meat

Okay. Meat. Cooking it.

I have a fear of undercooked meats. Thus, I tend to overcook things to the point of dryness. I am working on this phobia. I am.

The pork chops I made the other night in the broiler looked a little pink - so I kept them in a minute longer - only to have them overcook while they "rested."

I remember a Christmas get-together at my grandmother's. She made chicken. It was NOT cooked all the way. My mother said "just eat it" - I looked at her like she was from outerspace and showed her the breast. She immediately took it away.

That was the first step towards becoming a vegetarian (which I was for about three years). But the rawness of the meat really made me ill.. okay thinking about it is making me feel ill too... excuse me a minute...

okay

My mother cooked red meat until it was more than "done done." Since hooking up with the husband (14 years ago) I have now acquired a taste for "medium well" and sometimes "medium" whereas he lives in the world of "medium rare". The kid - she's her father's daughter. I never knew meat could be moist and at time be as melty as butter.
I also thought, as a kid, that all fish tasted like fish sticks.

So - I tend to leave the meat (beef and fish) to the husband to cook. I can handle the poultry and am working towards keeping it moist.

The last 10 years (since getting hitched to the fella) has been spent expanding my culinary repertoire. I am now more adventurous and actually know what foie gras is! Thanks Top Chef and Food TV.

I order Pho with rare steak on the side and cook it myself in the broth. yummmy.

Sushi doesn't count. I have no problems with raw fish...

Damn it.

Now I'm hungry.