Dave Smith wrote:

> On 2019-04-11 6:33 a.m., Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> > On Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 3:41:48 AM UTC-4, dsi1 wrote:
> > > On Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 3:02:44 PM UTC-10, cshenk wrote:
> > > > dsi1 wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > On Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 5:27:06 PM UTC-10, Jinx the Minx
> > > > > wrote:
> >>>>>dsi1 > wrote:
> > > > > > > On Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 9:18:56 AM UTC-10, Bruce
> > > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I've had very nice pumpkin dips.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Most Americans won't have anything to do with pumpkins
> > > > > > > except eat their pumpkin pies with Cool Whip during the
> > > > > > > holidays. Beats the heck out of me what the rest of the
> > > > > > > world thinks/does about/with these large, freaky, hollow,
> > > > > > > squashes.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Seriously? From September through November each year its
> > > > > > pumpkin everything. Its damn hard not to find pumpkin
> > > > > > something-or-other, or hear about pumpkin this pumpkin
> > > > > > that. Quite frankly, its pumpkin overload.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Most Americans love pumpkin. There wouldnt be pumpkin
> > > > > > lattes and pumpkin flavored Oreos if they didnt. Here in
> > > > > > middle America, at least.
> > > > >
> > > > > I can make a pumpkin smoothie with pumpkin/squash and most
> > > > > people will think it tastes kinda shitty. I can make a
> > > > > smoothie with a banana or mashed potatoes with the correct
> > > > > amount of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, and some appropriate
> > > > > food coloring and people will think it's a great pumpkin pie
> > > > > smoothie. If you think that people love pumpkins, try making
> > > > > a pie/lattes/Oreos with just pumpkin in it and see how much
> > > > > people love that.
> > > >
> > > > In other words, you do not know what to do with Pumpkin and
> > > > mess up.
> > > >
> > > > Got it.
> > >
> > > I've messed up a lot when cooking. That would probably be why I'm
> > > a better cook than most. Since I was a kid, I would cook a dish
> > > over and over again until I perfected it. That's how I learned
> > > how to cook. It is by experimentation and failures that one
> > > learns how foods react to heat, mixing, and seasoning.
> > >
> > > My guess is that it's typical for persons of an advanced age to
> > > play it safe and stick with what they know. Let me assure you
> > > that I've never been one to be afraid of messing up.
> >
> > That would be a guess, and an incorrect one. I'm always
> > experimenting.
> >
> >
>
> Once again his assumptions and guesses are wrong. I am still willing
> to try new things. If I have something good in a restaurant I will
> try to figure out how to do it at home. I often see recipes that
> appeal in magazines and newspapers and give them a try. My wife has
> credited me a number of times for spotting good recipes that way.

Same here. Recipes are guidelines and even my so called 'classics' are
not identical when I make them. I give the portion idea here so others
can get a general feel.