I have a pet peeve about recipes,

01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and

02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
single spice or herb and an

03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .

If one posts a recipe they should
help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.

mike (piedmont)
the practical bbq'r

"piedmont" > wrote in message
...
> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an
>
> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
> If one posts a recipe they should
> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>
> mike (piedmont)
> the practical bbq'r

I have a pet peeve about pet peeves. They are a personal thing with no
relevance to the rest of the world.

01. What is an ingredient that is not commonly known? I'd bet that every
one you'd list is a very common ingredient for many others. While we may be
a genius at one thing we are all ignorant about others.

02. You do have a point on that one. Listing "Bob's Magic Dust" is not so
good if it is a local store only.

03. "To taste" is pretty self explanatory. If it is an ingredient I
don't like, I omit or use a tiny pinch, but ones I like I tend to add more
and adjust if needed. It just does not seem to be a problem for anyone that
has tasted a particular ingredient.

Stu wrote on Sat, 01 May 2010 09:22:13 -0500:

>> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>>
>> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and

> This is an international cooking newsgroup. You have google,
> use it.

>> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are
>> more than a single spice or herb and an
>>
>> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>>
>> If one posts a recipe they should
>> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>>
>> mike (piedmont)
>> the practical bbq'r

My usual reaction to a recipe that calls for, say, "Chef Girlalady
seasoning" is to say fuggedaboutit! However, I do have several mainly
Indian spice blends, including Garam Masala and Tandoori mix that I use
occasionally. If a spice is mentioned that is unfamiliar you can usually
find it on Gernot Katzer's page or even use Google. That is often an
interesting activity.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On 5/1/2010 9:12 AM, piedmont wrote:
> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an
>
> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
> If one posts a recipe they should
> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>
> mike (piedmont)
> the practical bbq'r

So don't use those recipes.

How would someone writing a recipe know if an ingredient was known to
you? If you choose not to do the research then pass.

I view recipes as a very loose framework and most dishes I prepare are
to taste. That certainly isn't a shortcoming. You may like more or less
garlic than me for example. Few recipes are proportion critical which
means there is a lot of latitude to adjust per your preference.

On Sat, 1 May 2010 06:12:08 -0700 (PDT), piedmont wrote:

> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an
>
> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
> If one posts a recipe they should
> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>
> mike (piedmont)
> the practical bbq'r

the one that gets my goat is 'one can of [whatnot].' um, what size can?
even the somewhat archaic '#2 can' would be helpful.

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 1 May 2010 10:17:43 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> "piedmont" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>>
>> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>>
>> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
>> single spice or herb and an
>>
>> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>>
>> If one posts a recipe they should
>> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>>
>> mike (piedmont)
>> the practical bbq'r

> 03. "To taste" is pretty self explanatory. If it is an ingredient I
> don't like, I omit or use a tiny pinch, but ones I like I tend to add more
> and adjust if needed. It just does not seem to be a problem for anyone that
> has tasted a particular ingredient.

i would still like an indication of the amount the recipe poster usually
uses. quarter teaspoon? teaspoon? what?

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 01 May 2010 09:22:13 -0500, Stu wrote:

> On Sat, 1 May 2010 06:12:08 -0700 (PDT), piedmont >
> wrote:
>

>>01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
> This is an international cooking newsgroup. You have google, use it.
>

if you want your recipes to be widely used, maybe you shouldn't be sending
potential users to google. you could include a few words of description,
which might pique interest rather than 'screw that, i don't know what that
is.'

