Life News

Sad kitchens and 'thumbs' of ginger: two outlets on how real home cooks get by

NPR twice covered The Two Saddest Kitchens, a new graphic memoir by New Yorker cartoonists Roz Chast and Jason Adam Katzenstein. In an interview, the pair discussed roaches, mouldy food and dysfunctional appliances; in a review, book critic Maureen Corrigan said the comic conversation made her laugh and feel better about her own lack of cooking.

The Guardian came at home cooking from the opposite end, answering a reader who asked why recipes give fresh ginger in “thumbs” or centimetres rather than by weight. Its food writers' answer was that personal taste often matters more than strict precision.

“That's a very good question, and I don't think there is a very good answer.” — Felicity Cloake, via The Guardian

Cloake suggested it may simply be convention, because giving a precise weight for staples such as ginger or onions can feel fussy.

How each outlet framed it

• NPR — comfort and comedy: admitting that many kitchens are chaotic, and that this is normal.
• The Guardian — kitchen know-how: why recipes leave room for judgment, and when weighing matters less.

The useful takeaway for home cooks is shared: recipes are guides, and a less-than-perfect kitchen is not a reason to stop cooking.