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I Forgot....

woodsman

woodsman

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I really enjoy cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, most times there is some classic soul blaring in the background and a few glasses of wine involved. My usual is to empty out the spice cabinet and put together a taste/flavor profile or idea.

Some of my best dishes were just messing around in the kitchen this way. The problem is, I can’t duplicate them in most cases even if I make a point to remember the base spices or technique. An example is, I made a Middle Eastern chicken dish some time back, It was glorious, a gastronomic pinnacle. My son took one bite and said he has never eaten anything that good and I have to say it was. I know the exact spices I used but just can’t repeat it.

But yes, I know the obvious, write things down, but that takes all the fun out of it in my opinion. Do other foodies suffer these issues?
 
Happens all the time, the kids are none too happy about it. About 6 years ago I did what was by all accounts about the best pork anyone has ever had, only I have no idea what I did. Sometimes when I find out that people like it I write down after the meal what ingredients were in the dish as best I can remember, but I have no idea of amounts. My dishes tend to have lots of ingredients, I add and taste and add often a dozen times or more before I decide that I am done, and I work quickly, and my mind is not as good at remembering as it once was....replicating dishes is hard. And ya, this is art for me, remembering and writing down and trying to do stuff simple enough that others can and will want to follow (My wife wants me to write recipe books) takes most of the fun out of it for me.

Needing to always do the dishes the same every time was one of the worst parts about owning a restaurant.
 
woodsman said:
I really enjoy cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, most times there is some classic soul blaring in the background and a few glasses of wine involved. My usual is to empty out the spice cabinet and put together a taste/flavor profile or idea.

Some of my best dishes were just messing around in the kitchen this way. The problem is, I can’t duplicate them in most cases even if I make a point to remember the base spices or technique. An example is, I made a Middle Eastern chicken dish some time back, It was glorious, a gastronomic pinnacle. My son took one bite and said he has never eaten anything that good and I have to say it was. I know the exact spices I used but just can’t repeat it.

But yes, I know the obvious, write things down, but that takes all the fun out of it in my opinion. Do other foodies suffer these issues?
Click to expand...

Frustrating, innit? I swear, one day I'm gonna get a helmet cam...
 
Hawkeye10 said:
Happens all the time, the kids are none too happy about it. About 6 years ago I did what was by all accounts about the best pork anyone has ever had, only I have no idea what I did. Sometimes when I find out that people like it I write down after the meal what ingredients were in the dish as best I can remember, but I have no idea of amounts. My dishes tend to have lots of ingredients, I add and taste and add often a dozen times or more before I decide that I am done, and I work quickly, and my mind is not as good at remembering as it once was....replicating dishes is hard. And ya, this is art for me, remembering and writing down and trying to do stuff simple enough that others can and will want to follow (My wife wants me to write recipe books) takes most of the fun out of it for me.

Needing to always do the dishes the same every time was one of the worst parts about owning a restaurant.
Click to expand...

I’m working on one today while listening to the best of Ray Charles. I all ready forgot the measurements, a pinch of this, a dusting of that. Chicken leg quarters were on sale so I figured a southwest/Mexican style chicken would be cool.

I’m in the proses of stewing some tomatoes with half stock half water with Jalapeño and dried poblano peppers, whole garlic cloves and a dash of Mexican oregano that I will chop and add in with the final minutes of cooking along with some spiced up caramelized onions.

You may appreciate my plan, I prepped the leg quarters scoring the leg joint to the thigh all the way around as you should, I also scored the flesh of the thigh and seasoned with spices rubbing in as I added. I’m going to give it six hours to get happy in the fridge and then pan sear the quarters on high heat to crisp the skin. In the same pan I will bake it for 40ish minutes but will add in the caramelized onions and two green bell peppers chopped and atop. I final step will be add the stewed tomatoes and slices of pepper-jack cheese and let it melt. I’m going to serve it with black beans and rice with a side salad with dressing made from some reserved stewed tomatoes and yogurt and touch of juice/liquid from a hot pepper jar as a vinegar component.
 
woodsman said:
I’m working on one today while listening to the best of Ray Charles. I all ready forgot the measurements, a pinch of this, a dusting of that. Chicken leg quarters were on sale so I figured a southwest/Mexican style chicken would be cool.