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 01 May 2010 10:51:17 -0400, George wrote:

> On 5/1/2010 9:12 AM, piedmont wrote:
>> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>>
>> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>>
>> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
>> single spice or herb and an
>>
>> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>>
>> If one posts a recipe they should
>> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>>
>> mike (piedmont)
>> the practical bbq'r
>
> So don't use those recipes.
>
> How would someone writing a recipe know if an ingredient was known to
> you? If you choose not to do the research then pass.
>
> I view recipes as a very loose framework and most dishes I prepare are
> to taste. That certainly isn't a shortcoming. You may like more or less
> garlic than me for example. Few recipes are proportion critical which
> means there is a lot of latitude to adjust per your preference.

all of us are not a comfortable with improvisation as you appear to be, at
least the first time through.

readers of any kind of instructions you write are likely to be in trouble
from time to time. be kind to them and be as explicit as possible.

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 1 May 2010 06:12:08 -0700 (PDT), piedmont >
wrote:

>I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
>01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
>02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
>single spice or herb and an
>
>03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
>If one posts a recipe they should
>help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>

If more recipes were posted here, maybe you'd have a point. As it is,
I take what I can get and ask clarifying questions if I'm interested
enough to make it.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Sat, 01 May 2010 10:51:17 -0400, George >
wrote:

>I view recipes as a very loose framework and most dishes I prepare are
>to taste. That certainly isn't a shortcoming. You may like more or less
>garlic than me for example. Few recipes are proportion critical which
>means there is a lot of latitude to adjust per your preference.

Blake has a point. It's nice to know a baseline amount when it's an
unfamiliar recipe.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

blake murphy wrote:
> On Sat, 01 May 2010 09:22:13 -0500, Stu wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 1 May 2010 06:12:08 -0700 (PDT), piedmont >
>> wrote:
>>
>
>>> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>>
>> This is an international cooking newsgroup. You have google, use it.
>>
>
> if you want your recipes to be widely used, maybe you shouldn't be
> sending potential users to google. you could include a few words of
> description, which might pique interest rather than 'screw that, i
> don't know what that is.'

That is one of the charms of rfc, comments about the recipes and
ingredients. It's not that I mind googling, but I like to read the posters
comments, too, about different ingredients.

nancy

On May 1, 9:12*am, piedmont > wrote:
> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an
>
> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
> If one posts a recipe they should
> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>
> mike (piedmont)
> the practical bbq'r

First of all, i don't use recipes.
I cook.
Measuring is for baking.

2nd of all. I made it the way I like it. If you make whatever it is,
you're eating it, not me.
So if I'm sharing the details of how I created a dish, with the
suggestion that you try it, I don't care how much rosemary you add.
You're eating it. Now, I would probably want to know that you didn't
have rosemary, so you used (whatever), because that's another idea for
me that maybe I didn't think of.

But you're eating whatever it is, so you should make it the way YOU
like it.

On May 1, 11:00*am, blake murphy > wrote:
> On Sat, 1 May 2010 06:12:08 -0700 (PDT), piedmont wrote:
> > I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> > 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
> > 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> > single spice or herb and an
>
> > 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
> > If one posts a recipe they should
> > help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>
> > mike (piedmont)
> > the practical bbq'r
>
> the one that gets my goat is 'one can of [whatnot].' *um, what size can?
> even the somewhat archaic '#2 can' would be helpful.
>
> your pal,
> blake

If someone states a can of (whatever), then it's most likely the most
commonly available size.

"none of your business" > wrote in message
...
On May 1, 9:12 am, piedmont > wrote:
> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an
>
> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
> If one posts a recipe they should
> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>
> mike (piedmont)
> the practical bbq'r

First of all, i don't use recipes.
I cook.
Measuring is for baking.

2nd of all. I made it the way I like it. If you make whatever it is,
you're eating it, not me.
So if I'm sharing the details of how I created a dish, with the
suggestion that you try it, I don't care how much rosemary you add.
You're eating it. Now, I would probably want to know that you didn't
have rosemary, so you used (whatever), because that's another idea for
me that maybe I didn't think of.

But you're eating whatever it is, so you should make it the way YOU
like it.


