Cooking For Engineers

[chipwap]

My husband and I (both engineers) have been preparing a large Thanksgiving feast for both our families for many years now. We could not manage it without our color-coded spreadsheet which lists rows of dishes to be prepared along a time column axis. Color coding is used to represent appliances needed for each phase of preparation. And everything is aligned to be finished at the pre-designated dinner serving time. We assign tasks to various family members, who each know to consult the spreadsheet for time and task. Our families love to make fun of this geeky habit, but everyone appreciates its functionality (I think).

[EngineeringProfessor]

[Matt]

IMO, this is an awesome way to organize, especially if you're cooking for masses. In Fine Cooking magazine, they do something kind of similar, but it sounds like your system is more involved (and more techno-tastic). Any chance you'd be willing to share your system with the board?

[Guest]

I agree, you should post it. The layout could be a great starting point to customize for many tasks/occasions.

[Bunny]

I haven't quite gotten around to a spreadsheet, but I have some personal wiki pages with notes on timelines and discoveries from Thanksgivings past, and notes-to-self for the future. This is important, since I really only make turkey once a year. Butterflied, then brined, then marinaded, then roasted...

[eltonyo]

cooking is 50% love, 40% art, and 10% luck.

oddly... this site, because it is dedicated to engineers, think's it is 100% analytical and science-like.

as an engineer, i can say with complete confidence, that though i like a scientific break-down on things... i don't trust it more than the toilet paper that has to hold its integrity to wipe my arse.

my advice.... lighten up with the spreadsheets!

use (and trust) your head. for once.

better yet... use your imagination.

better yet.... Think Out Of The Box.

have fun. splurge. go krazy.

... get a life.

- Tony

[Bunny]

Sure, but I'd rather not over-salt my turkey because I forgot how much I used last year, and I'd like to remember how long it really took to cook; little things like that.