That Tastes Better Than I Thought

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

A brief look at taste and creativity by Benjamin McIntyre

“Always entertain the possibility that something, no matter how squiggly and scary looking, might just be good.�

Anthony Bourdain

That Tastes Better Than I Thought Todays Menu 00 A Summary 01 The Right Answer Condiments 02 Thats Not Logical Flavors Not Ingredients 03 Follow The Rules Shop Elsewhere 04 Be Practical Ingredients 05 Play is Frivolous Make a Game of Cooking 06 Thats Not My Area Not Flavor Inspiration 07 Dont Be Foolish Molecular Gastronomy 08 Avoid Ambiguity Text 09 To Err is Wrong Recipes 10 Im Not Creative I Cant Cook 00 The Other Side All images found in this book are sourced from Google Image searches or are otherwise noted. File names and websites can be provided by request.

INSPIRATION AND A SUMMARY

T

he short book you are about to read is based on the work “A Whack on the Side of the Head” by Roger von Oech. In his original book, von Oech’s goal is to engage the reader’s creativity by undoing ten steps he calls mental locks. As von Oech named his chapters after each lock, I have done the same.

I offer subtopics to the chapter title, vertically, on the right of each page. While I strongly suggest you actually read A Whack…, there is a brief summery below. he Right Answer is a mental lock concerned with right and wrong. Roger covers how we define right and wrong, and how that can negatively affect our thought process. He suggests that we look further than the first answer to a question and explore the second, third, fourth, etc. he chapter titled That’s Not Logical walks through Rogers take on the creative process, comparing soft thinking to hard thinking. He helps the reader become more familiar with the strange. he third mental lock is Follow the Rules. Here, patterns are examined as both a strength and weakness in human beings. Von Oech writes about the flexibility of rules, how they can be broken, and why. e Practical really addresses our imagination.

The reader is required to ask “What if?” Roger shows imagining how someone else accomplishes a task can benefit you. Lastly, he covers stepping stones and how practicality helps bring ideas to reality. umber five on the list of mental locks is Play Is Frivolous. The entire chapter is about how playing can stimulate creativity. Von Oech asks us to set a little bit of time aside specifically for play, and that rules on play can help the creative process. hapter six is called That’s Not My Area. Over specialization is examined. Roger suggests that even those highly specialized in a skill will benefit from exploring outside their own box from time to time. on’t Be Foolish is all about the fool. The fool has a habit of reversing ideas, being absurd, laughing at himself, and thinking the negative is positive. Roger says we should all embrace our fool in order to open up to creativity. he eighth mental lock is Avoid Ambiguity. The benefits and drawbacks of ambiguous ideas are explored. Paradoxes abound as a means for us to

T T T

B

N C

D T

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

reset a problem. Von Oech even teaches the reader how to create his/ her own oracle. o Err Is Wrong is a mental lock about failure and success. Using different approaches to what is considered a failure is written about. Even considering success as bad situation is addressed. he final lock is I’m Not Creative. This chapter is about bringing thoughts in to reality, and how we create our own negative reality when we think pessimistically. A creative license is given out, and we end by attempting to discover our own creative style.

T T

THE RIGHT ANSWER

M

H

ow else could you possibly eat French fries?

Instead of going with our first answer of ketchup, we can make it more interesting. Add a bit of sriracha to ketchup. This balances the sweet

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

tomato flavor with a bit of spice and vinegar. Try forgetting your assumptions of mayo with aioli.

With some types of aioli you can add herb flavors for a more earthy tone, or what might be called umami flavor. Or, you can add a bit of citrus or bitterness. All of these are options that use mayonnaise as the core. Instead of just dipping things in condiments, use these new options as sauces and dressings. Think beyond what you just assume. ut, that’s just the second answer. Take one more step away from the default. The exercise recipe on the back side of this page is for Patatas Bravas. It’s a Spanish small plate of roasted potatoes drizzled with a spicy tomato sauce. Sounds pretty familiar, right? As an exercise, try making the dish at home the next time you would simply add fries or a potato to your meal.

B

Condiments

ost of us develop our likes and dislikes as a child. As such, when we grow older we fall victim to the same habits as when we were children.

