Recipe Deal Breakers?
When I read a recipe, I can usually tell within 10 seconds if it's one that I'll be interested in making, or if it's one that I will pass forever.
There was a great article in the NYTimes this week that discussed this in detail.
Here are some of the "deal breakers" mentioned, interspersed with a few of my own:
1. When Step 2 of the recipe says "Capture and corral the pig," I know it's not a recipe I want to tackle.
2. If the recipe contains a statement that says "If you don't have a helper, then ... " Any recipe that needs a "helper" is out.
3. Any recipe that tells me I have to stuff my own olives -- out.
4. I won't truss, and I won't lard. Except a turkey. I'll truss a turkey if I do some of the stuffing inside.
5. Anytime I read something like "put on your safety goggles" -- that'll stop me.
6. Likewise anything that takes more than 1 page to list the ingredients -- that's just too much to deal with at this stage in my life.
7. Anything involving power tools -- Ace of Cakes (the Food Network's extreme baker), I'm not. I don't want to have to mess with the electric drill, jig saw, or belt sander in the kitchen.
How about you? What are your recipe deal breakers? It might be ingredients that aren't easily obtained at the grocery store. It might be specific pans or utensils that are required. What kinds of things will cause you to avoid a recipe?
There was a great article in the NYTimes this week that discussed this in detail.
Here are some of the "deal breakers" mentioned, interspersed with a few of my own:
1. When Step 2 of the recipe says "Capture and corral the pig," I know it's not a recipe I want to tackle.
2. If the recipe contains a statement that says "If you don't have a helper, then ... " Any recipe that needs a "helper" is out.
3. Any recipe that tells me I have to stuff my own olives -- out.
4. I won't truss, and I won't lard. Except a turkey. I'll truss a turkey if I do some of the stuffing inside.
5. Anytime I read something like "put on your safety goggles" -- that'll stop me.
6. Likewise anything that takes more than 1 page to list the ingredients -- that's just too much to deal with at this stage in my life.
7. Anything involving power tools -- Ace of Cakes (the Food Network's extreme baker), I'm not. I don't want to have to mess with the electric drill, jig saw, or belt sander in the kitchen.
How about you? What are your recipe deal breakers? It might be ingredients that aren't easily obtained at the grocery store. It might be specific pans or utensils that are required. What kinds of things will cause you to avoid a recipe?
