In a recent Huffington Post article, Linda Buzzell makes a case for “pattern recipes,” which basically means learning the basics of recipe and then varying things as one goes along.
On one hand, I agree that it’s much more freeing to be able to make up a recipe and wing it. For example, one of my favorite local weekend breakfasts is shown in the photo above: shredded potato, stir fried with chopped onion and a bit of oil, topped with farm fresh scrambled eggs, finished off with ketchup (totally NOT local, but I love it. Maybe next year I’ll make ketchup.)
I don’t want to write off recipes altogether, though. And not just because I have a huge cookbook collection. They are a great way to learn how to cook. One of the things I loved about cooking through Simply in Season was that it often gave substitution ideas, so after awhile you just sort of get used to substituting various kinds of onions, greens, chicken broth for white wine, etc. Now I’m much more comfortable making substitutions with just about any recipe – but I couldn’t have jumped right in not having cooked much. Maybe we could think of recipes as training wheels . . .
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I was talking to eldest, this morning, the one who just came back from a little over a year cooking for himself. He mentioned that he & his buddies across the hall cooked… no microwave, and that people his age found that very odd.
Yet what I had noticed was how, despite having cooked nearly every meal with me during his life, he couldn’t really improvise… had to cook something he was sure of, or use a recipe. He didn’t see the ingredients by themselves, if that makes sense.
Cookbooks rule, though, if only for inspiration. 🙂
It’s funny, my mom cooked well when I was young too, but it wasn’t until I was out on my own that I had to figure things out. I was an “assembler” sort of half-homemade cook for a long time, then I started this blog and have learned a LOT just by forcing myself to try things. I actually like cooking from scratch better, just because I feel so much more connected to the ingredients.
I love love love reading cookbooks, but rarely ever actually follow a recipe. I usually take the basics from the recipe and wing it, whether I’m right or wrong.
I have learned so much from reading cookbooks…so I think they are very helpful. I especially love seeing photos of the finished dish, and if it’s a celebrity chef/cook author, I love being able to see them cook the dish on TV to learn even more.
I don’t think that recipes have ruined cooking..at least for me! There are some that work for me and I love them just the way they are..but most times I fool around with them…and change or add a little something here or there..because I know that I like certain flavours together, or that certain things work well together and I can sub this or that for something I don’t have or whatever! I’m definitely pretty creative when it comes to cooking though..and am not afraid to jump out there and try something new..so I’ll look at a recipe..get a feel for it..and then usually just go at it from there…consult it once or twice…less if I’ve made the dish before. If it’s baking or pickling though, I try to stay more on the recipe…well..for pickling I always follow the recipe exactly because the PH has to be just so 🙂 I do however find that most people my age (mid to late twenties) FREAK out when I do this, and most want to follow an EXACT recipe regardless of whether they’ve made the dish once or one hundred times…it’s just how a lot of people operate.
I like to think of recipes as being things that are a general guide..something to inspire you and give you an idea of what you want and where to go…and then you can go from there. Sub things, add things, take away things, put your own little twist on it and away you go!
I’m pretty sure that I heard about a book..and maybe I read about it too..that teaches you how to pair foods together..what works and what doesn’t work…instead of giving you recipes..it’s like the anti-cookbook cookbook.haha!
Ah! Did some googling and it’s called: The Flavour Thesaurus: A Compendium of Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook – Definitely something I want to invest in! Sounds fabulous and right up my aisle! 🙂
Erin, thanks for the Flavor Thesaurus book recommendation. I’ve requested it at my local library!
Erin, I just found another book that might also be interesting
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs
Requested this one from the library as well.
Yay! Thanks for your recommendation as well! I think that these books will spark even more creativity…Horray! So excited to try them out 🙂
Ooh I have that book and LOVE it!
OK I am going to have to get that book!
A while back I decided to make myself a “pattern” cookie recipe. It’s worked pretty good for me and I’ve gotten comfortable baking several different kinds of cookies without getting out a recipe, because I just make subtle changes to the recipe I’ve committed to memory. But I think this is a step that’s a lot easier to take after you’ve been baking and cooking for several years already.
That’s a great approach. Hmm, I wonder if I could figure out a bread pattern recipe?
I think that recipes are a good thing… they help you learn what works and what goes together. I have to admit that I still look at a recipe even if I’ve changed half of the ingredients that go into it. Mainly because for some things I need a guide so I don’t leave something totally obvious out. However, to feel bound by what a recipe says is a very limiting mentality when it comes to cooking.
I agree, I think the author of the original article doesn’t account for those of us who don’t feel like we have to follow a recipe to the letter.
I also agree that recipes are a great way to learn how to cook. I feel that recipes help those who are novices in the kitchen make dishes they otherwise would be too intimidated to approach. I think the best recipes for learning are those that come with variations though.
There are some recipes I follow to the letter and some that I just kind of read once or twice, get the basic idea, and wing the rest.
Usually if it is something I’ve never made before and really don’t want to screw up I will follow the recipe very closely (case in point: I made bagels last night and follow everything exactly, as the husband’s breakfasts this week were riding on it!)
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I love recipes for baked desserts! I think a good recipe is very valuable. 🙂 I’ve spent lots of time perfecting certain things (say, homemade pudding — just how many eggs? How thick? etc…) and when I get what I consider a perfect result, I value my recipe! 😉
If “a recipe” means we can’t change a single thing and can’t ever create our *own* recipe, then no… but to me, a recipe = the on-paper formula for what I love! 🙂
I never thought about that aspect . . . probably because I don’t do a whole lot of baking, just cooking.