Our idea of what tastes good and what does not may stay the same mentally, but without challenging ourselves regularly we would never come to realize that our tastes change. Condiments are great example of tastes that should change, but don’t.

Too many people default to just ketchup, mayo, and mustard when there is a world of alternatives out there.

THE RIGHT ANSWER

Condiments

Minimalist Baker:

Patatas Bravas

Tips: Learning to get roasted potatoes right is a life lesson. Practice until you get that great crunch at the corners, and a smooth creamy center.

Directions Soak quartered potatoes in very hot water for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Once potatoes are soaked, dry thoroughly and then add to a baking sheet with 2-3 Tbsp olive oil and a generous sprinkling of sea salt and garlic powder. Toss to coat.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through, stirring once.

Test by spearing a potato with a toothpick – it should be relatively easy to push through.

While the potatoes are baking, prepare your spicy tomato sauce. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and 1/2 tsp salt and stir. Cook for 7-8 minutes to slowly “sweat” until the mixture becomes translucent and very fragrant. If it begins brown, turn down the heat to low and stir frequently.

Add paprika, garlic powder, cayenne and stir. Then add tomato paste, hot sauce and 1 1/2 cups water and stir. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until simmering and the flavors are well blended. Reduce heat if it begins to bubble too vigorously. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

For a smooth sauce, puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Otherwise, set aside.

Source: http://minimalistbaker.com/simple-patatas-bravas/

Ingredients 1.5 – 2 pounds Yukon Potatoes, quartered to bite size 2 – 3 tbsp Olive Oil Sea Salt 0.5 White or Yellow Onion, diced 3 Cloves Garlic, minced 0.5 tsp Paprika Pinch Cayenne or Red Pepper Flake 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 6 oz can Tomato Paste, or 1 14 oz can Crushed Tomatoes, drain water 2 – 3 tsb Hot Sauce The following are optional, but strongly suggested.

Grated Parmesan Cheese Fresh Chopped Parsley

THAT’S NOT LOGICAL

hink of what happens when you get hungry.

Your stomach rumbles, and a sensation comes across you. You start to think of the last time you ate. If you’re like me, you start to think of a certain type of food or flavor that is suddenly very appealing. Your brain is immediately awash with

W

hen being creative in your palette, don’t worry so much about specifics. Think of flavors and experiences. These things are much less tangible. You can’t just eat “umami”. You can eat a mushroom Swiss cheeseburger. The burger is finite, but the flavor behind it is not. Umami is soft thinking, and the burger is hard thinking. on’t just settle on flavors (we just learned to go with the second answer, right?). Use metaphors to influence your soft thinking and to better understand what flavor is. As a quick exercise, take the five tastes (bitter, salty, sour, sweet, and umami) and create a metaphor for each. For example, sour is like losing a good debate, it stings you into respecting the other points of view.

D

“Great food is like great sex. The more you have, the more you want.”

Gael Greene the salty, spicy, acidic taste of Mexican food. Or, maybe it’s the aromatic, curried, rich flavors of India. You finally decide that you want tacos el pastor. From there, you find a Mexican restaurant and head out to satiate your appetite. This brief outline is an example of how soft and hard thinking effect our decision making.

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

T

he cookie recipe that follows is an interesting one. Up until the very end, it seems pretty standard. The idea is, it takes a very ambiguous concept of what defines sweet and what defines savory. From there, it combines the two in a way that helps you both understand how they are defined and how they help to define each other.

Flavors, Not Ingredients

T

THAT’S NOT LOGICAL Flavors, Not Ingredients

Bon Appetit:

Salty Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Tips: Don’t over do it with the salt. Season the cookies just until you can taste it. You’ll know when the salt brings out some extra sweetness from the dough.

Directions Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 375°. Whisk flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add egg yolks, egg, and vanilla.

Beat, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just to blend. Using a spatula, fold in chocolate.

Spoon rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart. Sprinkle cookies with sea salt.

Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until just golden brown around the edges, 10-12 minutes (the cookies will firm up as they cool). Let cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.

Source: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/salty-chocolate-chunk-cookies

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup powdered sugar 2 large egg yolks 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 72% cacao), coarsely chopped Maldon or other flaky sea salt

FOLLOW THE RULES

s human beings, we are trained to find patterns.

