Recipes or just make it up ? (pepper, potatoes, boiled, cook)
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I guess I am somewhere in the middle. I will look at a recipe to know the items that go into a dish. I rarely measure I just through it together. So a recipe is the place I start from, I may add something not listed, or I may leave something out if I don't have it on hand.
As a rule, I usually just create my own dishes without recipes. However, I use recipes sometimes to try new or unfamiliar dishes. I always use recipes when baking.
Me too, trying to "wing it" when baking usually ends up turning out badly for me, I need to follow a recipe pretty closely.
When it comes to cooking, I'll look at a new recipe, to get an idea of the time quantity and temperature, and just wing it from there. My wife follows the recipes, so when I'm cooking a new recipe, she will say things like "It did not ask for apple juice" and I'll respond with "I know" .
I was wondering if people here taste their food as they are cooking, or most of us use our nose and our intuition to decide what spices to use.
I have noticed that my mother always tasted the food as she cooked and added spices as needed, but I never, or extremely seldom, taste the food or sauces as I cook, and I do a lot of cooking. I use my nose and my intuition to guide me. I even use my nose sometimes to sniff a spice, or spice mixture, to decide if if would be good to add.
I guess I am somewhere in the middle. I will look at a recipe to know the items that go into a dish. I rarely measure I just through it together. So a recipe is the place I start from, I may add something not listed, or I may leave something out if I don't have it on hand.
...or leave it out, if it asks for way too much fresh ginger.
Some recipes are written by a person who eats way too much of a certain ingedient, tso hat your eyes will bug out when you read how much the author wants yo to add. When I first started out cooking, I made the mistake of adding the amount of fresh ginger that the recipe in a magazine asked for. I was visiting my sister and we all thought the recipe sounded good, but no one could eat it. Ever since then I am always cautious when dealing with a new recipe that calls for adding what looks like too much of any ingredient.
People who write recipes like food network starts want you to see the recipe and say: "wow why didn't I think of putting a 1/4 teaspoon of whatever in that dish."
Learn how to cook the meals like they do in great cooking schools, without all those extraneous ingredients, and then if you have a passion for tarragon or truffles, go at it. (Except for baking where stuff has to work).
And, I taste as soon as it is safe to do so until the dish is on the table. Its a work in progress.
I usually use recipes but not always. I love recipes with a complexity of flavors - especially mediterranean style food and asian food - the blend of spices and herbs and fresh ingredients needs to be just right. I disagree completely that most meals are beter without recipes. If you really think that is true, then you need better recipes.
I am not a trained chef. Just a regular person looking for healthy ,good tasty recipes for my DH & I. I'm always looking for new recipes-online or in books & magazines. If I see one that I like,I will follow it exactly. Depending on the outcome,I will ditch it or tweak it.
I am not a trained chef. Just a regular person looking for healthy ,good tasty recipes for my DH & I. I'm always looking for new recipes-online or in books & magazines. If I see one that I like,I will follow it exactly. Depending on the outcome,I will ditch it or tweak it.
Me too - if a recipe looks good - then I will try it as is unless I taste and can tell it needs extra salt or something. I really like Epicurious and Food Network because the recipes are rated but there are some amazing food blogs out there and I have about 50 bookmarked that I read once in a while. I have found some wonderful recipes this way and in magazines and cookbooks too. I am teaching a dessert class tomorrow for 50 people and I absolutely love Dorie Greenspan's "From My House to Yours" - I've learned a lot from her.
Me too - if a recipe looks good - then I will try it as is unless I taste and can tell it needs extra salt or something. I really like Epicurious and Food Network because the recipes are rated but there are some amazing food blogs out there and I have about 50 bookmarked that I read once in a while. I have found some wonderful recipes this way and in magazines and cookbooks too. I am teaching a dessert class tomorrow for 50 people and I absolutely love Dorie Greenspan's "From My House to Yours" - I've learned a lot from her.
Wow Cat-I'm in amazement! I will check out Dorie Greenspan-thanks DKVA
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