The Pitfalls of Being a (armchair) Masterchef Contestant

Undoubtedly, you have heard of an armchair quarterback. I have now invented a new one, armchair, MasterChef contestant.

Like millions of others, maybe not that high, I became obsessed via binge watching the television show MasterChef. I had heard of it, but never watched it. After watching a TV show called Pressure Cooker, I found my love of cooking shows and movies and naturally gravitated to Masterchef. where have I been the last 14 years or so. Watching it, I hated Joe the judge and I loved Joe, in the same breath. I found myself rooting and cheering some contestants while begging for others to serve raw chicken. Early on the cooks were okay but as the seasons moved on they got better and we were privileged to Gordon Ramsey master classes. Some seasons I disliked because it was obvious who they favorited, but overall, it’s fantastic.

For the record, I can’t get into Masterchef Junior, the judges are way too nice.

Anyhow while watching the show I suddenly found myself loving to cook more, trying new things and techniques.

I’ve always been a good cook. Masterchef contestant level? No. I was a Mom cook and Nana cook. Whipping up comfort foods, like Mac n cheese, goulash, sloppy joes and a killer spaghetti sauce I learned from my grandmother.

But as the seasons rolled on and the contestants got better, so did I. Suddenly I was making a perfectly medium rare filet mignon,  my own pot stickers, I could poach a lobster, and do my own pasta. (Albeit I have a pasta machine now). Heck I made a rack of lamb with red wine reduction. Fondant potatoes are once a week. Before Masterchef I didn’t have a clue what a fondant potato was.

Every day, I kid you not, was a new cooking experience. I went from having three or four spices to an entire rack and a cabinet with Asian sauces and Indian spices I never would have thought to buy let alone know how to use. I do.

My fresh drunken noodles … the bomb.

My phone camera roll went from pictures of kids to mainly food I created (Obviously by this blog).

I was serving myself and granddaughter restaurant quality meals. I stopped getting take out because I wanted fresh. Not a bad thing right? I slowly became a food snob.

But something happened, something horrible.

While taking the path to great cooking I lost my knack for making tasty comfort foods. Or did I?

I learned this when I decided to make Mac n cheese. It didn’t taste right, gummy. The cheese was weird. I didn’t do anything different. Had to be a fluke. Then the confirmation came when I wanted Sloppy Joe’s. Simple right? No. They were horrible. Meat was hard, the sauce too sweet. One bite and I threw it out. Who fails at making Sloppy Joes. This lady here.

Ug! What happened to me? Did I become a horrible Mom cook or did I just get used to elevated style meals. I don’t even want to try a pot roast. Thankfully my sauce is still super killer.

Even though I lost my touch or rather palate for normal foods, I anxiously await season 13. Let the cooking neuroticism begin.

Sigh.

I really wanted a Sloppy Joe