This certainly applies to the kitchen and our sense of taste. Once we know that you should grill a 2 inch thick steak for 3 minutes on high heat, that’s the way we prepare steak. Once we learn that a particular grocery store is on our way home, we only stop at that grocery store. Changing these archetypes is an immediate way to boost our creativity in the kitchen and grow our palette.

of items. When you get home, find a recipe to use the ingredients in. By changing your patterns you are changing the rules of what you cook with. ules are flexible and, in some instances, out of date. Up until recently, it was assumed great BBQ had to be smoked. Using sous vide (a cooking technique with water pictured below) and an oven, it’s been shown that a great brisket can be made without the hours of smoke. Without someone determining the rules of BBQ were flexible, we wouldn’t have realized that they were also out of date. But, just as people are developing new ways of cooking BBQ, the tried-and-true methods are becoming more widespread and socially recognized.

Traditional smoking is both the wrong answer, and the right.

R

M

ake a point to break out of patterns when it comes to eating and cooking alike. An easy way to do that is to shop somewhere you wouldn’t normally. Instead of going to your local grocer, head to a specialty store or ethnic grocer. As a simple exercise, go to a store you wouldn’t normally.

Without any preconception or recipe, grab a couple

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

Y

our recipe for this chapter is a really simple one: Japanese Style Grilled Chicken, otherwise known as Chicken Yakitori. Head over to your nearest Asian grocer for the list of ingredients.

Don’t cheat, that way you can complete the quick exercise mentioned earlier in this chapter at the same time.

Shop Elsewhere

A

FOLLOW THE RULES The New York Times:

Shop Elsewhere

Grilled Chicken, Japanese Style

Tips: Use metal skewers if you can. Otherwise, chopping the chicken in to kabob sized pieces is suggested. Lastly, don’t forget to soak you wood skewers.

Directions Mix all ingredients together in a large baking dish, casserole or heavy plastic bag.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight (best option), turning occasionally.

Start a charcoal or wood fire or heat a gas grill. Fire should be moderately hot, part of grill should be kept cooler than rest and rack should be 4 to 6 inches from heat source.

Ingredients Âź cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons sake or white wine 2 tablespoons mirin (or use 1 tablespoon honey mixed with 1 tablespoon water) 3 scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced ginger 3 pounds chicken thighs

Place chicken skin side up on coolest area of grill. When fat has rendered a bit, turn chicken over. After 20 minutes or so, move chicken to hottest part of grill and cook until meat is done and skin is nicely browned.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/13/dining/131mrex.html?_r=0

BE PRACTICAL

L

Ingredients

et’s start this chapter with a quick exercise.

Asking “what if?” is a powerful way to get your mind working. Read through the following “what if?” statements. When you’ve completed the list, select one and answer it in as many ways as you can.

Because we are concentrating on flavor, some “what if?” food questions seem appropriate.

M

ulligatawny Soup is the recipe for this chapter.

The vast majority of ingredients (seeds and all) can be bought at a farmers market. Get up early one Saturday morning and visit your local market to put this dish together. Buy a little more of your ingredients than required. Take the time to try them individually, so the next time you need to cook with plum tomatoes or carrots you know how they should really taste.

What if all fruit was gray?

What if instead of finger nails, we had utensils protruding from our appendages?

What if animals laid lettuce and cabbage instead of eggs?

What if meat grew on trees?

What if beer was a byproduct of car emissions?

What if cooking food required cold temperature instead of hot? ngredients are obviously required to cook.

Instead of viewing them as a necessity, see them as stepping stones. Great ingredients can further your ideas and provide a genuine answer to “what if” questions. One of the best places to get great ingredients is your local farmers market. You’ll find fresh and unadulterated versions of the food you are used to getting at the grocer (yes, even fresher than Whole Foods). Because the food stuffs at farmers markets are often of a high quality, you quickly realize how a real potatoes should taste, what fresh herbs actually smell, and how they all come to be. Without that as a stepping stone, you can’t completely understand how a dish should taste from the recipe alone.

I

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

“He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.”

Jonathan Swift

BE PRACTICAL

Ingredients

Serious Eats:

Mulligatawny Soup

Tips: Don’t worry if you get some measurements wrong, or don’t cut something precisely. That’s the great thing about soup, it’ll still turn out fine.

