Even the most experienced cooks have apprehensions about certain ingredients or techniques in the kitchen. Me? I’ve never roasted a whole fish (mostly because the vast majority of my diners would never eat it), I’ve never done any deep fat frying and I’ve never used a pressure cooker.
I *have* a pressure cooker; I’ve just never used it. It was given to DH and me as a wedding gift. He used it once or twice when we got married, and then up it went into the pantry rafters.
Frankly, those things scare me. I remember my grandmother’s pressure cooker and the noises it would make. It would shake and steam and whistle and it looked like it would come apart at the seams at any moment. I keep hearing about how today’s pressure cookers are so much safer, so much easier, blah blah blah…
Well, it’s time for me to suck it up, dilettantes. I AM GOING TO USE A PRESSURE COOKER. Recipe suggestions, as well as offers of anti-anxiety medication, are welcome. And I’m giving myself a self-imposed deadline of July 15th to try it. So grab some popcorn and settle in… this is going to be interesting.
The Dilettante's Table 
Relax……I got my pressure cooker 50 years ago with Blue Chip stamps and have been cooking artichokes in it ev er since. It hisses and squeaks bit but that’s OK,,just letting off excess steam…..not to worry, Cooks artichokes beautifully in about 15 minutes. I cook 3 big ones at a time. I follow the directions for how much water and the pressure setting, add a dollop of vinegar, slice up 20 cloves of garlic and put slices in between as many leaves as possible and go. No fear necessary. Honest.
Good luck. And enjoy.
I LOVE this post…you are such a great writer. Wonder if a local paper would be interested in having you write for them…You could easily be a food editor
Nicki Pike, PsyD, LCSW Executive Director, West Coast Cancer Connection http://www.westcoastcancerconnection.com/ Fellow American Psychotherapy Assoc. 14101 Yorba St., #104 ~ Tustin, CA 92780 cell / text (714) 838-5253
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>________________________________ > From: The Dilettante’s Table >To: drnickipike@yahoo.com >Sent: Saturday, July 6, 2013 6:28 AM >Subject: [New post] Under Pressure > > WordPress.com >Sarah posted: “Even the most experienced cooks have apprehensions about certain ingredients or techniques in the kitchen. Me? I’ve never roasted a whole fish (mostly because the vast majority of my diners would never eat it), I’ve never done any deep fat frying and I’ve” >