I have to admit I do not enjoy recipes. I do not write them or look for recipes, unless for pastries. Why don’t I like recipes? Simply put, because living life is freedom.
Life is free. It does not come with a set of rules to follow. A recipe is meant to be a guide, to be used as a tool or a direction for what you are looking to create. I enjoy thinking differently, freely – not that I am different from other cooks, chef or people. No, I just enjoy thinking differently. Turning something upside down to see it from a different angle, or with a different taste.
There are too many fucking recipes; some that work, others that do not. Have you ever experienced the frustration of trying a recipe that didn’t work? What about the thrill of discovering something delicious without a recipe? For my part, I have experienced more joy with the latter.
Desserts, on the other hand, need recipes like the desert needs water. Desserts are delicate like a flower and will wilt if not handled with care and attention. It begs you to pray, no matter what your religion is: Please God, Allah, Krishna, Buddha make sure the soufflé rises.
Cooking is a bit more like living “in action”. Make a mistake? Then, fix it as you go along – don’t ponder, don’t question what was, or what if. Just move forward. A little bit of lemon, maybe fresh squeezed orange juice, and a touch of cilantro. There you go! Dinner is served.
What is there to know? Your daily living is a recipe that cannot be duplicated. It is constantly changing. And just when you thought you have found the recipe for Truth, the recipe no longer works.
Done/dish
4 Responses
Apologies for being slow to respond to your January 25 post about recipes…I was intrigued by the statement that “There are too many fucking recipes; some that work…” Until recently, I had trouble finding user-friendly and inspirational fucking recipes at all. Latterly I have found a few and, given my lack of first-hand experience in my adult life and the awkwardness this predicament presents me with in relationships, I am grateful when I find one that I can use. Not to diminish the “thrill of discovering something delicious without a recipe”, sometimes guidelines, suggestions and parameters help a great deal.
Thanks for your wise direction. As always, I will read with interest every and all subsequent posts. Ooooo I love the pics too 😉
Hello, Jen! Thanks for your comment on my new blog. Exciting indeed! Yes, there is a LOT of information on the internet — especially in the form of recipes. Some of them, I can tell, from my experience are NOT going to result in the desired outcome. I hear your point too. Sometimes, I will google a recipe for a dish someone asks me for, so I can establish the parameters, i.e., the ingredients I would like to use. If the recipe calls for butter, I will almost always reach for olive oil, because my cooking tends to avoid the use of butter (just a personal preference on my part because I think it results in cleaner flavors).
To me, there is just more pleasure in knowing that I am not lost, and that I simply don’t know where I am. It’s sort of like sex. You might not know how you ended up in that Twister position, but… actually, that feels pretty damn good!
I guess my blog post boils down to the saying of “not being able to see the forest for the trees”. It is a matter of perspective — and remembering that the ultimate gift of food is the pleasure it brings into living.
P.S. My lovely one will be thrilled to hear you enjoyed her photographs.
Thanks! I think I might donate all my cook books now! 🙂
Rock on, JDB!
Find that Twister position, enjoy it and let it go!
Planning on coming to Switzerland anytime soon!?