Directions Place mustard seed, cumin seed, and coriander seed in a skillet and toast over high heat until spices begin to smell toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and process until fine.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until oil is shimmering. Season chicken thighs with salt and add to pot skin side down, cook until skin is golden, about 5 minutes then flip and cook until other side is also brown, about another 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and reserve.

Add onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder and toasted spiced and stir until the vegetables are evenly covered with the spices. Add garlic, ginger, sweet potato, apple and plum tomato and stir to coat. Add lentils then return chicken thighs to the pot. Cover with broth or water and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes and lentils are soft and soup has thickened, about 1 hour.

Remove thighs from the soup and shred the meat and skin then return to the pot.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve garnished with yogurt, cilantro, and red pepper flakes.

Ingredients 1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seed 1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seed 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 pound chicken thighs 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 medium carrot, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup) 1 celery rib, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) 1 tablespoon curry powder 3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces 1 apple, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces 1 plum tomato, cut into 1/4 inch pieces 1/2 cup dry red lentils 6 cups homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken broth, or water Greek yogurt, to garnish Finely chopped cilantro, to garnish Red chili flakes, to garnish

Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/02/mulligatawny-soup-recipe.html

PLAY IS FRIVOLOUS

laying is one of the best ways to get in to cooking, and in turn, broaden your palette.

Through play, you may attempt styles of food you wouldn’t normally be interested in. You may choose to use ingredients that weren’t as familiar to you.

Play allows you to let go of your preconceptions and just try things. There isn’t any risk if you aren’t taking it seriously, right?

a quick layer of noodles, sauce, cheese, and noodles on the iron (feel free to add any other toppings you may have). Close it, and cook for just a few minutes.

When you’re done, you’ve created a whole new meal out of ordinary leftovers. t’s one thing to talk about playing, it’s another to actually play. While play should feel spontaneous and in the moment, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t set time aside for it. Currently regarded as the greatest restaurant in the world, Noma is known for one after hours evening of play a month. The head chef and owner, Rene Redzepi, takes his staff and invites them to cook a dish for each other using the restaurant and kitchen. Redzepi believes this keeps his staff open to new ideas, always looking to push themselves, and actively investigating new ingredients and styles.

I

W L

eftovers are a delightful way of playing. As a quick exercise, next time you have leftovers, attempt to use them the second time around in a completely different manner. A great example of this is a spaghetti pizza pocket. Take a waffle iron, leftover spaghetti (mixed with sauce or not), a bit of left over sauce, and a bit of mozzarella cheese. Do

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

hat is play without a couple of rules? Weren’t the best games you played in grade school the ones with just a few stipulations? As a quick exercise, next time you cook remove one ingredient or technique from the recipe. Spend a few minutes thinking up a replacement just using your personal knowledge. n a book about taste, I hope you catch why this exercise recipe is a part of this chapter…

I

Make a Game of Cooking

P

PLAY IS FRIVOLOUS Make a Game of Cooking

America’s Test Kitchen:

Lamb Kofte

Tips: The refrigeration step in this dish is extremely important. Make sure you set aside a couple of hours to let it sit in the fridge.

Directions Yogurt-Garlic Sauce: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. Set aside.

Kofte: Process pine nuts, garlic, paprika, salt, cumin, pepper, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon in food processor until coarse paste forms, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add lamb, onion, parsley, mint, and gelatin; knead with your hands until thoroughly combined and mixture feels slightly sticky, about 2 minutes. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion into 5-inch-long cylinder about 1 inch in diameter. Using 8 (12-inch) metal skewers, thread 1 cylinder onto each skewer, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer skewers to lightly greased baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Charcoal Grill: Using skewer, poke 12 holes in bottom of disposable pan. Open bottom vent completely and place pan in center of grill. Light large chimney starter filled two thirds with charcoal briquettes (4 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into pan. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

Gas Grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.

Leave all burners on high.

