I’m not a chef. I really wish I was, as it would help with my butchering and knife skills as well as every other amazing little thing chefs do. The benefit of me not being a chef is that I’m a home cook. I hope you are too, because that’s who I’m writing for: you! (And if you are a chef, and you are here, I welcome you -- I LOVE that you would read my work!) Back to the benefit of my home cook status -- I create dishes for people who use the same kind of Pyrex measuring cups, shop at the same standard local grocery store, and need a recipe to ensure what they are making will turn out. I love that people mess with recipes and create their own lovely version of things, but I’ll admit that I am a recovering creative in the kitchen. I have solid, tried and true recipes that I use in a rotation (a CONSTANT rotation) when entertaining so that the money we are spending on good ingredients won’t be wasted on a dinner that’s inedible because I decided to get creative with the recipe!
My theory on creative use of recipes is this: make it AS WRITTEN once. If you don’t like the recipe, throw it away and find a new version of the dish or cocktail you want to make. If the recipe is a winner, note what you do and don’t love about the recipe, and make it in your own, new way the next time you make it. Keep doing that until it becomes your own, and file that into your brain under WHAT TO COOK WHEN THE BOSS COMES TO DINNER or for your best friends who love food as much as you do.
Enjoy going out on a Lark with new recipes this week. Make mine once (will you make the Pom Pom Cocktail or the Winged Goddess dressing?) and then make it your own!