I like how we are on the quest for the magic dictionary word. Where are all the English majors when you need them?
Who decided that “cooking” wasn’t sufficient enough to represent “cooking up cheeseburgers” and “cooking up methacola”?
OP even implied that the separation between the two was bound to happen eventually.
English major (non-native) here.
Concoction sounds brilliant! I think it covers both bases.
I’d think that Confection or Concoction would work for this kind of thingy.
Or even Combination.
Although I wouldn’t think that spit roasting squirrels involves mixing.
EDIT: Suppose Fusion sounds relatively right.
The fusion of a squirrel and heat to create…
COOKED MEAT
COOKED MEAT MAN GOOO
Also Synthesis or Coalition.
And Amalgamation.
I like Grizzly’s idea XD
Synthesis sounds ok.
You don’t synthesize a lasagne.
[url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/concoct]concoct [kənˈkɒkt]
vb (tr)
- to make by combining different ingredients
- to invent; make up; contrive[/url]
You could feasibly concoct both a lasagne and some meth, although I still think Cooking is perfectly acceptable.
When the chemistry side is expanded, it’ll probably be separated anyway.
e:
And yes, I understand that a dictionary definition of synthesis would be accurate for cooking a lasagne, but I mean it doesn’t sound right, whereas (imo) concoct is both accurate and makes immediate sense.
A bliss to behold: Chowmistry
Hint: There is much talk of the actual quality regarding thermical preparation of foods and such. To chop it bland, what you need to do with the ingredients before boiling/cooking them, and afterwards - just before sticking it in the oven for the final part. Since a more subtle part of the viable cooking skill concerns with quality of extracted nutrients from bioproducts (and that’s chemistry alright), cooking is somewhat of a Thermo-chemical process all the way.
Now go and think of your grandma as a brilliant thermochemist. 
Perhaps another idea would be to simply add a description to skills? Press @, then tab over to them and there could be a little description there.
This could help to clear up confusion over the oddly named ‘firearms’ skill, though not more than just naming it ‘ranged weapons’.
Glad they are staying in the same skill. I worked in a chemistry lab for years, and have had multiple conversations with chemistry professors about how often chemists tend to cook as a hobby. From a knowledge standpoint, they are totally different. From a “technician” stantpoint, as Gryph put it, they are extremely similar. Good lab practice naturally promotes good kitchen practice, so it makes sense for the skill to level both the food and the drug component.
I vote stick with cooking. I thought of compounding, recipes, and protocols, but I don’t like them as well.
I’m no posting in this thread anymore. I’m tired and sick and working lots of extra days while tired and sick. Everything that comes out is me being an ass so I’m going to shut up now.
That’s the sick & tired talking Miloch.
@pete
Well, I do believe I disagree on the same grounds. So there.
Yar, my feeling is it’ll wind up staying cooking, but still…[sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub][sub]Victual Sciences![/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub][/sub]
[quote=“Petethegoat, post:46, topic:3554”]You don’t synthesize a lasagne.
[url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/concoct]concoct [kənˈkɒkt]
vb (tr)
- to make by combining different ingredients
- to invent; make up; contrive[/url]
You could feasibly concoct both a lasagne and some meth, although I still think Cooking is perfectly acceptable.
When the chemistry side is expanded, it’ll probably be separated anyway.
e:
And yes, I understand that a dictionary definition of synthesis would be accurate for cooking a lasagne, but I mean it doesn’t sound right, whereas (imo) concoct is both accurate and makes immediate sense.[/quote]
Thanks for finding a dictionary definition to support my intuition.