Ingredients Yogurt 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons tahini 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt Kofte 1/2 cup pine nuts 4 garlic cloves, peeled 1 1/2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb 1/2 cup grated onion, drained 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley 1/3 cup minced fresh mint 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

Clean and oil cooking grate. Place skewers on grill (directly over coals if using charcoal) at 45-degree angle to grate. Cook (covered if using gas) until browned and meat easily releases from grill, 4 to 7 minutes. Flip skewers and continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers 160 degrees, about 6 minutes longer. Transfer skewers to platter and serve, passing yogurt separately.

Source: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/7404-grilled-lamb-kofte

TAKE A BREAK

B

efore you set this book down and do something amazing, I would like to let you know about the amazing people that helped me out.

I

would like to thank my mother, Sandra McIntyre, for telling me about Lynda.com and how it’s free for Columbia College students.

Lynda is a website dedicated to tutorials and classes on many topics, but the most important one today is David Blatner’s training on InDesign CC. Without it I wouldn’t have the basic knowledge to put together what you’ve read so far and what comes after it.

B

aska Batbold, thank you. Thank you for seeing my rough draft and not laughing at me. Thank you for giving me spectacular insight and providing me the tools to put my ideas to paper. Most importantly, thank you for pleasantly correcting those ideas and showing me how out of date I was.

L

astly, thank you Nida Prukpitikul, my fiancé.

Thank you for making food such a large and pleasurable part of my life. From hosting very large parties, to cooking for our family’s holiday dinner, to the evenings that are just us, without you as my partner in the kitchen I wouldn’t enjoy it nearly as much as I do. Thomas Wolfe must have had you in mind when he said, “There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.”

TAKE A BREAK

B

efore you set this book down and do something amazing, I would like to let you know about the amazing people that helped me out.

I

would like to thank my mother, Sandra McIntyre, for telling me about Lynda.com and how it’s free for Columbia College students. Lynda is a website dedicated to tutorials and classes on many topics, but the most important one today is David Blatner’s training on InDesign CC. Without it I wouldn’t have the basic knowledge to put together what you’ve read so far and what comes after it.

B

aska Batbold, thank you. Thank you seeing my rough draft and not laughing at me. Thank you for giving me spectacular insight and providing me the tools to put my ideas to paper. Most importantly, thank you for pleasantly correcting those ideas and showing me how out of date I was.

L

astly, thank you Nida Prukpitikul, my fiancé. Thank you for making food such a large and pleasurable part of my life. From hosting very large parties, to cooking for our family’s holiday dinner, to the evenings that are just us, without you as my partner in the kitchen I wouldn’t enjoy it nearly as much as I do. Thomas Wolfe must have had you in mind when he said, “There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.”

THAT’S NOT MY AREA

eing able to cook a great steak is a fantastic skill.

But, only being able to cook steak isn’t quite the same. In many cases, it’s those that reach outside of their comfort zone for inspiration that end up really excelling in their specific field. Take a minute and go to Yelp.com. Browse through the top restaurants in your area. There is likely a common thread run through them; they have fusion menus. If someone hadn’t decided that Mexican food and Korean food would be a great pairing, we wouldn’t have delicious Bulgogi Tacos.

“Eating is sensorial. More than that, it’s about interpreting the information that your senses give you.”

Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz

T

he most important thing about Jane’s idea is that she took the time to learn about the people, teams, and places related to each Super Bowl. If she hadn’t, we would still be eating burgers and nachos.

Much like dedicating time to play, you should dedicate time to explore. How do you expect to build your palette without actually trying new food? Or, new restaurants? It’s making the time to explore that allows us to open our minds to new ideas and draw insight from outside our little box.

L

ook beyond food inspired by food. Well over a decade ago, a good friend of mines mother, Jane, had a fantastic idea. She could genuinely care less about football, yet every February would come around and she would find herself cooking for her family’s Super Bowl Party. Instead of giving in to the standards, Jane looked beyond the sport and into the individual teams. Some years she would base the food off of the cities. Other times, the team mascots. Even other meals would be on individual players or play-styles. Ideas are all around us, invite inspiration from all facets of your life. his is going to be an odd quick exercise, but bear with me. The next time you are taken in by something, maybe the sudden awe of a gorgeous fall day or the architectural wonder of a modern skyscraper, try to convert that feeling in to a flavor.

How would autumn actually taste? More interesting still, how does architecture taste?

