[blindcooks] Re: Helping a totally blind friend learn to cook and knives
- From: "Charlene Ota" <caota4@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 13:44:15 -0600
A couple comments:
I thing Jacob has a good idea, start with more basic things and get him used
to doing things. You might start, for example, with a project on the stove
that's not quite so hot! Maybe show him how to brown hamburger, or just boil
pasta. He needs to develop some confidence and learn how to handle the pans
and figure out ways to orient himself when it comes to putting steaks in
that hot pan.
Just wanted to add something about sharp knives. I've always read and been
told there's nothing worse than a dull knife and a dull knife is been the
cause of more accidents. Learning to handle a sharp knife properly is far
wiser than trying to use a dull knife. I remember when I had to take blood
thinners for a short period of time, the doctors were all in a panic telling
me to be so careful about cutting myself or tripping and falling. It was to
the point where I almost felt paralyzed until I figured out that I have
always been very careful with knives so why should it be any different now,
so I just relaxed and did everything like I always have and did just fine
because I think as blind people we do tend to be very careful with those
knives. I apologize if I ended up ranting, but I think this is really an
important issue safetywise. And, it probably will be an issue that Jon deals
with with his friend at some point, too. Always use them and put them back
in a safe place, don't leave them lying around, don't let other people leave
them lying around in your kitchen either! I've had some sighted people get
mad because I insist that if they use one of my knife they use it, wash it
and put it back! But it is one of those things I'm really a pain about but
then, hey, I still got all ten fingers to show for it, too! (smile!) People
just don't think about the risk they put us in by leaving those sharp knives
lying around wherever they might land. The worst thing I've experienced was
someone left one of my knives in the silverware tray of my dish rack with
the point up! Goodness!!
Anyway, Jon, let us know how things go with your friend!
From: blindcooks-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blindcooks-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jacob Kruger
Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2013 11:41 AM
To: blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blindcooks] Re: Helping a totally blind friend learn to cook
All I would say is maybe start him off on techniques/cooking activities that
he might find/think of as less risky..?
I find that explaining/showing some of the basic procedures to them seem to
be the best way to get people to develop more interest in then taking it
further.
Really not too sure what would actually be the safest/simplest things to ge
them started on, since fears really vary quite a lot person to person, but,
maybe something like just baking things, to get him used to the concept that
with things like decent oven mitts, you don't have to worry about burning
yourself too much, and, from my side, I specifically enjoy/like/appreciate
certain of the basic ingredient preparation procedures, like dicing
vegetables properly, etc. quite a bit as well, but, I know that, for
example, my occupational therapist sister seemed to think that using a
relatively sharp knife was a risk for a blind/visually impaired person - I
don't think of it as much of a risk at all, since, yes, it's a sharp knife,
but, doesn't mean I'm going to be doing anything dashing/daring with it, as
opposed to just using the right tool for the job, in a relatively careful
manner...<smile>
Stay well
Stay well
Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
'...fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'
----- Original Message -----
From: Jon Rawlings <mailto:twosocks76@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Blind Cooks List <mailto:blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2013 07:15 PM
Subject: [blindcooks] Helping a totally blind friend learn to cook
I need some serious input here from as many of you as possible. I have a
friend that has been a big part of my life since we were very little kids.
He never had much interest in cooking, getting most of his meals from
microwave dinners or leftovers from dinners with family or restaurant food.
Recently, however, a friend of this guy has been teaching him some very
basic things like how to set his oven to cook frozen foods and also some
simple slow cooker recipes. He's slowly gaining an interest in cooking as
he sees there are ways to make fresh dishes for dinner that he feels are
within his reach. I should mention this friend is totally blind and has
been from birth. Anyhow, I hung out with him for the better part of Friday
afternoon and evening, and I decided I'd show him how to make a good
pan-seared steak and baked potatoes. The method with the steak is to season
it lightly, get a cast iron skillet roaring, fiercely hot, then sear the
steaks in the pan for about 30 seconds a side before tossing into a
500-degree oven for two minutes a side. The steaks then rest on a cutting
board or plate under a sheet of foil for a few minutes before being served.
I prefer to leave the pan in the oven while the potatoes bake to give it
plenty of time to get hot. Well, I walked him through the whole procedure
from oiling and salting the potatoes for baking to how the meat should feel
when it has the right amount of seasoning and so on. He did pretty well,
but the biggest challenge was getting the steaks in the hot skillet. He
ended up putting the second steak almost directly on top of the first one,
and because of his fear of getting badly burned, was unable to figure out
where the second steak should go. Part of the problem was that he was
handling the tongs with the same hand that was wearing the oven mitt he had
on to protect his hand, but even after I showed him that the hand with the
mitt on it was to handle the skillet while the mitt-free hand was for
feeling with the tongs, he still couldn't quite get it. So, from those of
you with no vision at all, do you have anything to offer me that I can pass
on to my buddy the next time he at tempts this little adventure? I'm
certain this meal is well within his abilities, even at this early stage of
his learning, and is something every bachelor should know how to make for
himself. Jon
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