How do you learn a recipe?
I’m not too fond of measuring. I call my type of cooking “Freestyle Cooking.” Hahaha! Does the recipe call for a cup of chopped tomatoes? I just grab four to five pieces and chop away. What about a teaspoon of black pepper? I just sprinkle some on the center of my palm and if it looks like a teaspoon, then in the pepper goes into the pot. I used to be a stickler for measurements but found it more liberating to go about my own gut feel when I cook.
I have a weird habit though. Yeah, go ahead and laugh after this, it’s okay — my officemate did after I shared this story with her. When I really like a recipe, I print it out on a piece of bond paper. Then I carry it with me everywhere I go. I read it while walking from the office to the mall, in the taxi from home to somewhere else, I read it over and over.
Why do I do this? I like seeing a movie play in my head. I imagine myself cooking according to the recipe directions. The “film” is hazy at first but after about three to five readings, the film is perfect. I can already see myself doing the recipe at performance level in my kitchen!
Weird, right? Yes, I have my own cooking show with me as the star in my head. The great thing is when I’m actually there in my kitchen I feel more comfortable with the recipe! I feel like “This is gonna be good ’cause I’ve done this before” when in fact the-done-this-before part was all in my head.
How do YOU go about learning a recipe? This is my weird but effective way. The movie in my head and the no measurements way. I guess you could call it The Freestyle Cooking Show In Toni’s Head way. Works for me!
