I was just in the kitchen 'making' (and I use the term loosely as I'm suffering from the flu) some soup by opening a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup and adding black pepper and parsley to it. I dunno if it's my fevered state or divine inspiration, but I started thinking about what kinds of cooks there are.

What do I mean?

Well, canned soup aside, I consider myself to be a creative cook. Even if I'm having Maggi noodles (which I don't do often, mind you), I cannot rest without adding something to it. Also, I typically don't use recipes, preferring to let my mood, intuition and experience guide me. Mind you, I don't use this approach in baking as that's just asking for trouble!

I also know some (and I hope this doesn't sound pejorative) cook by numbers cooks who find a recipe they like and set out to buy the exact ingredients down to the last drop of rare Chateau La Mondotte Saint-Emilion. At the other end of the scale, I've been known to substitute water for almost any alcoholic drink. If I don't have it, well, I just have to be creative!

Then there are cooks that I think of as cooks that fly with co-pilots. These co-pilots might be a cooking show, Mum, a friend or a cherished older neighbour who could make an old shoe taste good. These cooks are the most physically agile of them all. Picture this: phone under ear, arms covered in flour and a bit of a 'deer in headlights' look. But they get there in the end!

Actually, that old shoe gambit reminds me of one of my favourite episodes of The Storyteller. It's called Stone Soup. It's brilliant so check it out!

OK, back to the cooks ...

The final cook I'll describe is one who buys a variety of ready-made ingredients and creates an absolutely beautiful meal. What shall I call them? I think I'll call them 007/stealth cooks because they're masters at finding great ingredients and stealthily combining them into a masterpiece! I'm definitely not disparaging this sort of cook because I have elements of this cook inside me too. On some things, like dolmades, bread or feta cheese, there is often no need (or time) to reinvent the cheese wheel, so to speak.

Whatever type of cook you are, it's all about finding the best ingredients and recipes to create an enjoyable dance on the palate (or ‘a plate' as I like to call it) for you and your guests.

My advice to all cooks, especially the nervous ones, is to experiment and live a little. Walking on the creative side of cooking is a wild ride, but you'll enjoy every bite!

PS  If you think of other 'types' of cooks, feel free to send a tweet or DM to me on Twitter or email me on renee@risingstardesigns.com.au.