If I were concerned with authenticity, I would never have thought of posting this. But, as I'm starting to join in the Cookalongs, I realize that I will likely have never tried the foods that I'm trying to replicate:
I'd never had Beef Bourguignon before I made it for the last challenge
I had Goulash so long ago I forgot what it tasted like, but here I am making my own goulash
And, outside the cookalong, I made Tom Yam soup without ever having tried it - the problem here is that Thai restaurants around me always have Tom Yam (or Tom Yum, as most call it) as a dinner-only thing, so I've usually gotten hot and sour soup instead (which I've made many, many times). The good news here is that I tried the Tom Yam from a local Thai place that has excellent food, and I think mine (actually
@Yorky's) was better.
I made gumbo before tasting how the experts in New Orleans do it, and mine was good, but it required some tweaks (with the roux) before I got it right. And, I do intend to try the other dishes from some expert to compare notes.
Since my main goal is always taste, I'm not bothered by this way of doing things: if I like it, that's usually good enough. But, I always do wonder how close I came to how it's supposed to taste.