Yeahhh, ok..... if you share a 'dish' is it written in the form of a recipe
or is it a concept? You are sounding pretentious, sharing a recipe is normal
and then if an individual wants to add or subtract to taste after is cool.
Nothing wrong with 'recipes'

--
regards, piedmont (michael)
The Practical BBQ'r - http://sites.google.com/site/thepracticalbbqr/
(mawil55) Hardiness Zone 7-8

On Sat, 01 May 2010 10:51:17 -0400, George >
wrote:

>On 5/1/2010 9:12 AM, piedmont wrote:
>> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>>
>> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>>
>> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
>> single spice or herb and an
>>
>> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>>
>> If one posts a recipe they should
>> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>>
>> mike (piedmont)
>> the practical bbq'r
>
>So don't use those recipes.
>
>How would someone writing a recipe know if an ingredient was known to
>you? If you choose not to do the research then pass.
>
>I view recipes as a very loose framework and most dishes I prepare are
>to taste. That certainly isn't a shortcoming. You may like more or less
>garlic than me for example. Few recipes are proportion critical which
>means there is a lot of latitude to adjust per your preference.

To Taste, To Schmaste... that doesn't help all the TIADers.

All I know is that if I pump an ingredient I don't recognize into
Google and it doesn't come up I'm not eating it.

On 5/1/2010 5:15 AM, blake murphy wrote:
> all of us are not a comfortable with improvisation as you appear to be, at
> least the first time through.
>
> readers of any kind of instructions you write are likely to be in trouble
> from time to time. be kind to them and be as explicit as possible.

The problem is that experienced cooks don't think of "to taste" items in
discrete units of measurement but more as a varying intensity of flavor.

I could give estimated measurements but I have no idea how close to
actual quantities it would be. My guess is that it would be off by a bit
or a lot. Learning to season to taste is probably the first lessons a
beginning cook should learn. In the end, our seasoning style is how we
leave our mark on what we create and it is how we will be known as cooks.

Effectively, this means that beginning cooks are mostly screwed as far
as getting useful info on seasoning to taste from most experienced
cooks. My advice is to get yourself educated pronto.

>
> your pal,
> blake

In article >,
"James Silverton" > wrote:


> My usual reaction to a recipe that calls for, say, "Chef Girlalady
> seasoning" is to say fuggedaboutit! However, I do have several mainly
> Indian spice blends, including Garam Masala and Tandoori mix that I use
> occasionally. If a spice is mentioned that is unfamiliar you can usually
> find it on Gernot Katzer's page or even use Google. That is often an
> interesting activity.

I often go to Penzey's:

http://www.penzeys.com/

They have a lot of good information. In particular, the two you
mentioned are sold and described by them, with detailed lists of
ingredients:

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penze...rrypowder.html

ObGaramMasala: Our very own Blacksalt (formerly known as TJ the small,
although she wasn't) used to make huge batches of this and give it to
people on this group, usually at cookins.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

"piedmont" wrote

>I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and

This is an international group. Where do you live and i can probably tailor
a recipe to what you think of as 'common'. Many of my recipes are not USA
based at all. I do however translate when I know an english word for the
item (or describe it if i do not).

> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an

Not an issue if it's a fairly well traveled one. Old Bay, Bell's, bouque
garni, Zaatars, these are easily looked up.

> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .

A guideline is good there but can vary widely. I might list 5-20 niboshi
'depending on taste' for example. Common sense, start with 5 then work up
if you want more.

> If one posts a recipe they should
> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>
> mike (piedmont)
> the practical bbq'r

In article >,
dsi1 > wrote:

> On 5/1/2010 5:15 AM, blake murphy wrote:
> > all of us are not a comfortable with improvisation as you appear to be, at
> > least the first time through.
> >
> > readers of any kind of instructions you write are likely to be in trouble
> > from time to time. be kind to them and be as explicit as possible.
>
> The problem is that experienced cooks don't think of "to taste" items in
> discrete units of measurement but more as a varying intensity of flavor.
>
> I could give estimated measurements but I have no idea how close to
> actual quantities it would be.

