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Who likes to Cook? – The Disabled View
by Trish Hubschman
Some people enjoy cooking. Some don’t. I’m amongst the second group. Luckily, my husband is a great cook, or we’d be eating grilled cheese more often. What about other disabled people? Everyone has to eat, right? I got some blind and deafblind folks together and asked their views on cooking.
Eighty-seven-year-old Arizona resident Roma Vandiver says, “I used to love to cook. I even used to make jams and jellies and pickles and all kinds of things like that, but now I am just too old and tired and lazy. My favorite thing to make for a special dinner was pot roast, made in my crock pot. You just need to allow a lot of time for it to be ready.”
“I’m not a fancy dan in the kitchen. Most of my cooking is simple,” says Pennsylvania author and deafblind supporter, Scott Stoffel. “Fancy cooking makes too much of a mess,’ adds Canadian author, Bruce Atchison. Scott Oberg of the Golden Gate state likes to cook. “My favorite thing to make is spaghetti with marinara and garlic bread.”
Karen Hughes, also of Arizona, says that she enjoys cooking for others. “But it doesn’t seem interesting or worth cooking just for me. I used to like cooking when I was married and/or hosted parties and had friends over usually in the summer. Close friends, swimming, hanging out catching up eating delicious food was the best! My circumstances are different now so that kind of thing really does not happen much anymore.
Some of my favorite things that I have made are chicken curry, lemon curry salmon, my mom’s homemade potato salad, a healthier version of chili and spaghetti & meatballs (meatballs homemade).”
“I do like to cook, as long as It isn’t too complicated,” says Tim Handel, 75, of Upstate New York. “My favorite thing to cook is hamburgers, and they tell me I do a very good job. I cook the frozen patties in the oven, not on the stove, I developed my own technique. I love heating up good soup in the microwave. I do like fixing things, though I’m no expert or gourmet.”
Thirty-two-year-old Angela Montgomery of Arizona says, “Cooking for myself is no big deal, but when I’m cooking for others, I’m definitely under pressure. I remember 3 days after I moved into my apartment, I had my friends over for dinner for a housewarming party. I was grilling burgers for us, and I was so nervous. I would feed them raw hamburger or char it too much. That time turned out perfectly, although I’ve had my fair share of cooking mishaps. Like the time I accidentally put metal in the microwave. When I’m by myself, and mishaps happen, it’s easier to get over, than when I’m cooking for someone else. Like the time when Robbie was over for dinner. I was making bacon and sausage for us both, and I didn’t read the directions on the bacon properly and ended up burning it to a crisp. Or the time when George came to stay with me. I was making grilled cheese sandwiches in the air fryer, but I didn’t put enough butter on the bread, and accidentally set off the smoke alarm. Yeah, times like that are embarrassing for me. I cried. Cooking can be enjoyable and fun, but I’m more nervous when I’m cooking for somebody else, and if I mess up when I’m cooking for them, I feel like I failed. I enjoy cooking anything fried. Fried chicken, fried shrimp, and Italian food is good too. There’s a lot of things I like to make.”
I suppose I don’t mind cooking,” says Colorado author, Jo Elizabeth Pinto. “I enjoy fixing nice meals, but I get tired of the grind of having to figure out what to have for dinner every night.”
Minnesota author Christy l Reed adds, I don’t like to cook anymore. I used to cook and bake all the time, but now my balance is very bad, and I get around in the kitchen and in the house on a chair on wheels. I can’t stand at the stove or counter. I can make coffee and at Thanksgiving, I make the cranberry sauce. I like to read cookbooks and share recipes with Bill and friends.” Christy’s favorite things to eat for dinner are grilled cheese and grilled chicken.
“Being a single woman, these days I don’t cook nearly as much as I did when my daughter was growing up or when I had roommates,” says Tennessee author Patty L Fletcher.
“However, when I do cook, stir fry skillet meals which can be cooked on top of the stove or casseroles which can be cooked in the oven or crock pot are my go-to cooking delights.
These days more than not, I find myself reaching for a ready to eat frozen meal but even so I try and eat healthy. Never mind those deep dish frozen personal pizzas stacked on one side of my freezer.”
About the Author
Trish Hubschman has published three books with America Star Books: a short story collection of time travel and romance stories called Through Time and the first two books in the Tracy Gayle/Danny Tide series: The Fire and Unlucky Break. Trish attended college at Long Island University’s Southampton campus, earning a BA degree in English with an emphasis in writing. She lives on Long Island with her husband and two dogs. Her website is https://www.dldbooks.com/hubschman/.
2 thoughts on “Who likes to Cook? – The Disabled View”
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What a great article- I confess to feeling guilty that I no longer cook. I decided 25 years long enough! Having said that I make an except for dahl which I do make.
My grandmother was such a great cook someone offered to back her going into the restaurant business. She declined as she was a family and people person and didn’t want to do it. My mother was not a good cook. I am somewhere in the middle. The spaghetti and meatballs are making me hungry! Very interesting, Trish. I like your interview articles. Blessings.