T

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

K

orean Tacos have become the poster child for modern fusion cuisine. Now it’s time you learned to make them! This exercise recipe has two parts. Separated, they each work on their own. But, together they really shine.

Not Flavor, Inspiration

B

THAT’S NOT MY AREA

Not Flavor, Inspiration

Serious Eats and Epicurious:

Korean Steak Tacos and Spicy Slaw

Tips: This is a meal best prepared with friends. A lot of the steps and prep can be done at the same time with enough people and counter space.

Directions Slaw Slice the cabbage, then sprinkle on the salt and toss. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Mix the fish sauce, vinegar, chile flakes, garlic, ginger, sugar, scallions and sesame seeds in a bowl.

Rinse the cabbage under cold water, then squeeze the excess water out. In a bowl, toss the cabbage with the fish sauce mixture until well-coated.

Steak To marinate the steak: In a large baking dish, whisk the cilantro, brown sugar, canola oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, jalapeños, black pepper, and coriander to blend well. Reserve 1/4 cup of the mixture in a small bowl for serving. Place the steak in the remaining marinade for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate the reserved marinade.

Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high cooking over direct heat.

Remove the steak from the marinade (discard the marinade) and grill, turning halfway through cooking, for a total of about 10 minutes, until the meat feels only slightly resilient when pressed with a fingertip for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Cut the steak across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Fill tortillas with steak, and top with spicy slaw.

Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/korean-steak-tacos-51221610

Ingredients Taco 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 3 tablespoons canola oil 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon ground coriander One 2-pound flank steak (about 1 1/2 inches thick), fat trimmed Slaw 1 pound Chinese, red or Napa cabbage, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon salt 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons white vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons Korean chile flakes or hot red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon garlic, crushed 1/2 teaspoon ginger, crushed 1 teaspoon sugar 1 scallion, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/08/kogi-inspired-bulgogi-tacos-spicy-slaw-recipe-mexican-asian.html

DON’T BE FOOLISH

onformity has its benefits. If you didn’t speak the same language as those around you, how would you order food at a restaurant? Too much conformity can lead to groupthink, a process in which there is too much conformity and not enough discord. Enter, the fool. The fool helps us reverse our thinking. He helps re-frame the issue by saying there was never a problem in the first place. The fool is simply irreverent, absurd, and sometimes even cryptic.

“I cook more theoretically than I do practically. My job is creative, and in the kitchen, the biggest part of my creativity is theoretical.”

Ferran Adria

M

olecular gastronomy (sometimes referred to as modernist cuisine) is the fool of the cooking world. At first it seems completely playful, like the helium filled apple flavored balloon at Alinea pictured below. Once you dig in to the techniques used in molecular gastronomy, you come to realize modernist chefs are more mad scientists than fools.

It requires a large amount of scientific knowledge of both your foods and your tools. It requires you to look beyond a kitchen and find techniques that are

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

used in more traditional scientific fields. A great fool presents his perspective in a playful, albeit obscure, way. Modernist chefs choose to do the same thing. ere’s a quick exercise. Write down all the tastes you don’t like. Then, write down why you don’t like them. Next, write down why someone would like them. Finally, write down how you could like them. Once your brain starts to work this out, you realize all the places you really could like a taste or food but have avoided because you didn’t reverse your thinking. ou’re going to have to bring out a bit of your inner scientist for this chapters exercise recipe.

It’s a traditional macaroni and cheese, but with a modernist twist that gives you the smoothest and creamiest cheese. You could take it a step further and dry your own mushrooms, a fad that has become popular with molecular chefs.

H

Y

Molecular Gastronomy

C

DON’T BE FOOLISH

Molecular Gastronomy

Modernist Cuisine and Fine Cooking:

Dried Mushroom Bacon, Mac and Cheese

Tips: Don’t toss out the leftover mushroom broth! It’s full of flavor that you can use in gravies, soups, and plenty of other meals.

Directions Mushrooms Soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl of room temperature water for about 30 minutes. Afterwards, separate the mushrooms from the bowl, and rinse them in a fine strainer under cold water. Save the broth, and leave the mushrooms to the side.