I know what you're saying. I seldom measure. I just throw stuff in. I
seldom bake, which helps. Still, why bother posting a recipe then? If
I'm following a recipe, I'll just post the URL, if it is online. If
it's my recipe, then I'll make it once, and write everything down, in
much more detail than *I* need.

It's good for people to learn how to alter recipes to suit themselves.
But, before they can do that, they need some exact recipes to follow,
and if they like one, they can then start to alter it. For an
inexperienced cook to just throw stuff together will likely result in
bad food.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

In article
>,
piedmont > wrote:

> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and

It's not nice to specify ingredients when you know they aren't common.
But as Stu posted, this is an international group. I enjoy learning
about different things, and sometimes I need to Google. But I still get
surprised a lot at what other people in lands far away consider common
and unusual. They sometimes are far from my own experience. That's
neat.


> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an

Agreed. If they know it is just local, they should list the ingredients
at least.

> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .

I try to limit this, but sometimes it is just most appropriate. Salt is
a good example. Some people use a lot of salt, some very little. If a
recipe has too much vagueness, then I suggest just skipping it.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

On 5/1/2010 9:49 AM, Dan Abel wrote:
> In >,
> > wrote:
>
>> On 5/1/2010 5:15 AM, blake murphy wrote:
>>> all of us are not a comfortable with improvisation as you appear to be, at
>>> least the first time through.
>>>
>>> readers of any kind of instructions you write are likely to be in trouble
>>> from time to time. be kind to them and be as explicit as possible.
>>
>> The problem is that experienced cooks don't think of "to taste" items in
>> discrete units of measurement but more as a varying intensity of flavor.
>>
>> I could give estimated measurements but I have no idea how close to
>> actual quantities it would be.
>
> I know what you're saying. I seldom measure. I just throw stuff in. I
> seldom bake, which helps. Still, why bother posting a recipe then? If
> I'm following a recipe, I'll just post the URL, if it is online. If
> it's my recipe, then I'll make it once, and write everything down, in
> much more detail than *I* need.
>
> It's good for people to learn how to alter recipes to suit themselves.
> But, before they can do that, they need some exact recipes to follow,
> and if they like one, they can then start to alter it. For an
> inexperienced cook to just throw stuff together will likely result in
> bad food.
>

The best bet for beginning cooks is to get recipes from test kitchens
that have done R&D on recipes. They preform a valuable service. That's
pretty much what it takes since a lot of recipes are just plain messed
up and off-the-wall goofy/wrong. I still look at recipes to get general
proportions, baking temperatures, methods of preparation and new ideas.
The internet is a great help for experienced cooks in getting this info
fast.

On Sat, 01 May 2010 11:53:34 -0700, Dan Abel > wrote:

>In article >,
> "James Silverton" > wrote:
>
>
>> My usual reaction to a recipe that calls for, say, "Chef Girlalady
>> seasoning" is to say fuggedaboutit! However, I do have several mainly
>> Indian spice blends, including Garam Masala and Tandoori mix that I use
>> occasionally. If a spice is mentioned that is unfamiliar you can usually
>> find it on Gernot Katzer's page or even use Google. That is often an
>> interesting activity.
>
>I often go to Penzey's:
>
>http://www.penzeys.com/
>
>They have a lot of good information. In particular, the two you
>mentioned are sold and described by them, with detailed lists of
>ingredients:
>
>http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penze...rrypowder.html
>
>ObGaramMasala: Our very own Blacksalt (formerly known as TJ the small,
>although she wasn't) used to make huge batches of this and give it to
>people on this group, usually at cookins.

