So life happens. I was on this wave of making desserts or rather testing out new dessert recipes. Even that is wrong. I was trying recipes to see how to make them and what they tasted like if new to me.
So what draws me to a recipe, well a few things. It may be something I saw, or some ingredient that is completely new or that I tasted at some point in my life or something I saw on a food or travel show. It must be uncommon at least to the masses here. It might also be some process that seems challenging to me that I wish to conquer.
What am I learning–massive patience. I received a French cook book a few years back when I was just getting into food or cooking really. One of my parents gave me a fancy pancy book and I have made only one recipe from it since and I only read through it a couple of times just to explore the ingredients etc. What was a massive turnoff was the length of the recipes. One whole page of micro print is a lot and then two pages of both ingredients and instruction just really put me off. At that point I thought that I would never master this as it would take too long to create a dish and is that really worth my time. First there is the imitation, which is trying the recipe, then there is the “becoming rote” in making the recipe and then I guess tailoring but who wants to really tailor a classic dish. I am just poised to get the dish correct and for it to be palatable. To this day there are a few things I do not touch really-Fish, Steaks and French Food. I just followed a recipe for Beef Bourguignon and it came out pretty decent, after almost burning it.
So I have been noting recipes and I came upon a few that were pager turners. I am no more tolerant of long recipes and complicated processes as in the early days. I am just jumping in and kind of just doing it–little hesitation, because I can talk myself out of anything and at this point, it is important that I try to do something that puts me at the helm. Its hard to keep the faith or keep on the road when you cannot see far down the road.
I am reading a recipe for Gyeondan/Rice Cake Balls
http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/gyungdan
and I have to go back and note all the apparatus and mise en place (preparing all ingredients prior to starting) I will need-a bunch of bowls, a few pots, a grinder, and a strainer. In my local dialect we say “it come like a project.” The thing has turned into a project. So each time I do one of these long, sometimes complicated, and confusing, as well as all encompassing recipes it is like a project. Who says that I am not learning and achieving!
Until next time,
signed, Project Manager