Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Cookbook failures

I'm very early on in the process of writing the cookbook and I am already seeing my fair share of failures. What is really disappointing is that these failures are ones that should be easily avoided.

Why you ask? Well, a few nights ago I was throwing together a soup that I have made 100 times easily, so it should have been a piece of cake, right? It wasn't. I never got the flavor I normally do, even after playing with the seasoning and tasting it every five minutes. I think the beer I was using was too dark. (I am trying to incorporate a variety) Nathan and I ate it anyway, but it wasn't the same yummy soup that I usually drool over.

So what I am I learning from this whole cookbook process?
1. My never measuring and just throwing stuff in a pot is coming back to bite me in the ass.
2. I usually bake/cook to relax, and while working on the cookbook is fun, it is not relaxing. My meticulous attention to detail is preventing me from relaxing and I don't foresee that changing.
3. I've had a couple successes and it is killing me not to post the recipes. I rarely post recipes on the blog due to reason #1, and when now that I finally have some that are easy to follow all I want to do is share them with the world. I guess if I continue at my current rate, I won't have enough recipes for a book and I will just end up posting them here anyway.
4. People from the "Internet" world are often more supportive of big dreams then people in the "Real" world.
5. It is going to be forever until this thing is completed.

*Sigh*

9 comments:

sarah said...

I have nothing but faith in your amazing cooking skills. It's going to be a rough ride here and there, but I know you can do it and it'll be amazing when it's done.

But, I totally hear you. It's frustrating when things you spend hours on don't come out the way you want. Mr. T can attest to that from the growling that was coming from our kitchen last night. :)

Anonymous said...

Hang in there T! You are an awesome cook and I know you'll figure it all out.

And just wondering...am I considered "internet" world or "real" world?

Teresa said...

You are both, but supportive regardless. :)

BethC said...

#4 - I am in your Internet world and in your real world, and supportive in both.
#5 - You're young. You got time.

Jennelle said...

You can do it! It will get done, and it will be fabulous. :)

Angie said...

I believe you can do it. And even if it does take forever, it's the journey not the destination.
Enjoy yourself! If seems like you love to cook just to cook. I am jealous, to me cooking is work and not enjoyable at all.

Leftturnyielder said...

If you need any tasters, I'm always available! I keep meaning to tell you that I have a friend that owns a publishing company. We need to talk about it.

Mary said...

Well-executed cookbooks are not churned out in a day! Not that I know, but I would imagine so. You are making recipes! From scratch! With themes! That takes a lot of work, so cut yourself some slack. You're doing a great job. I still want to taste this famous soup, BTW.

Maria said...

You will get there, I have no doubt! Every downhill has it's uphill.