Blacksalt mailed me a jar of her garam masala, I still have about half
of it... gee but that was a long time ago, my jar is dated 1997, still
in my freezer. Garam masala is like curry powder, there are as many
versions of each as their are cooks who prepare them. Most Indian
cooks don't use standard blends, they custom compound a blend from a
spice box for each particular dish at the time of cooking.

garam masala [gah-RAHM mah-SAH-lah]
Garam is the Indian word for "warm" or "hot," and this blend of
dry-roasted, ground spices from the colder climes of northern India
adds a sense of "warmth" to both palate and spirit. There are as many
variations of garam masala (which may contain up to 12 spices) as
there are Indian cooks. It can include BLACK PEPPER, CINNAMON, CLOVES,
CORIANDER, CUMIN, CARDAMOM, DRIED CHILES, FENNEL, MACE, NUTMEG and
other spices. Garam masala may be purchased in Indian markets and in
the gourmet section of some supermarkets. It's also easily prepared at
home, but should be made in small batches to retain its freshness. As
with all spices, it should be stored in a cool, dry place for no more
than 6 months. Garam masala is usually either added to a dish toward
the end of cooking or sprinkled over the surface just before serving.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD
LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

On 5/1/2010 2:52 PM, dsi1 wrote:
> On 5/1/2010 5:15 AM, blake murphy wrote:
>> all of us are not a comfortable with improvisation as you appear to
>> be, at
>> least the first time through.
>>
>> readers of any kind of instructions you write are likely to be in trouble
>> from time to time. be kind to them and be as explicit as possible.
>
> The problem is that experienced cooks don't think of "to taste" items in
> discrete units of measurement but more as a varying intensity of flavor.
>
> I could give estimated measurements but I have no idea how close to
> actual quantities it would be. My guess is that it would be off by a bit
> or a lot. Learning to season to taste is probably the first lessons a
> beginning cook should learn. In the end, our seasoning style is how we
> leave our mark on what we create and it is how we will be known as cooks.
>
> Effectively, this means that beginning cooks are mostly screwed as far
> as getting useful info on seasoning to taste from most experienced
> cooks. My advice is to get yourself educated pronto.


I couldn't have said it better.

>
>>
>> your pal,
>> blake
>

On Sat, 1 May 2010 15:13:09 -0400, "cshenk" > wrote:

>"piedmont" wrote
>
>>I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>>
>> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
>This is an international group. Where do you live and i can probably tailor
>a recipe to what you think of as 'common'. Many of my recipes are not USA
>based at all. I do however translate when I know an english word for the
>item (or describe it if i do not).
>
>> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
>> single spice or herb and an
>
>Not an issue if it's a fairly well traveled one. Old Bay, Bell's, bouque
>garni, Zaatars, these are easily looked up.
>
>> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
>A guideline is good there but can vary widely. I might list 5-20 niboshi
>'depending on taste' for example. Common sense, start with 5 then work up
>if you want more.

Exactly. Spices and herbs themselves vary greatly in intensity so
there really is no way to assign a precise quantity to any recipe. A
recipe (every recipe) is only a guide. Experienced cooks don't think
in terms of quantity, with all ingredients they think in terms of
ratios. If a recipe in a book lists say 1 tsp black pepper an
experienced cook will add about one forth that amount at various times
during cooking, tasting as they go... at completion they may have
added the 1 tsp but more likely they will have added somewhat less or
more. Experienced cooks taste for their guests, not for themselves,
not unless they are the only one eating or possess a dictatorial
personality.

"piedmont" > wrote in message
...
>I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an
>
> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
> If one posts a recipe they should
> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>
> mike (piedmont)
> the practical bbq'r

Very very useful.

