I think a lot of it has to do with it being a regional thing:

West Coast (L.A. sistas) - A lot of them just don't cook because it's "L.A." They say they're just too busy to do so or that they weren't taught to cook growing up.

Southern Chicks - They be cookin'! When I lived in Houston/Dallas, that's all them sistas did! Invite you over for dinner! Being from L.A., I was in heaven because that's a rare thang - Sistas cookin'. Busy or not, they'd always found a way to get their burn on, that's when I started saying that L.A. sistas were making excuses not to cook.

I dated this H-Town chick that went to school, had a 9-5, and a hostage (kid) and she ALWAYS had dinner ready and would call a brotha up to go and get his grub on. I was always impressed with sistas that could cook because I would burn water sometimes .

I used to say the difference between L.A. sistas and Southern sistas was - L.A. women find a day TO cook on while Southern sistas find a day NOT to cook on

ThreadBare said:

It doesnt propose much of a problem given gas prices and flight costs!

There are a few things I do very well, but I never cook for anyone but myself, so I rarely get fancy with it. When I do try, I often succeed quite well. I also have a very non-average diet, so I don't know too many people who would be into my cooking. Meat doesn't enter my house, for instance.

Let's just say I have many talents and culinary/cooking definitely one of them.

I cook very well thanks and I work full time, take care of 4 boys, clean house and do all the same shit I did when I was a stay at home mom.

sammij said:

I almost coughed up my liver reading that!

as an artist, I think i could really get into cooking. if only i had a beautiful bella to teach me

CoolTarik1 said:

Cooking & art go hand & hand. Its all about expression.

he is only really interested in ONE answer

and it's not on here yet

I cook. Southern, fancy, grill, vegetarian. Whatever. I learned down south on a farm from my grandmother. I've been cooking since I was 12, and taught my boys to cook too.

I usually end up cooking the entire Thanksgiving dinner for my family. Duck L'Orange, baked macaroni pie, homemade cranberry bread, ambrosia, sweet potato pie. Homemade pecan pie. I catered several baby showers. I cooked for a party of about 50 people. Made my own special fondue sauce that people were eating without even dipping anything into it.

I can make greens the bad way (with bacon and fat) or the good way (with olive oil and vinegar) and you will love them both.

I went to eat at a Soul Food Vegetarian Restaurant today on 79th, and I was asking the cook for recipes. The tofu tasted just like chicken.

Anyway, even though I can cook, I'm tired. I've promised myself that in two years when my youngest son is out of the house, I'm through. I'm eating out for at least a year!!

Edited to say...or maybe I'll just find a guy to cook for me for a change. Like my ex. And why is it that if you find a guy who can cook and cook well, he's a scew-up somewhere else? Either he can cook and cleans up behind himself, is great in bed, and he's an alcoholic like my ex. Or he doesn't drink or smoke, but is a slob and can't dance, cook, or screw for shit. Pay me no mind...I'm just tired and venting....
[Edited 4/25/08 23:26pm]

MsLegs said:

agreed

I can cook, thank you very much.

MuthaFunka said:

Every region has different seasonings obviously. However, I cook virtually all kinds of cuisines.

I hear ya. I think I hooked up with the only Thai woman who can't cook. Ok, I'm doing her a disservice here, as she's steadily learning off her mother, but when I met her she struggled with an omelet. I would cook but (a) it's almost frowned upon, and (b) our kitchen is awful and I didn't grow up being used to... that.

I HATE cooking. I hate anything to do with the kitchen.

I only like cooking when there isn't any pressure to actually come up with a meal. I like it for the sake of experimentation or a challenge. I like nothing better than to see a photo of a delicious looking dish, or eat an amazing meal somewhere, and then try and replicate it without a recipe - GREAT fun.

Only I hate coming up with meal after meal 7 nights a week, often totally uninspired and resentful that it is always left to me.

I don't enjoy cooking. I do it. But it is not fun. If I was married and was home more often ,I would probably step up my game. But I haven't caused anyone to get diarrhea or die or anything. So that's kinda good, right?

Rhondab said:

Wow is it that bad?

LOL!!!

I'm a great cook. I cook everyday for myself except for Friday and Saturdays.


I hate telling men I cook. Because they obsess about it. They try to invite themselves over and they ask on a daily basis what I made for dinner and... if I had any leftovers

ThreadCula said:

And where is my banana bread?

ArielB said:

ThreadBare said:

Chile, I don't knoe WHO you hangin' out with

...but for real...even as a woman who cooks/prepares an average of 6 full course meals a week, and weekend cakes and tarts without measuring nor recipe , I think it all comes down to whether you meet people who are as genuinely interested in food as you are, and value it not just as something to stick into the body for fuel and energy, rather than acknowledging dining as an experience to sit and enjoy with others, or demonstrate one's love for another. I'm curious to ask, are there any "foodie" activities close by to your stomping grounds? For example, if there's a cooking class or food festival coming up nearby, I think you could meet some fantastic women there who authentically know their way around a kitchen. Although I can't speak for all my girls here, I truly believe that if you meet a sista in a class that's teaching how to make "polenta", trust and believe that girl already knows how to make cornbread, johnnycakes, and spoon bread on a Sunday morning with her eyes wide SHUT ...

Ottensen said:

That's an awesome idea. Thank you! I always could use some lessons.

.
[Edited 4/26/08 8:07am]

Brownsugar said:

its a wonder my daughter made it to 17...Healthy.

I don't even like to think about cooking....ugh.

Rhondab said:

So what do you eat?

I don't enjoy cooking .

I'm a great cook. With being in school and working I usually don't have time.

ThreadBare said:

Quiet as it's kept, I live across the street from a cooking school with floor to ceiling glass out front so passerbys can peek and observe. One of the things I noticed about the Friday night and Saturday afternoon groups is that they all look very single...and vuuury vuuuury HAPPY "interacting" with each other. Cooking class is like the new millenium "jump-off" and "happy-hour" for meeting people . . It always happens like clockwork, I'll be on my way to pick up my weekend groceries at the shops behind the cooking school, and folks are busy chopping and focusing on their tasks like robots...by the time I swing back around an hour later to my house, you can see the entire group of people tasting, toasting, looking HAPPY as HECK, men cheesin' and ladies batting eyelashes all over the place

ArielB said:

ThreadBare said:

one reason could be children raising children don't have time to learn to cook for raising babies another could be technology kids today don't go outside and play or help mom with the cooking because they are on the internet and playing video games i remember mama used to be like,"girl, you better get in here and help me with this food!" that's probably where all this chest i got comes from.....eating chicken!!!