Masterton men's kitchen rules

MIDWEEK

Tricks with the microwave, basic recipes and a healthy helping of good company have all been key ingredients in the success of Supergrans Wairarapa's men's cooking course, which wrapped up last week.

"A lot of (older men), they don't know how to cook," Supergrans Wairarapa manager Marie McAnulty said.

"Their wives have always done it.

"They didn't know that soup was ... oh, I can put anything in it."

Faced with being on their own, the target market for the men's cooking course also has another reason for wanting to get involved - the company.

Two of the men "get on really well, and have talked about going to the Men's Shed together", Mrs McAnulty said.

At the course's final lesson, the menu was a savoury mince recipe that was cooked in the microwave.

"I never knew you could use a microwave to cook," course participicant Pete Clarkson said.

"I always thought they were just pie warmers."

Pete joined the course because he now has children to care for.

"I wanted to learn how to cook healthy," he said.

"I couldn't afford to get takeaways all the time.

"I've got a big vege garden, and I wanted to start to learn how to use it."

John Emery, who is another student on the course, said the course "shows you what it's all about, step by step".

He described cooking and preparing meals as "a challenge every day", and said he has also appreciated the company of the people on the course.

The course includes dishes like a pork and kumara meal, fish pie and a microwave mince casserole.

The students also learned to cook boiled eggs in the microwave - first wrapping them in tin foil and then immersing them in water.

Supergrans Wairarapa also runs courses for young mothers, and has had a community garden next door to its headquarters, which are in Perry Street, Masterton, in the Wairarapa Community Centre.

The property, however, has now been sold and the Supergrans are seeking another plot of land to use.

After meeting the tutors and the students and enjoying some home-cooked lunch with them, this Wairarapa Midweek reporter can confidently say the proof of the Supergrans pudding is in the eating.