Doing it down home style - inventive alternative cooking methods

There are moments that you can't forget.  There are others that you wish you could.  Then there are the moments that you wish you could remember forever.  This post starts with one of those moments.  I can't remember how old I was, but I do know that I was cooking by then.  I was watching TV  I think about 20 years ago and they had famous people on (no I do not remember the name of the show, the host or even the famous person they were speaking with).  If I remember right, the person being interviewed was some type of rock star.  They asked him about his favorite recipe and he showed them his favorite - dishwasher cooked fish.  It was the first time I had ever considered the idea of cooking in something that wasn't the stove except for over the fire or on a BBQ.  The whole idea opened up a whole new world to me. 

In my house, the only dishwasher we had was me, as being an only child I had no one else to trade off with.  So I couldn't try the dishwasher fish as much as I wanted to.  I now do have a dishwasher, but as I am not sure I remember the whole thing very well I am a little chicken to try.  But I did find out about people who cooked over the engine of their car while driving, drying food in the back window of the car and several cooking methods other countries use like baking in the ground or in a Tajine. 

So for the beginning chef I do have one idea that is not only easy but will impress your friends and cause them to have one of those moments to remember.  It is Cooler Corn.  If you are having a large get together offer to make the corn on the cob.  Shuck and clean your corn and put it in a large cooler.  you can make up to 20 to 25 cobs this way.  Then take boiling water and pour it into the cooler so that it cover the corn (about 2 large tea kettles worth)  Close the lid and voila, 30 minutes later your corn is ready.  The corn will keep well with out getting mushy for a few hours.  Remember to NOT add salt as it will make the sweet corn tough.  Add the salt and butter at the table. 

Cooking is fun, and now you know to be on the lookout for those moments and ideas that will not only make it fun but memorable.  :)