The first time we see Juliet, she is burning muffins (pretty simple to bake). Next, she is delivering a grilled cheese sandwich to Jack, which she admits she didn't make, she just "put the toothpicks in." Grilled cheese sandwiches do not need to be held together by toothpicks, obviously. She then delivers soup to Jack with the warning, "I
made the soup myself, but I won't take it the wrong way if you don't like it." She seems to know VERY little about preparing and/or serving food. Thoughts?

i think, maybe, they're showing that she's not "domesticated". i don't know if i can explain it, but there's a certain type of person that comes up in people's minds when they think of cooking/baking, and that's a mother figure or woman who's docile, stay-at-home mom, etc. so maybe it's an obscure foreshadow type thing about her character: that she's not the nice woman we think she is. or maybe she's nice but she's totally in a job that is absolutely evil and.... yeah i have no idea how to explain it, hahaha. i hope this made sense...

The first time we see Juliet, she is burning muffins (pretty simple to bake). Next, she is delivering a grilled cheese sandwich to Jack, which she admits she didn't make, she just "put the toothpicks in." Grilled cheese sandwiches do not need to be held together by toothpicks, obviously. She then delivers soup to Jack with the warning, "I
made the soup myself, but I won't take it the wrong way if you don't like it." She seems to know VERY little about preparing and/or serving food. Thoughts?

This wouldn't be shocking if she grew up in an environment where she never had to fix any food for herself and especially if the people that raised her didn't either. For example, if she came from a very wealthy family where they had hired staff to prepare their meals or simply ate out every night. Hired staff would be likely to bring sandwhiches with toothpicks in them but not very likely to server grilled cheeses.

So with someone on the island who did know grilled cheeses don't have toothpicks handed her the plate, her not knowing any better put them in it thinking that's how all sandwhiches are served.

I believe this is just the Other's way of trying to erode the facade of omnipotence and brilliance to which they have displayed towards the Lostaways. Basically, it's part of a scheme to make Juliet(te) appear more human to Jack and (hopefully) make him less defensive.

That's my take, at least.

Yes, it is to show the Losties that they arent "perfect humans" and they act very much in the same ways making mistakes.

I think it's likely that no one ever taught her to cook (no mother?) or, as someone mentioned, someone always did the cooking for her and she never had to learn how. The toothpicks could have just been showing one of our numbers "4" maybe no other connection.

yeah, but she burnt the muffins way before she was trying to show their imperfections to the losties

Maybe she just didnt feel like making it. i mean did ben make that breakfast on the beach?, i doubt it. they prob just had a kitchen near by and someone was making food for our losties. did you guys forget she made the soup in this epi. it doesnt mean shes not perfect, just that someone else is cooking. i mean she seems too busy going outside stopping sawyer and at that construction site and watching over jack to be cooking.

My mom is a great cook. I am a pretty good cook. If you are invited to eat at my sister's house, I recommend you grab a hamburger first. She's cooked all her life. Alas, practice doesn't always make perfect. Sometimes it doesn't even come close.

Or she could have just lied to Jack about making the soup, hoping that Jack would be more likely to eat it if he knew Juliet made it for him?

Maybe it was Cindy's turn for kitchen duty?

Maybe its just a sign that the others have a system of rank. Juliette seems to be a doctor, so why waste her skills by having her on "Othersville" kitchen duty?

I think its a flag to the audience that Juliette isn't going to be your typical Other. So far, the Others have tried to pass themselves off as all knowing and all capable. I can't imagine Ben ever burning a muffin. But Juliette is a regular person with flaws. She can't cook. Sometimes she feels sad, and needs to listen to music to perk herself back up again. She and Ben don't get along. Juliette is not a perfect Other, and I think these are hints that she is going to turn against the Others eventually.