http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/

Dimitri

On 5/1/2010 11:07 AM, George wrote:
> On 5/1/2010 2:52 PM, dsi1 wrote:
>> On 5/1/2010 5:15 AM, blake murphy wrote:
>>> all of us are not a comfortable with improvisation as you appear to
>>> be, at
>>> least the first time through.
>>>
>>> readers of any kind of instructions you write are likely to be in
>>> trouble
>>> from time to time. be kind to them and be as explicit as possible.
>>
>> The problem is that experienced cooks don't think of "to taste" items in
>> discrete units of measurement but more as a varying intensity of flavor.
>>
>> I could give estimated measurements but I have no idea how close to
>> actual quantities it would be. My guess is that it would be off by a bit
>> or a lot. Learning to season to taste is probably the first lessons a
>> beginning cook should learn. In the end, our seasoning style is how we
>> leave our mark on what we create and it is how we will be known as cooks.
>>
>> Effectively, this means that beginning cooks are mostly screwed as far
>> as getting useful info on seasoning to taste from most experienced
>> cooks. My advice is to get yourself educated pronto.
>
>
> I couldn't have said it better.

Oddly enough, neither could I. :-)

>
>>
>>>
>>> your pal,
>>> blake
>>
>

"dsi1" > wrote in message
...
snip>>>
snip
>>> Effectively, this means that beginning cooks are mostly screwed as far
>>> as getting useful info on seasoning to taste from most experienced
>>> cooks. My advice is to get yourself educated pronto.
>>
>>
>> I couldn't have said it better.
>
> Oddly enough, neither could I. :-)
>
snip
>

we're talking about sharing recipes! how can you share a recipe if you
cannot give accurate directions! Well lets see, toss in a bit of this a tad
of that, maybe some of this! You make no common snese.

--
regards, piedmont (michael)
The Practical BBQ'r - http://sites.google.com/site/thepracticalbbqr/
(mawil55) Hardiness Zone 7-8

On 5/1/2010 11:07 AM, l, not -l wrote:
> On 1-May-2010, > wrote:
>
>> Effectively, this means that beginning cooks are mostly screwed as far
>> as getting useful info on seasoning to taste from most experienced
>> cooks. My advice is to get yourself educated pronto.
>
> I don't see how beginning cooks are screwed, nor do I see any difficulty in
> getting educated on seasoning "to taste". Put in some
> salt/pepper/garlic/whatever-the-recipe-says-to-taste, taste the result.
> Does it suit your taste? No - does it need more of xxxx; if so, add more
> xxxx 8-P . Does it have too much xxxx&-( ? Ok, now you're screwed -
> next time, add xxxx in smaller increments. How hard is that? 8-)

Hopefully, beginners will study your algorithms & methods. :-)

Learning to place trust in yourself and your taste may take a long time
for a few. I can tell that you're not one of those! For most if us, it
takes a while to learn to get a flavor target solidly in our minds. For
beginners it's quite fuzzy and well, you can't reliably hit a fuzzy target!

Your pal,

Not Blake

piedmont wrote:
> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an
>
> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
> If one posts a recipe they should
> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>
> mike (piedmont)
> the practical bbq'r

Sir.

This is the metaphorical back fence, which is proverbially gossiped
over, not a professorial lecture hall, not only do you have to put up
with slang and vernacular including folk usages but accent and insanity
as well.

To complain that gossip and conversation is not structured to your
particular style manual is, i fear, a futile task. And one i can not
encourage.
--
Sir JL Esq.

On 5/1/2010 12:25 PM, piedmont wrote:
> "dsi1" > wrote in message
> ...
> snip>>>
> snip
>>>> Effectively, this means that beginning cooks are mostly screwed as far
>>>> as getting useful info on seasoning to taste from most experienced
>>>> cooks. My advice is to get yourself educated pronto.
>>>
>>>
>>> I couldn't have said it better.
>>
>> Oddly enough, neither could I. :-)
>>
> snip
>>
>
> we're talking about sharing recipes! how can you share a recipe if you
> cannot give accurate directions! Well lets see, toss in a bit of this a
> tad of that, maybe some of this! You make no common snese.
>

I'm no elitist but I don't give out recipes for beginners. Not because I
don't want to be a nice guy but because I'm incapable. I give out tips,
methods, and ideas but hardly any recipes. No need to fret though, most
everybody else does! If you want to get down to the bone, a recipe is a
poor way to learn. The best way is to learn to cook is from your
parents, your aunts, and uncles at an early age.