I’m in the proses of stewing some tomatoes with half stock half water with Jalapeño and dried poblano peppers, whole garlic cloves and a dash of Mexican oregano that I will chop and add in with the final minutes of cooking along with some spiced up caramelized onions.

You may appreciate my plan, I prepped the leg quarters scoring the leg joint to the thigh all the way around as you should, I also scored the flesh of the thigh and seasoned with spices rubbing in as I added. I’m going to give it six hours to get happy in the fridge and then pan sear the quarters on high heat to crisp the skin. In the same pan I will bake it for 40ish minutes but will add in the caramelized onions and two green bell peppers chopped and atop. I final step will be add the stewed tomatoes and slices of pepper-jack cheese and let it melt. I’m going to serve it with black beans and rice with a side salad with dressing made from some reserved stewed tomatoes and yogurt and touch of juice/liquid from a hot pepper jar as a vinegar component.
Click to expand...

That's dedication man.....Usually I can picture the end result in my minds eye so to speak but not this time. However, I would not try to crisp the skin on the range, I would do oven at about 450 (depending upon what the spices are that may be too high), watching closely, pull, turn the oven down and wait about 20 minutes to put it back. But I am lazy.

I have noticed that modern chefs get pissy when anyone crisps something up and then pours a sauce over or otherwise uncrisps, but you will get no argument from me for putting onions and peppers and tomatoes and cheese over the top and baking.....I would do it.
 
woodsman said:
I’m working on one today while listening to the best of Ray Charles. I all ready forgot the measurements, a pinch of this, a dusting of that. Chicken leg quarters were on sale so I figured a southwest/Mexican style chicken would be cool.

I’m in the proses of stewing some tomatoes with half stock half water with Jalapeño and dried poblano peppers, whole garlic cloves and a dash of Mexican oregano that I will chop and add in with the final minutes of cooking along with some spiced up caramelized onions.

You may appreciate my plan, I prepped the leg quarters scoring the leg joint to the thigh all the way around as you should, I also scored the flesh of the thigh and seasoned with spices rubbing in as I added. I’m going to give it six hours to get happy in the fridge and then pan sear the quarters on high heat to crisp the skin. In the same pan I will bake it for 40ish minutes but will add in the caramelized onions and two green bell peppers chopped and atop. I final step will be add the stewed tomatoes and slices of pepper-jack cheese and let it melt. I’m going to serve it with black beans and rice with a side salad with dressing made from some reserved stewed tomatoes and yogurt and touch of juice/liquid from a hot pepper jar as a vinegar component.
Click to expand...
Dayem, Woodsman. I think you have skills here!

But you know, a wide-angle kitchen cam is not such a far fetched idea to be honest. If referenced immediately after the meal, It would likely be enough to stir your memory even if you can't always see the exact ingredients perfectly.

And to both of you guys: Spending the day in the kitchen cooking to the sounds of old soul with some vino accompaniment, and then popping open another bottle to sit down with the family for a meal - sounds glorious!
 
woodsman said:
I really enjoy cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, most times there is some classic soul blaring in the background and a few glasses of wine involved. My usual is to empty out the spice cabinet and put together a taste/flavor profile or idea.

Some of my best dishes were just messing around in the kitchen this way. The problem is, I can’t duplicate them in most cases even if I make a point to remember the base spices or technique. An example is, I made a Middle Eastern chicken dish some time back, It was glorious, a gastronomic pinnacle. My son took one bite and said he has never eaten anything that good and I have to say it was. I know the exact spices I used but just can’t repeat it.

But yes, I know the obvious, write things down, but that takes all the fun out of it in my opinion. Do other foodies suffer these issues?
Click to expand...

Two words - video recording.

Set your camera or phone on wide angle, put it on the back of a chair or cabinet across the room from (and pointed toward) where'll you'll be, hit record, and then act normal other than verbalizing what you're doing (how much of this and that and so on).

This practice works with lots of activities that you'd like to repeat or recreate later, especially for those of us that have the CRS strain of OFS.
 
Chomsky said:
Dayem, Woodsman. I think you have skills here!

But you know, a wide-angle kitchen cam is not such a far fetched idea to be honest. If referenced immediately after the meal, It would likely be enough to stir your memory even if you can't always see the exact ingredients perfectly.

And to both of you guys: Spending the day in the kitchen cooking to the sounds of old soul with some vino accompaniment, and then popping open another bottle to sit down with the family for a meal - sounds glorious!
Click to expand...

