As Christmas season rolls around, so does my long awaited winter break — after finals, of course. However, over the years, I’ve struggled to feel productive during the break. Sure, it’s great to snuggle in my bed and indulge in a toasty, hot chocolate, but I soon start to feel too lazy — more pig and less human.
Thus, I’ve decided to set a goal I know will benefit my future self: learning to cook.
As a junior, I’m closer than ever to going to college. While I could live off the dining hall food in my first year, after that, I’m pretty much on my own. The least I could do now is to start sharpening my knives and prepare for a future battle. I can suffer now from my cooking experiments rather than later, when my only alternative will be frozen dinners.
I’m also well equipped with an arsenal of recipes. After subscribing to The New York Times, I unlocked a plethora of seemingly delicious recipes from all over the world: rich beef bourguignon, savory steak frites and gooey, fudgy lava cake. Each recipe comes with meticulous cooking instructions and genius tips.
I’ve never had the time or motivation to be ambitious with cooking before. The last time I whipped up something gourmet — not a simple dinner such as spaghetti or instant noodles — was almost a year ago when I made souffle pancakes.
However, the stakes are higher for heavier dinners too. I’ll have to eat a (slightly burnt) steak no matter how it turns out because I have to avoid wasting food. Rib eye steaks cost on average $15 per pound, nationally. Of course, if it’s charred to the point that it’s basically the color of coal, I’ll save myself from cancer by not eating it.
So here’s a formal bucketlist of the top five recipes I want to try and then perfect:
- Beef bourguignon: Who wouldn’t want a bowl of tender beef simmered in rich wine gravy? Tender carrots and potatoes are a bonus.
- Steak frites: The stakes are high for this one, pun intended. But with great risk comes great reward.
- Tomato soup: No need for Panera Bread’s soup when you can make it yourself.
- Chicken Katsu curry: Nothing hits better than a crispy panko pork cutlet slathered in curry. A side of shredded cabbage will fulfill my veggies requirements too.
- Chocolate Lava cake: Warm and decadent, this will be my reward after taking a test.
My future self will be thankful when I’m able to make a steak dinner in college and amaze my friends. Get your spatulas ready and stovetops warm — winter break, here I come!
