>It sounds like we are somewhat kindred spirits. I spend waaay
>too much of my time thinking about, reading about or cooking
>food. The problem is, being a chef just looks too stressful to
>me, I don't think I can handle it. So I just make it a big
>hobby.

It is a very stressful job and I don't think that I would cut it as a professional. There is no job security, the amount of financial debt that could be racked up is staggering and I am also not one who takes criticism lightly.

It is definitely a hobby and a very fun one. I enjoy cooking because of the self-gratification I get when I make something delicious. It is also frustrating at times because if I make something horrible, I feel like I wasted my money (on ingredients) and I did not have a good "plan" going in.

I spent 45 minutes yesterday making and perfecting something as simple (yet complex tasting as) Thai Chile-encrusted homefries with a shallot/garlic infused oil. A healthy addiction!

>As for the French Laundry, yes it is intimidating, but being
>as excited by food as it sounds you are, you really have to
>get it just to be inspired. If ever I'm bored or not excited
>about cooking dinner (rarely), I'll just have a flick through
>it and it'll be like discovering cooking all over again. I
>can't recommend it enough. To be fair, I've only cooked from
>it in the past year, and I have an equally food-crazed
>housemate who used to work as a chef, so together it becomes
>more manageable. By yourself it would be hard hard work. I
>mean a lot of the recipes require veal stock, which took us 3
>days to make (3 x 6 hours or so), taking shifts to skim it!
>The freezer's running out of it too, and I'm already dreading
>the idea of doing it all again. Thomas Keller has little
>minions to do all this for him. Bastard.

Veal stock? Damn, that sounds delish! I definitely feel like I need to pick it up. At the very least, I can skim through it and learn some new methods. Consider it copped. Again, thanks for the motivation.

>Try and find out what that curry book is. I love curries to a
>massive extent. My mother grew up in India so my childhood is
>full of them. What she does, she does well, but her repetoire
>is limited. So it's become one of my biggest passions and also
>a real black holes in my cooking abilities. Very frustrating.
>I need a really good curry book.


I will get that title to you tomorrow. The book is at home (I'm at work). It is amazing though.

HERE. WATCHING YOU. STOP LOOKING AT ME. I SEE YOU THOUGH.