cooking date with really good friend?

[seekingsimplicity]

I have a really good friend who is an awesome cook and I would like to see her more regularly and wondered about cooking every month or week with her. She likes to teach me things (at least it seems) and I want advice from you about what to ask and how to structure the every two week or monthly lessons. Or instead of lessons, should I ask if we could get together to cook something seasonal together?

What advice do you have for me? I want it to be fun for her and I want to learn what she has to share.

Any ideas about what to ask her and how to do it would be appreciated.

[herbgeek]

I would ask her what types of things she LIKES to cook, and base the lessons around that.

[Float On]

Sounds like a great idea! I'd tell her how much you admire her talents in the kitchen and you'd love to learn from her.

[lhamo]

Offer to buy the supplies and let her keep the special spices, oils, etc. -- a real foodie will probably LEAP at that offer! It will be like a gift to her for her services, and you can see how much you actually like the food before you shell out for a bunch of expensive new ingredients for yourself.

And bring a nice bottle of wine (or two) to share.

lhamo

[chrisgermany]

"Teaching" sometimes brings negative dynamics into a friendship, even if the lesson is asked for.
Could that happen to your friendship, too?
If so, I would frame it more like "Let's cook together and have fun" than structuring actual lessons.

[Gina]

I too won't plan too much up front or structure lessons - that might be too big a commitment. As a start, why not ask if you can be in her kitchen to watch when she is cooking? Suggest a specific day to get the ball rolling instead of one of those nebulous 'some day let's...'.

Then as lhamo suggests, bring a bottle of wine, and play it by ear. If you ask questions and she seems to enjoy answering, or if she volunteers information as she cooks, go from there. I certainly wouldn't suggest something long-term because either you or her might not like the dynamics of the situation. Do it once, and if it is fun for both of you, say 'Hey, this was fun, can we do it again? How about next Thursday? Would that be convenient for you?" If that one goes well too, then you might suggest something regular. Getting something like that started sounds like a really fun idea.