook before your take-out bill ruins your credit rating, this is the place for you. The name of this site comes from the experience that many of us have had –needing to call our mother (or father or grandmother or favorite aunt) to ask why our version of the old family favorite dish is not working out or how long we can keep turkey leftovers.

Let’s cook together. We’ll make great food with your kitchen equipment, even if it doesn’t match what cable TV chefs and food show contestants use. I hope that you will send me your questions and let me know what types of recipes you would like to learn.

I'm all in favor of you calling your own mother - or father - with cooking questions. The difference between asking them and checking in with me is that this a "no nagging zone." As someone who has been on the receiving end of a nag or two from her own mother, I appreciate that sometimes all you want it a quick, to-the-point bit of cooking information or a recipe.

About Laura Kumin

Photo courtesy of Willem Bier. Though I am not wearing an apron here, this is really me, in my kitchen.A member of the sandwich generation, I still call my own mother for the deli health salad recipe she has given me at least ten times, but I can never find in the chaos of my recipe folders. I also get calls, texts, and emails from my twenty-something kids, asking for a recipe or wondering what type of chopped meat to buy for hamburger.

The good news is that I am not your mother, so contact me anytime without fear that I’ll ask you about your love life, your job (or lack thereof) or anything else you would prefer not to discuss – especially with your mother.

I have no formal cooking diplomas, certifications or degrees. I’ve never even worked in a restaurant. I began cooking in college and haven’t stopped. Appetizers to dessert and solo meals to huge dinner parties – I love it all. My cookbooks are well worn, but I also like to invent new recipes. My kitchen gets a workout almost every day and my utensils have knicks and scratches galore.

I used to be embarrassed about my lack of culinary credentials because I am an attorney and there is no profession that is more tied to degrees, exams (ugh!) and licenses to practice than the law. But one fine day I stumbled on Mark Bittman’s biography and I was liberated. If a guy who had never taken a culinary course or worked in a restaurant could write a best-selling book called How to Cook Everything, then why should I be reticent to share my home cooking style and secrets? My credentials are the meals that I make, the fun I have in the kitchen, and the fact that even people who aren’t my kids call me when they have cooking quandaries.

Join me for cooking adventures. I can’t guarantee that you’ll become a master chef, but I am sure that you’ll discover recipes and kitchen tips you’ll use for a long time. Plus, we’ll enjoy ourselves.