I see so many recipes that say they're scratch recipes, and yet they call for cans of soup, boxes of cake mix, etc. What ridiculously off-base definition of "scratch" would allow such recipes to qualify?
2007-09-01 04:23:40 · 25 answers · asked by wasabi_luvva 2 in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
My question is not "Why doesn't anybody cook from scratch anymore?" Please re-read it before answering as if that were the question.
2007-09-05 03:06:34 · update #1
because they are lazy
2007-09-01 04:27:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
Like you , I do know what it means to cook, or bake from scratch, and it is time consuming. (home made)You use fresh ingredients,or as close to fresh as you can get. You need to measure everything out by hand for each ingredient you would use in any given recipe. My guess, is that in today's terms it is from scratch if you must do more than pull a tab, add water and place in the microwave, oven or a pan? I know a few people who like to cook, but they have the time, energy and funds to do it. These people would see the use of canned soup and boxed cakes as a short-cut, instead of making their own stock or meat broth, or cake using flour, sugar eggs etc.
2007-09-01 11:56:02 · answer #2 · answered by Steller Jaynefandom 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's life in the fast lane.....everybody is running around like crazy and don't want to spend the extra time in the kitchen. When I was a kid my mom didn't work so she always cooked meals from scratch....now that I'm a mom I have to work over 40 hours per week, do all of the housework while my husband is deployed, feed, clothe a 15 yr old son and take care of the yard and 3 dogs....shortcuts are needed to survive. We just don't have time to spend in the kitchen like our ancestors did.
2007-09-08 19:32:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
today we are all about easy and efficiancy. to some, adding to a box or a can is from scratch. I love to cook and I love to start from scratch and learn a recipe from the basics, but I admit becaue of a shortage of time and life's daily trials and tribulations I sometimes start w/a prepared start and add my own varities to make it my own. When I have time I pull out my cookbooks.
a really good cook is hard to find, and I agree that their are to few out there, just be the best you can be and make every recipe your own.
2007-09-07 16:06:46 · answer #4 · answered by mendnjoe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One thing you need to know about the American people. Meanings of words are getting twisted, people read recipes but not read them if you know what I mean. Does it come from the hectic day at work, stress, ignorance, etc. This is what has happened to our society. They take a word like scratch and change it to there needs.
2007-09-08 22:03:24 · answer #5 · answered by Richard K 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The quality of ready made support items are of such high quality in today's world and we are so busy with everyday life tasks that people take those short cuts!
Food safety is also an issue in these times.....
When you do take the time to make any recipe it is homemade from scratch!! Unlike out of the box heat and eat! You still have to Julianne, mince, slice, dice, chop, mix, bake, boil, steam.........etc.
2007-09-01 11:36:46 · answer #6 · answered by catering_queen 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Here are three ridiculously off base definitions...
Idioms:
from scratch
From the very beginning.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/from+scratch
or
Scratch \Scratch\, a.
Made, done, or happening by chance; arranged with little or
no preparation; determined by circumstances; haphazard; as, a
scratch team; a scratch crew for a boat race; a scratch shot
in billiards. [Slang]
http://dict.die.net/scratch/
or
(similar to the first)
Idiom: from scratch
From the beginning; without the benefit of any preparation or previous experience.
http://www.allwords.com/word-from%20scratch.html
I wouldn't interpret "bake a cake from scratch" to mean....
1. mill the wheat.
2. process the cocoa beans.
3. refine the sugar
2007-09-01 11:50:53 · answer #7 · answered by zes2_zdk 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I read you loud and clear. I think it is because the people who test and write these recipes haven't a clue. They are sadly from the "Instant and Frozen Generation". Therefore, they would not know what 'from scratch' mean. They think that from scratch means they didn't order pizza or Chinese take-away.
2007-09-08 05:38:29 · answer #8 · answered by Notorious 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In my world, from scratch means no prepreperation of any of the ingredients. In today's world, from scratch means if you use a stove or oven to cook the item as opposed to a microwave.
2007-09-07 16:58:25 · answer #9 · answered by Rosebudd 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think you don't have enough faith in mankind anymore. you obviously cook from scratch but why do you think other people don't.
cooking with packet ingredients is a lot better than not cooking at all. i love cooking but i use ready-made mustard, and ketchup which i could make myself. i believe it makes the final product better as i can concentrate on other things. i have made my own sausages before, but shop bought ones are as good and 500 times less hassle.
i enjoy making pickles which i believe are better than ones from the shop but other people are extremely happy with the stuff they buy.
2007-09-05 12:21:10 · answer #10 · answered by gaybear 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's open to interpretation, scratch used to be making all ingredients from raw materials. But with advances in food processing and packaging these short cuts have found there way into home cooking without compromising flavor or nutrition.
2007-09-01 11:40:52 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