I like how you think!
 
Chomsky said:
I'd like to think some thing's in life are universal!
Click to expand...

I am reading three books right now, one of which is THE TABLE COMES FIRST by Adam Gopnik, he clearly believes that the dance of caffeine (mostly with coffee) and alcohol through the day is one of the prime drivers of civilization. He for instance says that the beverage of water with a meal is only fit for prisoners.
 
Hawkeye10 said:
I am reading three books right now, one of which is THE TABLE COMES FIRST by Adam Gopnik, he clearly believes that the dance of caffeine (mostly with coffee) and alcohol through the day is one of the prime drivers of civilization.
Click to expand...
That looks like an interesting read, there. I tossed it in my Amazon cart. Thanks.

My comment: Well, we are programed to chase pleasure, right? That says it all! :cheers:

Signed,

An Unsuccessfully Attempted Recovering Bacchanalian
 
Chomsky said:
That looks like an interesting read, there. I tossed it in my Amazon cart. Thanks.

My comment: Well, we are programed to chase pleasure, right? That says it all! :cheers:

Signed,

An Unsuccessfully Attempted Recovering Bacchanalian
Click to expand...

If you read it you will understand why this guy annoys the crap out of me with his pretentious style, but it is interesting enough to finish....his main argument is that cooking and eating is extremely important stuff, important enough to learn to do it right, which of course has me playing the part of the choir.
 
Hawkeye10 said:
If you read it you will understand why this guy annoys the crap out of me with his pretentious style, but it is interesting enough to finish....his main argument is that cooking and eating is extremely important stuff, important enough to learn to do it right, which of course has me playing the part of the choir.
Click to expand...
He is right.

Eating is probably the most basic physical need, and is both universal and highly social.

I come from a pretty multicultural family. We bring home all sorts of culturally disparate friends and associates, occasionally some right-off the boat or pretty dayem close! But once the food comes out - regardless of the culture or individual - everyone is one! In fact, giving one authentic cultural food that's not of their culture, often seems to light a fire in them and really opens them up!

But if you're going to live, may as well do your best to live as well as you can! We have an axiom me, my wife, and my kids go by:

"If it goes in or on our bodies, don't cheap out!"

We'll skimp on the other things in life, if we have to.
 
Chomsky said:
He is right.

Eating is probably the most basic physical need, and is universal.

I come from a pretty multicultural family. We bring home all sorts of culturally disparate friends and associates, occasionally some right-off the boat or pretty dayem close! But once the food comes out - regardless of the culture or individual - everyone is one! In fact, giving one authentic cultural food that's not of their culture, often seems to light a fire in them and really opens them up!

But if you're going to live, may as well do your best to live as well as you can! We have an axiom me, my wife, and my kids go by:

"If it goes in or on our bodies, don't cheap out!"

We'll skimp on the other things in life, if we have to.
Click to expand...

Done right it is also a spiritual rejuvenator as well as a builder of social glue. And "DONE RIGHT" is most certainly not full of politics and restrictions...I swear we are getting about as bad at eating as we are at sex, this conventional wisdom that we are seeing progress in human eating is extremely weak in argument and in fact I think.
 
Experimenting is in our DNA and standing over the counter with my cabinets stuffed with seasonings in front of my face the blistering desire to modify, change or create a recipe is like I said, is in our DNA. Recording these ideas is not.
 
woodsman said:
I really enjoy cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, most times there is some classic soul blaring in the background and a few glasses of wine involved. My usual is to empty out the spice cabinet and put together a taste/flavor profile or idea.

Some of my best dishes were just messing around in the kitchen this way. The problem is, I can’t duplicate them in most cases even if I make a point to remember the base spices or technique. An example is, I made a Middle Eastern chicken dish some time back, It was glorious, a gastronomic pinnacle. My son took one bite and said he has never eaten anything that good and I have to say it was. I know the exact spices I used but just can’t repeat it.

But yes, I know the obvious, write things down, but that takes all the fun out of it in my opinion. Do other foodies suffer these issues?
Click to expand...



None of my dishes are identical. Some are closer to a particular recipe (my roasted chicken) others are whatever the hell I feel like at the moment. I've always played around with spices. First started tweaking cup-a-soup in 4th grade.
 
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