How often do you try a new recipe?

[Cooking Goddess]

...My daughter took me to get my hair cut today and then we went out to eat. She had a pineapple pizza (YUK!)...

Did you try it? Or did you "yuck" it only because you saw it. Don't knock it unless you tried it. You're allowed to say "yuck" only if you took three bites.

You don't like the pineapple and ham Hawaiian pizza? Oh, that's my favorite!

I like them. Not my favorite "like", but we used to get them when were in in OH. A chain out of Columbus (Donatos) offers one with ham, pineapple, almonds, and a dusting of cinnamon. Our son wanted to try it. We said "WHY?" But when we all tried it, we liked it.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I try out two new recipes a month...most of the time I fall back on quick and easy favorites. Right now I am working my way through a Mexican Cookbook.

 

[Addie]

Did you try it? Or did you "yuck" it only because you saw it. Don't knock it unless you tried it. You're allowed to say "yuck" only if you took three bites.

I like them. Not my favorite "like", but we used to get them when were in in OH. A chain out of Columbus (Donatos) offers one with ham, pineapple, almonds, and a dusting of cinnamon. Our son wanted to try it. We said "WHY?" But when we all tried it, we liked it.

I don't like pineapple. In any form. The acid is too much for me. And I simply cannot stand the texture of pineapple against my teeth.

 

[Addie]

For me it is the list of ingredients. Too many ingredients, or very expensive ones, I don't even consider it. And since I prefer to bake more than cook the main meal, I look at desserts more often. And for desserts, if there are too many complicated steps, I let that one go by also.

 

[GotGarlic]

But the recipes are for home cooks, so that is also a factor. Ease of preo, time it takes, etc. I develop a lot of the recipes in my head before I take them to the kitchen.

Right, but since it's your job to develop recipes, of course you try lots of new ones. It's not the same.

 

[CWS4322]

Right, but since it's your job to develop recipes, of course you try lots of new ones. It's not the same.

I take exeption to that. I may get paid to test and develop recipes, but I am a home cook. The fact I get paid is because I am creative in the kitchen, have years' experience as a gardner and a very refined pallete and happened to connect with a company that needed s/one like me, doesn't mean that I sometimes don't have "meh" experiences. Today I am playing with a recipe my grandma made. Yes, I am upping it with ingredients she couldn't get in that remote town 18 miles south of the Canadian border in Northern MN, but I am using baker's ratio and hoping it takes me back to her kitchen. And the instructions are sketchy.

 

[CWS4322]

For me it is the list of ingredients. Too many ingredients, or very expensive ones, I don't even consider it. And since I prefer to bake more than cook the main meal, I look at desserts more often. And for desserts, if there are too many complicated steps, I let that one go by also.

That is one of the challenges I face when testing recipes--too many steps, too expensive, is there a way to simplify it? Is there a way to cut Costs? Is there a way to get this plated Faster?

 

[Addie]

Right, but since it's your job to develop recipes, of course you try lots of new ones. It's not the same.

She doesn't "try" recipes, she "develops" recipes. Some of them come from old recipes, like her grandmother's handwritten ones.

You are demeaning her work, efforts and intelligence.

 

[GotGarlic]

I take exeption to that. I may get paid to test and develop recipes, but I am a home cook. The fact I get paid is because I am creative in the kitchen, have years' experience as a gardner and a very refined pallete and happened to connect with a company that needed s/one like me, doesn't mean that I sometimes don't have "meh" experiences.

I don't understand what you take exception to. I agree with all of those things. All I'm saying is that, when you say you try 10-15 new recipes a week, it's because you're developing them as part of your job. While you're a talented home cook, you're not doing that as a home cook. You're doing it as a professional.

 

[GotGarlic]

She doesn't "try" recipes, she "develops" recipes. Some of them come from old recipes, like her grandmother's handwritten ones.

You are demeaning her work, efforts and intelligence.

Actually, I'm complimenting her

The question is, "how often do you *try* a new recipe," not "how many recipes do you develop for pay."

 

[Addie]

Actually, I'm complimenting her

The question is, "how often do you *try* a new recipe," not "how many recipes do you develop for pay."

