Sqwertz > wrote in message
...
>I seem to have a gift. I never thought of it as a gift until I came
> to understand that most cooks of even moderate experience can't tell
> a good recipe from a bad one, or realize the outcome of following
> the recipe as written.
>
> I often wonder how some of these recipes manage to get promoted
> and/or published. Obviously the editors are even more clueless than
> the submitters and the decisions are made by forces unknown. Take
> the case of the magazine that told subscribers to bring a mixture of
> equal parts cooking oil and water to boil. I think it was Southern
> Living Dangerously magazine, but I can't find it now. It was
> discussed here, whoever it was.
>
> Poorly written recipes are a good sign that no faith should be
> granted to the writer in regards to their sense of taste. They may
> have TIAD, or maybe they just have poor writing skills. Flip a coin
> and give them the benefit of the doubt.
>
> Or you can look further into your culinary crystal ball and tell
> when a recipe may be worth trying (maybe with modifications), or
> when to simply pass it by.
>
> <http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=16 94228>
>
> This recipe failed both tests for me. The outcome was verified by
> asking my mother, "you actually made this?".
>
> I'm not criticizing my mother in particular. It seems lots of
> people eat this shit up (or at least buy the ingredients and make
> it). It's the sole reason for FoodTV's existence in recent years.
>
> Despite the obvious procedural/efficiency errors in the instructions
> (do you spot them at first glance?), does this recipe sound worth
> the trouble? Can you imagine the outcome?
>
> This is just one of the many recipes I see that just irk me and am
> using it as an example (compounded by a very rare weekend at home
> for me - who knew there were 60 hours in a weekend?). But I see
> other people doing the same thing with like recipes and wonder how
> bad recipes get so far. Media rules over common sense, I guess.
>
> ObQuestionableFood: Mix cream of mushroom soup with a half can of
> water and a half cup of white wine and a couple tablespoons of cream
> cheese. Simmer for 10-14 minutes and use it as a sauce for properly
> cooked chicken. Immediate "TIAD" reaction or "Has Possibilities"?

In the case of Sunset (or America's Test Kitchen), some magazines receive
the recipes from some already-reliable source, test them in their own
kitchens as written, modify the recipes to find the "best" results and then
publish them.

In the case of all the <insert geography/lifestyle> Living (Country,
Southern, etc.), the recipe dept. identify a group of recipes that have
potential, already have focus groups in place that they receive and test and
rate each recipe, then publish them. Some are outstanding that make it
through the screening process but some are dumbed-down to tasteless
nothingness. <shrug>

In your case, you enjoy the sharp contrasts and specific excitements that
you think extremes will create. The recipes published in most mainstream
magazines aren't meant for you that require more than simple textures and
mild tastes.

The Ranger