Talking to my buddy at a diner in Austin made me realize I've been reading recipes wrong

So I'm grabbing breakfast with my friend Mike at this place on South Congress. He's telling me about a brisket he made and I'm like yeah I just follow the recipe step by step. He looks at me funny and goes 'dude the ingredient list is a suggestion not a contract.' For some reason that just hit me. I've been treating recipes like they're written in stone for years. Now I'm wondering how many other things I've been overthinking like that. Anyone else had a random comment completely flip how you approach something simple?

3 comments

3 Comments

mila_flores81mo ago

Used to follow recipes like they were IRS tax forms. One wrong gram of salt and I'd think the whole dish was ruined. My sister laughed at me for measuring vanilla extract with a medicine dropper once. Now I just eyeball half the stuff and things turn out way better. Chili powder amounts are more of a vibe than a science anyway. Still measure baking soda though, that stuff actually matters.

skylerp311mo ago

Read somewhere baking is chemistry and cooking is art. Bang on.

adamgreen2d ago

Wait you actually used a medicine dropper for vanilla? Honestly that kinda makes sense though, I used to be the same way with recipes but hearing you say chili powder is more of a vibe than science just clicked for me.