Ingredients 1 1/8 cups Water or milk 11g Sodium citrate 4 cups White cheddar, finely grated 2 cups dry macaroni 1 ounce Dried Porcini or dried Morels mushrooms 4 Thick slices of cooked bacon Salt to taste Parsley and Parmesan cheese to garnish

Mac and Cheese Combine water/ milk and sodium citrate in and pot, whisk to dissolve, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Add the cheese into the simmering liquid gradually, stirring each addition in until melted and completely smooth Boil the macaroni until al dente, then drain, but do not rinse it Stir the warm cheese sauce, along with chopped re-hydrated mushrooms and chopped bacon, in to the macaroni Season with salt to taste, and garnish with a sprig of parsley and a bit of grated Parmesan cheese

Source: http://modernistcuisine.com/recipes/silky-smooth-macaroni-and-cheese/ http://www.finecooking.com/articles/bold-flavors-dried-mushrooms.aspx?pg=0

AVOID AMBIGUITY

“CALVIN: Why are you crying mom?

MOM: I’m cutting up an onion.

CALVIN: It must be hard to cook if you anthrpomorphisize your vegetables.”

Bill Watterson, The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

O

racles are one way to help you see things in a different light. Even better, we can create an oracle ourselves. Do this as a quick exercise the next time you have an issue that’s challenging you. First, have a question. Second, create some random information. Open a magazine, and pick the first picture you see after the 16th page. What is it? Walk out your front door. Looking down the street, pick the third business awning. What type of business is it? Open an old text message. Flick your finger over it and pick the bottom line of text.

What does it say? Lastly, interpret that random

A

s a quick exercise, create a list of all the different types of one food. We covered noodles, but think of breads, soups, dumplings, rice, and so on. Now, actually look in to all the different types using some resources like the internet. How many did you miss out on? Which ones should you have thought of? And, most importantly, which ones look the most delicious? et’s go back to the list of Italian noodles. Take a look at farfalle noodles, or francesines and tripolinis. What else do they resemble? Little bowties will be the first thing to come to mind. Taste should be the same thing. If someone hadn’t seen beyond the rind of an orange, we wouldn’t enjoy so many fruits. If someone hadn’t wiped the tears from their eyes and actually cooked an onion, then we wouldn’t have such an amazing ingredient for our food.

L

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

information as the answer to your question. This may take time, but it’s worth it. You are forcing your brain to reach out and make a connection between two things that were utterly disconnected before. If chapter three taught us anything, you should be able to make that new connection. talian Sausage, Grapes, and Balsamic Vinegar seem likely to have been created by someone using an oracle. It’s a combination that doesn’t seem likely until you think of where it originated; wineries of Italy and France. Enjoy the recipe.

I

Types of Food

P

eople do not like ambiguous situations. Think of ambiguity in a cooking sense. What if I asked you to make some noodles? Think of the options I’ve given you; spaghetti, tagliatelle, farfalle, conchiglie, pennoni, ziti, gnocchi, fusilli, and the list goes on. It turns out I wanted udon noodles. Did you even consider Asian style noodles? Ambiguity leading us off the path can be as much a good thing as a bad thing. Imagine this as the reverse of chapter two. Instead of a couple of rules, apply a bit of ambiguity. Let your mind wander around an idea, and in to the gray areas.

AVOID AMBIGUITY Cooks Illustrated:

Types of Food

Italian Sausage w/ Grapes and Balsamic Vinegar Tips: This recipe is best served with a hearty bread and a glass of red wine.

Directions Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Arrange sausages in pan and cook, turning once, until browned on 2 sides, about 5 minutes. Tilt skillet and carefully remove excess fat with paper towel. Distribute grapes and onion over and around sausages. Add water and immediately cover. Cook, turning sausages once, until they register between 160 and 165 degrees and onions and grapes have softened, about 10 minutes.

Transfer sausages to paper towel–lined plate and tent with aluminum foil. Return skillet to medium-high heat and stir pepper and salt into grape-onion mixture.

Spread grape-onion mixture in even layer in skillet and cook without stirring until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is well browned and grapes are soft but still retain their shape, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Reduce heat to medium, stir in wine and oregano, and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until wine is reduced by half, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove pan from heat and stir in vinegar.

