I play with my food

[DancingLady]

I play with food as well. I don't always have a lot of options to choose from, but I will just look at what I have and try out combinations. Sometimes it's great, sometimes I make a mental note not to do that again because it wasn't a good combination.

 

[ChanellG]

To your point about testing food, I have often said I would like that job. I don't think those jobs are available around here. I'd have to open my own restaurant.

I don't know about that; testing stuff out is something that needs to be done everywhere. I'm sure there is some kind of opportunity where you live to do some amount of food testing. Maybe you could talk your way into having a position created someplace. You never know, right?

 

[ChanellG]

I play with food as well. I don't always have a lot of options to choose from, but I will just look at what I have and try out combinations. Sometimes it's great, sometimes I make a mental note not to do that again because it wasn't a good combination.

It's a lot of fun trying out different things in the kitchen. Whenever I am working with an ingredient I haven't used before I usually do a little research and look at how others have used it. The first time I had leeks in my produce box from the farmer's market I didn't know what to do with them. After I realized they are basically onions, I treated them that way.

 

[winterybella]

What I have found is that when I am trying out some North American or European recipes, I'll sometimes have to substitute some ingredients. On a occasions I might be completely ignorant to some of what the recipe is calling for. Besides that, sometimes a recipe might call for something I don't usually stock in my kitchen and there is where I improvise as well. Then there are those times when I have all that is required and I still play around with the recipe.

 

[ChanellG]

What I have found is that when I am trying out some North American or European recipes, I'll sometimes have to substitute some ingredients. On a occasions I might be completely ignorant to some of what the recipe is calling for. Besides that, sometimes a recipe might call for something I don't usually stock in my kitchen and there is where I improvise as well. Then there are those times when I have all that is required and I still play around with the recipe.

It's the same for anyone who cooks something that relies on regional ingredients that are not readily available where they live. I have no idea what galangal is, lol. I either leave it out or use ginger. I actually have a contemporary Indian cookbook that makes the substitutions for you since some ingredients are hard to find (or really expensive) in some areas.

 

[elles-belles]

I play with food as well. I don't always have a lot of options to choose from, but I will just look at what I have and try out combinations. Sometimes it's great, sometimes I make a mental note not to do that again because it wasn't a good combination.

I have to agree, I find that with this method of doing things comes a lot of new and interesting recipes.
You end up surprising yourself and those that eat your food.