My recommendation for you is that when you give out your accurate
directions, be sure to use standard punctuation, the SHIFT key, and your
spell check. Thanks! :-)

Your pal,

Not that guy.

"Janet Baraclough" > wrote in message
...
> The message >
> from blake murphy > contains these words:
>
>> On Sat, 01 May 2010 10:51:17 -0400, George wrote:
>
>> > I view recipes as a very loose framework and most dishes I prepare are
>> > to taste. That certainly isn't a shortcoming. You may like more or less
>> > garlic than me for example. Few recipes are proportion critical which
>> > means there is a lot of latitude to adjust per your preference.
>
>> all of us are not a comfortable with improvisation as you appear to be,
>> at
>> least the first time through.
>
>> readers of any kind of instructions you write are likely to be in trouble
>> from time to time. be kind to them and be as explicit as possible.
>
> Why not start with a drawing of all saucepans and tools required, and
> some printy-out-sticky labels.
>
> Janet


ROFL! That's too funny! And pretty much accurate

Jill

On Sat, 1 May 2010 13:17:06 -0400, "piedmont" >
wrote:

>Exactly , so it should be nice not to assume an ingredient were commonly
>available. Corn ok, potato ok, Sylvia's Seasoned Salt, welll may not be
>available in my local so then, what do I use now? Get it?

I get it, but I don't know why this should be such an obstacle. Google
[the following is, obviously, hypothetical] "Sylvia's Seasoned Salt,"
which would bring up places to buy it and those places will likely
list the ingredients, and it might also tell you that "Sylvia's
Seasoned Salt" is distributed by Salt Purveyors, LLC. Then you learn
that Salt Purveyors, LLC has a website with drop down menu that will
allow you to select your state/region and the website will also tell
you where to go to buy "Sylvia's Seasoned Salt" and also informs you
that "Sylvia's Seasoned Salt" is called "Marvin's Special Salt" in the
northeast and "Stan's Swell Salt" in the south and so on and so forth.

And all that googling will take alot longer than it did for me to
keyboard this post.

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

--

"If the soup had been as warm as the wine,
if the wine had been as old as the turkey,
and if the turkey had had a breast like the maid,
it would have been a swell dinner." Duncan Hines


To reply, remove "spambot" and replace it with "cox"

On 1/05/2010 11:12 PM, piedmont wrote:
> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and

Not being in the US, my variation on this theme is that there are
US-only names for a lot of ingredients that are known by a different
name in the rest of the English speaking world. I knew "peppers" were
capsicums, and it was easy to figure out what "cilantro" meant
(coriander leaves), but arugula (rocket) and all manner of other things
have been tripping me up lately. It's not a big deal to figure it out
if I realise it's an Americanism, but if it just looks when I'm recipe
browsing like something that isn't available in Australia I'll just move on.

>
> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an

Yeah, "potato seasoning", what the hell is that.

>
> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .

Agreed. If I'm cooking to the recipe there's a chance I haven't made
this before, in which case "to taste" is an unknown.

>
> If one posts a recipe they should
> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
>
> mike (piedmont)
> the practical bbq'r

- Geordie

On Sat, 01 May 2010 11:53:34 -0700, Dan Abel > wrote:

>In article >,
> "James Silverton" > wrote:
>
>
>> My usual reaction to a recipe that calls for, say, "Chef Girlalady
>> seasoning" is to say fuggedaboutit! However, I do have several mainly
>> Indian spice blends, including Garam Masala and Tandoori mix that I use
>> occasionally. If a spice is mentioned that is unfamiliar you can usually
>> find it on Gernot Katzer's page or even use Google. That is often an
>> interesting activity.
>
>I often go to Penzey's:
>
>http://www.penzeys.com/
>
>They have a lot of good information. In particular, the two you
>mentioned are sold and described by them, with detailed lists of
>ingredients:
>
>http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penze...rrypowder.html
>
>ObGaramMasala: Our very own Blacksalt (formerly known as TJ the small,
>although she wasn't) used to make huge batches of this and give it to
>people on this group, usually at cookins.

