One of the foundational skills for the blind to learn is cooking. As with most things, adapting this skill to blind life is going to require certain adjustments. For instance, using knives safely is an important part of ingredient preparation, but developing this skill as a blind person requires the use of a slightly different technique. Likewise, while the identification of kitchen tools is an easy process, but what about the distinguishing between items that are more similiar, such as measuring spoons and cups? Another place where the inabilility to read effects us is the adjustment of the stove setting, while checking for doneness is more similiar to learning how to use the knife. Whatever the case, there is always a way to adapt our technique to get around the limitations presented by our lack of vision. By modifying the processes of ingredient preparation and measurement, as well as the use of appliances such as the stove, the blind individual can become a proficient cook.
A good place to start is with the preparation of the ingredients. Use feel to manage the knife, keeping your fingers clear of the edge. To do this, use the lower knuckles1 of your non-dominant hand to hold the food you are cutting against the cutting surface. You will then proceed to cut the food by placing the side of the knife against the middle knuckles2 of that hand. This will serve as a guide, preventing you from cutting into your hand.
Most of us don’t have measuring cups and spoons with braille on them, so it is necessary to memorize the sizes that we have. For instance, if you have a 1 cup, 1/2 cup, and a 1/4 cup, you would need to know that before hand so that you can identify each one of them by feel. The same goes for the measuring spoons. Another useful way to measure ingredients is by using Mason jars. Some common sizes are the pint and the quart jars, which allow you to easily measure quantities larger than one cup. Additionaly, having the conversions memorized will allow you to seamlessly switch between the measuring cups and the Mason jars.
The main appliance to learn to use in the kitchen is the stove. You will start by turning one of the knobs on the front to activate the burner, and you can gauge the tempurature by hovering your hand over the top of the stove. The warmth you feel indicates which eye is turned on. When the eye is quite warm, place the pan onto it and wait for it to heat up. Once you feel heat rising from the pan, you are ready to start cooking. Do not only use the spatula to flip or turn over the food, but also to feel it’s texture. When your food is ready you can simply turn the pan over on to the plate, being mindful not to spill it on the counter.
With practice, you will become well versed in all that it takes to cook any meal. The most important thing to remember is to take your time and use your tools to feel the progress of the food often. When you have become comfortable with cooking, there will be less thought required for you to make most food.