Anyone can cook (Week 6)
"I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto: Anyone can cook. But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant." If a food snob like Ratatouille's Anton Ego can accept the humble kitchen hacks into his fold, I figured even I might stand a chance. So, during the week of Valentine's Day, I set myself the daunting task of cooking–or baking–something every day that I had never cooked or baked before. Now I'm not one of those guys who avoids the kitchen and leaves all the work to his spouse. It's just that, after 24 years of marriage, we've fallen into comfortable patterns. All things barbecuing are my domain. I'm generally the salad guy, occasionally a waffle-making dad, a frequent pizza topper and even an enthusiastic turkey carver. But most main courses are left to Val. And we rarely venture into the new or different. I imagine most families are like this; you get some safe favourites and repeat endlessly ov...