Element Descriptor
Armies march on their stomachs. So do social movement organisations, whether they are into marching or not. That is to say, well-cooked, healthy meals do wonders for morale, and create great opportunities for folks to connect. It’s what we have done, as a species, since we were on the savannah. …
Level descriptors
Novice | Practitioner | Expert | Ninja |
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Can tell basic vegetables, pulses and grains apart.Can chop vegetables in regular sizes to order. Knows the difference between vegetarian and vegan and remembers not to dump cow juice in the communal porridge pan. Has a grasp of catering hygiene and knows why catering plasters are blue. | Can boil bulk quantities of rice or pasta without creating a gluey mess with hard bits in.Can rustle up basic vegan slop for 60 for less than thirty quid at a day’s notice (and with a driver to help out) Has an up-to-date knowledge of which food brands are Nestle and must therefore be avoided at all costs. | Can bake vegan cakes without the middle sagging. Sometimes.Can make vegan slop for 60 which actually tastes good for less than thirty quid at 3 hours’ notice. Can make gluten-free organic bread which doesn’t double as an offensive weapon/building material. | Is able to produce vegan pancakes in large quantities.Has a good knowledge of drying, bottling, jam-making and other means of preserving excess fruit and vegetables. Can maintain patience and calm whilst preparing bulk quantities of food with help from people in levels (1) and (2), whilst also passing on their skills and experience. Has an up-to-date knowledge of which beer brands are vegan/organic/owned by homophobic/animal testing/Israeli companies with interests in the settlements, and must therefore be avoided at all costs. |
Element Overview Essay
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The reason some people are bad at cooking is they either didn’t get taught it when they were young, or they were too idle to learn it as they got older. They had a really good cook they were living with, they’re not that interested in food, any number of issues. Oh, and also the ready availability of ready meals, albeit high in salt, sugar and fat.
The consequences are you waste a lot of money on takeout and high fat high sugar, high salt foods. You can’t express your love and affection to other people via food, which is a pity and someone else does all the cooking is really not good.
So the fixes are, as with any new skill, start small, learn a few new tricks, consolidate them, learn a few more. It’s never too late to learn.