The double edged sword

  On the ongoing subject of finding inspiration, another thorny subject has surfaced. It may surprise you to know that I'm ambivalent about cookbooks, hence the title of today's missive. Head over to my place and you'll see there are certainly quite a few in my collection but I'll state right now that I'm not necessarily an advocate.

  Actually, before I get angry and confused letters, I'd better point out that my gripe is more to do with their insane recent proliferation than anything else. Also, there are loads of titles that hint at teaching or unlocking secrets by suggesting that you can find out, 'How to cook/bake' by peering inside. These tomes will not tell you how to cook, just what to cook. And this is their only redeeming feature.

  I would (and do) argue that a set of instructions does not teach anyone how to do anything. Because the books propose what to cook, there is plenty of opportunity for inspiration. That, in a long winded way, is the point I want to make. Cookbooks, and their dumbed down sibling, the cookery TV program, are to be used as sources of inspiration and not much more.

  My tip is to find a book by an author you like or with photos that get your mouth watering and, when you need a few ideas, have a flick through and let your imagination do the rest. If you like the look of the picture and name of the recipe but can't work out much more then this is where the challenge begins and you have an opportunity to impress yourself.

  If the book you have is at an appropriate level with your skills, it shouldn't be too hard for you to work out what to do, but, like the old school text books with the answers at the back, if you need a bit of help, have a glance at the recipe. But, and this is a massive But!, remember the recipe is only a guide, it's not a God. Don't be caught in its spell and duped into thinking it has to be followed exactly. This is where you get to demonstrate to yourself (and your impressed guests) that you are a lot more skilled in the kitchen than you thought you were. And one more thing, you're making your own interpretation so it will look nothing like the picture in the book.

Kirk out

RevoltingFood.com