Comments on: Improv at the Second Kitchen http://chewonthatblog.com/2007/10/03/improv-at-the-second-kitchen/ Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:24:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: melissa http://chewonthatblog.com/2007/10/03/improv-at-the-second-kitchen/#comment-1101 melissa Fri, 05 Oct 2007 22:03:25 +0000 http://chewonthatblog.com/?p=313#comment-1101 jim, you just made my day - or year - with this post. I feel like I am such a novice because of my adherence to recipes. well, I kind of am a novice since I only started really cooking two years ago. but still. on the rare occasions I get "creative" it's only a very small variation but I feel so proud. I'm just glad to know I am not the only one. jim, you just made my day - or year - with this post. I feel like I am such a novice because of my adherence to recipes. well, I kind of am a novice since I only started really cooking two years ago. but still. on the rare occasions I get “creative” it’s only a very small variation but I feel so proud. I’m just glad to know I am not the only one.

]]> By: Kelly http://chewonthatblog.com/2007/10/03/improv-at-the-second-kitchen/#comment-1091 Kelly Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:38:30 +0000 http://chewonthatblog.com/?p=313#comment-1091 I feel the same way about baking--how do you people do it? It's so precise! It's terrifying! As for the dash and pinch and handful ways to cooking? I find it much more forgiving. There is rarely a "correct" amount. Maybe a better or worse amount (or technique), but adding a bit more of this, or less of that, or doing it differently, etc., will rarely screw it up beyond repair. In the end, I guess I'm just not afraid I'll screw it up. If I worried about making something inedible, I'd never cook again. And usually it takes several tries to get a recipe "perfect" anyway. I feel the same way about baking–how do you people do it? It’s so precise! It’s terrifying!

As for the dash and pinch and handful ways to cooking? I find it much more forgiving. There is rarely a “correct” amount. Maybe a better or worse amount (or technique), but adding a bit more of this, or less of that, or doing it differently, etc., will rarely screw it up beyond repair. In the end, I guess I’m just not afraid I’ll screw it up. If I worried about making something inedible, I’d never cook again. And usually it takes several tries to get a recipe “perfect” anyway.

]]> By: Hillary http://chewonthatblog.com/2007/10/03/improv-at-the-second-kitchen/#comment-1060 Hillary Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:56:16 +0000 http://chewonthatblog.com/?p=313#comment-1060 Lydia, sounds like making your own episode of Top Chef! Hehe. Good idea though! Lydia, sounds like making your own episode of Top Chef! Hehe. Good idea though!

]]> By: Lydia http://chewonthatblog.com/2007/10/03/improv-at-the-second-kitchen/#comment-1058 Lydia Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:06:31 +0000 http://chewonthatblog.com/?p=313#comment-1058 One way to train yourself is to ask someone to put together a pile of ingredients for you, and give you a time limit to make something out of them. You'd have to promise not to reach for a cookbook, but reaching for a beer or a glass of wine might help! After a while you realize that you know more than you think you know about cooking; you just need to learn to trust your instincts. And if what you create tastes like crap, you throw it away and go out for dinner! One way to train yourself is to ask someone to put together a pile of ingredients for you, and give you a time limit to make something out of them. You’d have to promise not to reach for a cookbook, but reaching for a beer or a glass of wine might help! After a while you realize that you know more than you think you know about cooking; you just need to learn to trust your instincts. And if what you create tastes like crap, you throw it away and go out for dinner!

]]> By: chip wilson http://chewonthatblog.com/2007/10/03/improv-at-the-second-kitchen/#comment-1056 chip wilson Thu, 04 Oct 2007 06:28:20 +0000 http://chewonthatblog.com/?p=313#comment-1056 at the end of the day....just add chocolate my chocolate meatballs are amazing at the end of the day….just add chocolate

my chocolate meatballs are amazing

]]> By: tigerfish http://chewonthatblog.com/2007/10/03/improv-at-the-second-kitchen/#comment-1051 tigerfish Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:17:26 +0000 http://chewonthatblog.com/?p=313#comment-1051 But if you put a dash of this and sprinkle of that in baking, it never works! In cooking, it is more forgiving and you can adjust the taste as you cook. :P But if you put a dash of this and sprinkle of that in baking, it never works!
In cooking, it is more forgiving and you can adjust the taste as you cook. :P

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