http://chrisberryonthe.net/2009/01/15/practice-makes-perfect-in-the-kitchen/ A Curious Compendium Of Politics, Food and Life Sun, 13 May 2012 20:37:31 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://chrisberryonthe.net/2009/01/15/practice-makes-perfect-in-the-kitchen/#comment-3921 Chris G. Muse Sun, 18 Jan 2009 04:45:59 +0000 http://chrisberryonthe.net/?p=468#comment-3921 Chris... I think this is one of your best posts yet. It was very informative, from the heart, and comfortingly professional. Great Job. Now I want to go cook something. Next year when my garden is roaring and I need to use fresh vegetables I'll remember your words. Chris… I think this is one of your best posts yet. It was very informative, from the heart, and comfortingly professional. Great Job.
Now I want to go cook something.
Next year when my garden is roaring and I need to use fresh vegetables I’ll remember your words.

]]> http://chrisberryonthe.net/2009/01/15/practice-makes-perfect-in-the-kitchen/#comment-3874 RoanokeRnR Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:34:28 +0000 http://chrisberryonthe.net/?p=468#comment-3874 I'm one of those cooks that is not big on exact measurements. I sorta just know how much should go into the recipe unless I'm following one for the first time from a book. After that first time I'll usually tweak it to my liking. I also am big on just eliminating certain spices and substituting others. For instance I hate sage and would never put it in anything I cook. One of my biggest thrills is when the Rke County library has it's book sale. I usually head there and pick up whatever cookbooks they have and have found some great new recipes from really old books. Just last week I tried a meatloaf recipe from an old Italian cookbook I had bought. This one called for putting sliced hard-boiled eggs, genoa salami and sliced provolone in it, almost like a bracciole. The one odd ingredient that I had never used before in meatloaf was grated lemon peel. At first I thought it would be odd, and almost didn't include it, but did. We were all pleasantly surprised as the lemon left a refreshing taste and worked with the veal/beef combo. So, I would definitely agree that cooks should be open to trying different combinations as it might be a welcome surprise. I’m one of those cooks that is not big on exact measurements. I sorta just know how much should go into the recipe unless I’m following one for the first time from a book. After that first time I’ll usually tweak it to my liking. I also am big on just eliminating certain spices and substituting others. For instance I hate sage and would never put it in anything I cook. One of my biggest thrills is when the Rke County library has it’s book sale. I usually head there and pick up whatever cookbooks they have and have found some great new recipes from really old books. Just last week I tried a meatloaf recipe from an old Italian cookbook I had bought. This one called for putting sliced hard-boiled eggs, genoa salami and sliced provolone in it, almost like a bracciole. The one odd ingredient that I had never used before in meatloaf was grated lemon peel. At first I thought it would be odd, and almost didn’t include it, but did. We were all pleasantly surprised as the lemon left a refreshing taste and worked with the veal/beef combo. So, I would definitely agree that cooks should be open to trying different combinations as it might be a welcome surprise.

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