The Big Mistake!

You know when you bake a cake and it doesn’t work, so you cover it in a sauce and pass it off as pudding? Well you, my friend, are an inventor.

So many people are scared of making mistakes when they cook, but did you know that mistakes have been the hero makers for a lot of the foods we know and love today? Cheese is one of the major ones. As the story goes, an Arabian man carried his milk through the desert wrapped in a camel’s stomach (Sounds gross but that’s actually where traditional forms of rennet come from which is the main thing you need when you make cheese) Chemicals reacted along with some warming temperatures from the sun and we ended up with CHEESE! Thank god for that!

Think about it, menu items didn’t just invent themselves, they came from somewhere. Over time people have come up with recipes through mistakes but also through trial and error. Sparked by an intrigue into food preparation, techniques used to extend the life of food, the various ingredients that go ‘well’ together and various other motivations have all played their role in the recipes we now treasure as family favourites.

Food through history has been a discovery of ideas and flavours. You know those nights when you have 3-4 things in your pantry so you have to use your imagination to come up with something that’s usually quick and tastes good, usually resulting in a fried egg concoction layered with bread, pieces of cheese and some avocado from the back of your fridge, only to realize that this whimsical masterpiece you came up with in 5 minutes is delicious? Give your discoveries merit! They deserved to be shared!

So whether it has been overcooked, whisked for too long or brought to the supposed wrong temperature, food mistakes and experimenting have created the possibility for endless food choices.

My last article talked about keeping it simple. So it’s in this piece that I endeavour to help you in your exploration of food’s possibilities, trial and error being your best bet for coming up with new flavours and signature dishes. Maybe add a splash of citrus, a different spice, a good peppering, a handful of herbs or a rich boost of butter to your next cooking adventure. Food can be experimental, and due to its potential to be uniquely employed across culture, race, gender, and religion, everyone can conquer it!

So next time you tackle the kitchen, maybe make a few ‘mistakes’ and see where it takes you.

By Samantha Coutts

Photo Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chez_loulou/2875019268/