If you had been following her past posts, you would know that she is trying old recipes. She has her grandmother's recipes and is trying to decipher them. Some are without directions. Only a list of ingredients. Whether she gets paid or not is not the point. She is trying out old recipes. Family recipes.

You insult her efforts and then tell us you are complimenting her. You can't have it both ways. No wonder she has taken umbrage with what you are saying to her.

 

[CWS4322]

I try alot more recipes than I develop. Often I try one component...will this vinaigrette carry the flavour Profile? How difficult is it to poach a perfect egg Yolk? What I don't do is try someone else's recipe...I didn't colour in the lines as a child, either. I use recipes for inspiration, but I doubt a person could figure out my start point when tasting the final product. That's how I have always cooked. I don't make the same thing twice... Too many things to make, not enough time.:-o 3

 

[GotGarlic]

If you had been following her past posts, you would know that she is trying old recipes. She has her grandmother's recipes and is trying to decipher them. Some are without directions. Only a list of ingredients. Whether she gets paid or not is not the point. She is trying out old recipes. Family recipes.

You insult her efforts and then tell us you are complimenting her. You can't have it both ways. No wonder she has taken umbrage with what you are saying to her.

Did you not sleep well, Addie? You sound like you could use a nap.

 

[RPCookin]

For me it is the list of ingredients. Too many ingredients, or very expensive ones, I don't even consider it. And since I prefer to bake more than cook the main meal, I look at desserts more often. And for desserts, if there are too many complicated steps, I let that one go by also.

I too will skip over a recipe with too many ingredients if I'm just looking for something to try. I will work with it if I'm after something specific.

That is one of the challenges I face when testing recipes--too many steps, too expensive, is there a way to simplify it? Is there a way to cut Costs? Is there a way to get this plated Faster?

I like this approach. I've done the same on my own, partly for simplicity, but more often because there is an ingredient that I simply don't care for. If I can make a substitution, or if it's something that won't really be missed, I run with that.

 

[Addie]

Did you not sleep well, Addie? You sound like you could use a nap.

I sleep very well. I don't take naps. When I get up in the morning I am up until late at night. I require very little sleep. But thank you for caring about my health. You are most kind.

 

[larry_stewart]

I Love taking naps
And I love trying new recipes too.
Some are written, some trying to duplicate something i had at a restaurant. Usually the latter, I try to do as soon after I had it, before I forget how it tastes.
Ill often, while eating something at a restaurant that I like, write the recipe on my phone ( while at the restaurant) just trying to get a rough draft in my head for when I get home and actually try to make it.

 

[msmofet]

I "try" new recipes BUT most times I use them (as Cap'n Jack says) as "guidelines". Sometimes I look at it and say HMMMM family won't like that ingredient so I toss it or exchange it for another ingredient.

I also don't make the same dish twice UNLESS it is a standard comfort dish etc. (IE chili, meatloaf, chicken soup ...) that family ask for often.

 

[CWS4322]

Yes, I am paid to play with recipes. And yes that is fun. But that doesn't mean you can't play with your food. And love having the prof photographer Take pics of what I cook look amazing. She makes everthing look so frigging good. You'd think I was a good cook looking at her pics.

 

[GotGarlic]

Yes, I am paid to play with recipes. And yes that is fun. But that doesn't mean you can't play with your food. And love having the prof photographer Take pics of what I cook look amazing. She makes everthing look so frigging good. You'd think I was a good cook looking at her pics.

I think it's a dream job I have no doubt you're a good cook.

 

[rodentraiser]

I apologize to everyone because I should have been clearer. I was just asking about recipes people hadn't made before. But I don't think it matters whether you're making new recipes you haven't tried before or experimenting with old ones you haven't tried before, it comes to the same thing in the end. And if you're getting paid to make new recipes like CWS, you're doing what the rest of us are doing, just on a larger scale. Same difference.

I'm a big fan of easier and cheaper, but now that I broke the bank with all those spices that stare at me accusingly every time I walk into the kitchen, I look for recipes that need lots of "things" in them, but only as long as I have them, can afford to buy them if I don't, and will use them again.

Unfortunately, saffron's out.