How would you rate your parents cooking out of 10?

[ronandannette]

Maybe a 6? My mom isn't a bad cook (even caters) but she isn't "adventurous". My wife cooks WAY better, and I feel like I do as well in regards to a few things. But I really think it's a generational thing as my mom still uses "grandma's cookbook", just as a lot of people do in her age range. The problem is grandma didn't use a lot of spices, or venture away from family recipe's. So when you take the foods from around the great depression into 2022 it doesn't translate well (it's bland).

Not to mention a lot of "secret" recipes are not something special. As many times people gathered them off of cans and publications (Lady's home journal). Which amazingly was founded in 1883. But with that being said we have thousands of more resources. Including a ton from professional chefs. Which go above and beyond a Campbells soup can.

I definitely awarded my Mom a 10; graded on a curve. She was born in 1917 and lived her entire life in a remote, rural location. Until rather late in her life there were next-to-no exotic ingredients available and since we didn't have an interesting ethnic background, there was no particular culinary heritage to draw on either. Her meals were literally farm-to-table, made from meat they raised and produce they grew, supplemented by basic staples from the local general store.

But the woman was a wizard with basic techniques and had a talent for seasoning, even though her supplies were basic salt, pepper, onion, garlic and dried herbs. The meals were hearty, wholesome and always tasted good. She taught me so much, even though most of it was only by observation. And she was always so supportive and proud of my efforts, as well as being a very appreciative and adventurous eater.

 

[Lilsia]

Dad couldn't boil water correctly. My mom had a few decent dishes, but mostly it was about a 2/10. But I blame my old school dad who thought that we had to boil the life out of vegetables for them to be "safe" to eat. The broccoli would be brown and waterlogged by the time it was "done". Plus my dad wanted to eat steak, and it had to be very well done, but did not want to pay for good steak so my mom would buy round steak and cook it well done so it became shoe leather. It literally would not break down when you chewed it and you would have to spit out this mass of meat that you couldn't swallow and then my dad would yell at my mom like it was her fault that she did exactly what he wanted. My childhood was not very good.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

My mom 9 to 10. Even when I didn't like what she made growing up, I knew she cooked well.
My dad started cooking when my mom took a PT job. She worked til 5 and he was a HS teacher and didn't want to wait for mom to make dinner so he would start dinner when he got home from school. I would give my dad 7 to 8.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

1.5...my mom was that bad...my dad could make something on the grill if it was a hamburger or hot dog, but don't give him chicken.

Example of her cooking - take a whole chicken out of the package - throw it in the oven til it's dead and dryer than the Sahara...then open canned peas and fruit cocktail. Serve all on a plate. Dinner.

Notice I didn't mention seasoning or cook times or sauces...nope. So, 1.5 is earned. There are only 2 things I make now that my mom made, and I make them "in spirit" but not the way she did.

oh my ggosh, it's been a few minutes reading and I'm still laughing. I'm sorry, but your description reminded me of The Honeymooners. Thanks for the chuckle, I needed one today.

 

[DVCjj]

5 even tho mother was 9
I’d much rather bake.

 

[disney castle days]

Probably a 2 if I am feeling generous.
I thought I was a really picky eater until I got to college and started trying different foods. Turns out, if you add some seasoning food is actually really good.
A typical meal was my father's pork chops. I don't even remember him putting actual seasoning, I think he might have used breadcrumbs. He would stick them in the oven until they were overcooked and then have canned green beans.
My mother knew what seasoning was, but meatballs, meatloaf, and hamburgers tasted like the same dish but in different shapes.

 

[lovin'fl]

Well if 10 is the best food I ever ate (restaurant) and 1 is the worst...I would say my mom's cooking would be around a 5. As would my own cooking. But in terms of general home cooking not by a chef, I would rate us a 7.

My dad would cook a few things. He was in coast guard and was stationed at a light house for a bit so he had to cook for himself. He had certain things he liked to cook like breakfast food and a kielbasa dish. And he grilled stuff and steamed crabs and such. Everything he made was pretty good. Give him an 8 as non chef cooking. Better than mom because he wasn't afraid of spices/seasonings.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I guess my Mom was a 6? My Dad probably didn't even know how to turn on the stove. My mother was a fabulous Mom, but a so-so cook, limited by my Dad wanting the same dinners every week. Spaghetti on Sunday. Pork chops and beans on Wednesday, and so on and so forth. I think she must have been bored, because when she tried new things it was always good. She baked the most delicious pumpkin bread studded with cloves in old two pound coffee cans.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

My mom - 3 or 4. Well done steaks, boiled hot dogs, shake and bake. Very 70's "out of a box" cooking.
My dad - I only ever remember him cooking on the grill.

 

[Orion Nebula]

I definitely awarded my Mom a 10; graded on a curve. She was born in 1917 and lived her entire life in a remote, rural location. Until rather late in her life there were next-to-no exotic ingredients available and since we didn't have an interesting ethnic background, there was no particular culinary heritage to draw on either. Her meals were literally farm-to-table, made from meat they raised and produce they grew, supplemented by basic staples from the local general store.

But the woman was a wizard with basic techniques and had a talent for seasoning, even though her supplies were basic salt, pepper, onion, garlic and dried herbs. The meals were hearty, wholesome and always tasted good. She taught me so much, even though most of it was only by observation. And she was always so supportive and proud of my efforts, as well as being a very appreciative and adventurous eater.

Well of course it doesn't hold true for everyone. But my palate is much wider today than it was growing up eating my mom / grandma's dishes. Plus things of course are also relative to what you like and how you approach it yourself. Many times things can be improved with a little experimentation of your own. But people love what they love and that's OK. =)