The Essence of Yum

Do it for the Kipper

by Marcy Singer

I recently received my weekly email ‘Notes from the Test Kitchen ‐ Recipes that Work.’ It’s sent out regularly from America’s Test Kitchen, a real test kitchen just outside of Boston, run by Christopher Kimball who publishes Cook’s Illustrated, Cook’s Country, many cookbooks, and who maintains several cooking websites.

At the kitchen they test not only recipes but also cooking utensils, comparing brands and prices, as well as things like Balsamic vinegar and imported cinnamon.

And when I mean they ‘test recipes,’ I don’t mean they try them out once or twice. They prepare them scores of times, sometimes as many as 100 times, trying this or that, making changes and improvements, until they end up with recipes that always turn out right for anyone.

So it got me thinking about this idea of experimentation and trying new things and how many, many people are so afraid of ‘failure’ that they never try things in the first place, whether it’s cooking or creating a relationship or applying for a new job.

And I think it’s simply a matter of how you look at it. If you’re all tense and serious and have the attitude that you have to ‘get it right’ the first time or you are a failure, you will not only set yourself up for grave disappointment but will most likely become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I think that’s where my ‘beginner’s luck’ comes from. Whenever I try something new I always just do it for fun and don’t place pressure on myself to be an instant success. In fact when I’m making a new recipe, I always ASSUME that it won’t be the way I want it until I work with it awhile. And if it does work out well the first time, yay! And if it doesn’t, I still had fun, and I’ll keep at it until I either create what I want or get bored and go on to something else.

So I’ve decided that along with sharing some of my yummy recipes I might also pass along a few of my own hints and tips and comments so that I might give people the confidence and inspiration to get out into the kitchen (or whatever area of life you like) and do some new things and have some fun. You know, just for the halibut.

TODAY’S TIP: When you go to the store be on the lookout for unexpected bargains and sales. I always take a list (so I don’t forget anything) but still remain alert for any special deals that will save me money in the long run. Like today I found sweet green bell peppers for 50 cents at Kroger! Can’t beat a deal like that, so I bought three extra ones, diced them up and put them in a Ziploc bag and into the freezer they went for the next time I want green peppers for a soup or fajitas or pepper steak and they are $1.00 apiece at the store.

It’s like in life. Make your plan and take your ‘list’, but keep your eyes and ears open and remain flexible or you just might miss that wonderful surprise you weren’t even looking for.