I miss that so much. It was such a treat to get some of her Garam
Masala.

koko
--

There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw

www.kokoscornerblog.com
updated 04/30/10

>If a spice is mentioned that is unfamiliar you can usually find it on
>Gernot Katzer's page

http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/index.html

I may not be the only one here who hadn't heard of this before.

--
Dan Goodman
"I have always depended on the kindness of stranglers."
Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Expire
Journal dsgood.dreamwidth.org (livejournal.com, insanejournal.com)

l, not -l wrote:
> On 1-May-2010, dsi1 > wrote:
>
>> Effectively, this means that beginning cooks are mostly screwed as far
>> as getting useful info on seasoning to taste from most experienced
>> cooks. My advice is to get yourself educated pronto.
>
> I don't see how beginning cooks are screwed, nor do I see any difficulty in
> getting educated on seasoning "to taste". Put in some
> salt/pepper/garlic/whatever-the-recipe-says-to-taste, taste the result.
> Does it suit your taste? No - does it need more of xxxx; if so, add more
> xxxx 8-P . Does it have too much xxxx &-( ? Ok, now you're screwed -
> next time, add xxxx in smaller increments. How hard is that? 8-)


Spice and Herb Lesson #1:

You can always add more if there's not enough;
you can't take any out if there's too much.


gloria p

Mike wrote:

> I have a pet peeve about recipes,
>
> 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
>
> 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> single spice or herb and an
>
> 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
>
> If one posts a recipe they should
> help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.

I apologize for failing to meet your standards when I post recipes, and
henceforth I will endeavor to go to no more trouble than heretofore.

Bob

In article >,
blake murphy > wrote:

> On Sat, 1 May 2010 06:12:08 -0700 (PDT), piedmont wrote:
>
> > I have a pet peeve about recipes,
> >
> > 01. Ingredients that aren't commonly known and
> >
> > 02. ingredients that are local commercial brands that are more than a
> > single spice or herb and an
> >
> > 03. ingredient without quantity or to taste .
> >
> > If one posts a recipe they should
> > help by clarifying these short comings in notes at the start.
> >
> > mike (piedmont)
> > the practical bbq'r
>
> the one that gets my goat is 'one can of [whatnot].' um, what size can?
> even the somewhat archaic '#2 can' would be helpful.

Unless you live in a country which has never used "#2 can" as a quantity
for anything. You're better off specifying weight or volume.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

>
> 03. *"To taste" is pretty self explanatory. * *If it is an ingredient I
> don't like, I omit or use a tiny pinch, but ones I like I tend to add more
> and adjust if needed. *It just does not seem to be a problem for anyone that
> has tasted a particular ingredient.

Personally, I think it would be nice to give a range or starting
portion. It could be a tiny pinch or a tablespoon, or more, depending
on what the recipe is, and what ingredient is being discussed.

For example, when I give my recipe for smoked salmon dip, I list a
smaller amount of liquid smoke with a note, add more if you prefer it
stronger (as I usually do).

On 2010-05-01 08:50:34 -0700, Janet Baraclough said:

> Whyever not? We all have a computer, it takes seconds to google. Going
> to google isn't like a sojourn in the wilderness for 40 days and 40
> nights.

Sure. Why not just go to googled websites and get the recipe there. So
maybe here in usenet someone can say "Park Chops a la mode, GOOGLE
it!", and that would be considered a "recipe" here.
--
If you limit your actions in life to things that nobody can possibly
find fault with, you will not do much. -- Lewis Carroll