Anyone else have this problem?

[Claire]

This just happened this week, but for the millionth time. I've cooked something, and one of my guests calls me later for the recipe. When I have a recipe, I'm more than happy to share it, but in fact, I rarely use a recipe. That's not quite correct. Later today I'm going to make my version of boeuf bourganion and I pulled out three cookbooks to read, then will wing it without actually using any of the recipes. So when someone calls me, I can sort of talk them through it, but can't give specifics. It makes me feel idiotic. I think my friends think I'm being coy, but most of my cooking is by feel and taste. This last was cooking a whole artichoke. The friend had never had one before she visited us and we sat on the porch and nibbled. In fact, I cold tell her how to trim it, but I nuke them, and microwave ovens vary so much .... well, I was no help at all!

 

[DaveSoMD]

Yep, has happened to me before. I cook like that a lot too, I got it from my Gram who cooks by feel and taste also. All my friends know this how I cook and that sometimes I have an exact recipe and sometimes I don't. (Even if I do I can't stop the temptation to modify it after a few times). I try my best to explain it or write it down, but they understand.

Don't feel idiotic. I am sure many people would envy that you can cook without a recipe or know how ot make one out of several.

 

[kadesma]

And then there is the supposed friend who swears I won't give her the recipe because she cooks better than me She is a good cook, but this one is hard to explain. I've made them for her, but that isn't good enough. Oh well such is life
kadesma

 

[DaveSoMD]

As a side note - SO decided that last night's dinner (the Pork Soup) "is a keeper" so right now I am trying to remember what I did and type it up so I have a guide to go by next time. How much celery? I used what was left onthe stalk. Onions, well about 2 medium but I also used up the leftover inthe fridge....

 

[Claire]

Soups, stews and casseroles tend to be the worse for me if someone wants to reproduce them, because besides a few key ingredients, I tend to use what is on hand. Even lasagna ... many have asked for my recipe. So I have to remember. Did I use ground beef or Italian sausage. If the latter, was it the turkey sausage this store sells or the beef/pork that the other store makes. Did I use canned tomatoes, or did I make the sauce from frozen, roasted summer tomatoes? Did I use cottage cheese or ricotta? Or was that the year I made three lasagnas for a party (one vegan, one seafood, and one sausage) and which one is she talking about? And that's lasagna, of which I have a basic concept. Most soups are a real whatever thing.

 

[GrillingFool]

I do too.... but I also make sure that for dishes I like a lot, I measure stuff at least once.
Then, I can provide the recipe, and when I go, it will still be around for others to enjoy.

 

[licia]

I hardly ever use a recipe for main dishes and many sides - but always use them for baked goods. My soup is never the same twice since I taste and add what may be lacking and always season my sides to taste adding whatever I think will make it better at the time. I had a sister in law who always asked for recipes then if she made it she would crow about how much better hers was than mine. I finally stopped giving her any recipes at all. She wasn't a very nice person anyway.

 

[roadfix]

I wished people asked me for my recipes. No one ever does.

 

[chilipepper12]

I have a lot of dishes that I make just based on a picture I have seen and try to make it like that. It is hard to give the exact proportions of the ingredients.

 

[justplainbill]

Perhaps tasting spoons came into use because the taste characteristics of many ingredients have some variation? Also, bread recipes are generally a starting point that needs to be modified based on a variety of on-site conditions.

 

[wanna be]

Alot.

I usually start with the main idea of a recipe and then go from there.If it is something new that I want to know how it was intended I will follow the recipe exactly.I think people only ask me how I made it so they will know what not to do.

 

[Andy M.]

As a side note - SO decided that last night's dinner (the Pork Soup) "is a keeper" so right now I am trying to remember what I did...

...So I have to remember. Did I use ground beef or Italian sausage. If the latter, was it the turkey sausage this store sells or the beef/pork that the other store makes. Did I use canned tomatoes, or did I make the sauce from frozen, roasted summer tomatoes? Did I use cottage cheese or ricotta?...

...My soup is never the same twice since I taste and add what may be lacking and always season my sides to taste adding whatever I think will make it better at the time...

This is why we have recipes in the first place...

So you can make that great pork soup again and SO will be happy

So you don't have to remember what kind of sausage you used in that great lasagna.

So your soup tastes just the way your DH, DD or DS remembers it from last time.

Write it down, type it up, save it. It may be a classic one day and your children won't be wishing they had asked you for the recipe while you were still alive.