Arrange sausages on serving platter and spoon grape-onion mixture over top.

Sprinkle with mint and serve.

Source: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/8420-italian-sausage-with-grapes-and-balsamic-vinegar

Ingredients 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil 1 ½ pounds sweet Italian sausage 1seedless pound red grape, halved lengthwise (3 cups) 1 onion, halved and sliced thin ¼ cup water ¼ teaspoon Pepper ⅛ teaspoon salt ¼ cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon Chopped Fresh Oregano 2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

TO ERR IS WRONG

M Y

oven at the right temperature, the pan oiled, and your mitts ready. Yet, every time your cake comes out undercooked and sinking in the middle. You do the recipe over and over, tweaking little things, doing research on the ingredients and your tools.

After many attempts you over hear something on a podcast, “Sometimes old ovens aren’t calibrated properly anymore.” You finally compensate by adjusting the bake time to make up for the lower temp oven. Not only that, but the cake is now more delicious than ever. You have sourced better ingredients, developed your technique for batter, and can even do elaborate icing work because of all the trial and error you have gone through. hat about the opposite of failure, success? Is it any good? Success leads to many of the pitfalls we covered in previous chapters: developing patterns, groupthink, and over specialization. It can cause us to undermine ourselves and to become overly arrogant. You will never find the best steak

W

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

house, or the greatest ramen stand, or freshest juice bar. But, thinking you have can cause more problems than it solves. Keep looking, keep your mind open, and always be open to someone’s suggestions. You aren’t going to find any of those places without a little help. hess pie is an almost forgotten pastry dish from the south. The recipe is so simple. If you somehow manage to get it wrong, you’ll be able to identify the problem with ease and correct it next time. More importantly, keep making the pie.

Change an ingredient here and there. The Chess Pie is such a great blank slate, use it as a means of trial and error.

C

Recipes

ost people can’t cook because they choose not to. They screwed something up once or twice and that’s it. They decided to be over with it. It’s the same thing with taste. We assume that the one time we had liver and onions as a child is how it will always taste. We are afraid of failure. ou are baking a cake, a delicious chocolate cake.

Every time you follow the directions. You add the ingredients together exactly as directed, in the exact amounts, at the exact time. You prep your space exactly the way it’s supposed to be, with the

TO ERR IS WRONG James A. Beard:

Chess Pie

Recipes

Tips: This pie is the base for any Chess Pie. Substitute the lemon rind and juice for grapefruit. Swap the lemon and orange ingredients. There are many alternatives.

Directions Cream the butter and sugar and add the egg yolks one at a time. Beat thoroughly after each addition.

Blend in the grated lemon rinds, the salt and the lemon juice.

Fill the pie or tart shells and bake in a 350°F. oven for 25-30 minutes.

Let sit for 30-45 minutes in the open or in the refrigerator.

NOTE: Chess pies are really best made as individual tarts.

Source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chess-pie-20023

Ingredients 1/2 cup butter 1 cup sugar 3 egg yolks 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons lemon juice 9� pastry shell, uncooked, or 6 individual tart shells, uncooked

I’M NOT CREATIVE

I

O

I I

only cook creatively when I’m alone or with my fiancé.

try to catch flavors as they move over my tongue.

Beer is a fantastic way to examine how a flavor can change and shape itself inside your mouth.

I

f I can’t think of something to cook or eat, it’s because I’ve settled on something I know I can’t have. It’s tough letting things go, but you have to from time to time.

I

have a habit of returning to a restaurant I love in place of trying a new. It doesn’t happen all the time, but often enough that I know I need to watch myself.

I

need to humble myself more often in order to open up to suggestion. I don’t know everything, nor does anyone else. But if we share a bit with each other, we can know a little more.

W

hen I’m confused about a recipe I am likely to steam on ahead. I’m not afraid of failing, just not doing anything at all. Cooked food is always better then uncooked food.

T

he written word is a gorgeous thing, even in directions and recipes. It allows us to see the world in a way no one else can. Some of my most creative meals have started as someone else’s script.

I

don’t have a strong oral filter, which often leads to my fool leaping out as he sees fit. In the kitchen, and out.

I

enjoy positive criticism and even blunt honesty.

Without them, I don’t think my creative process would be complete.

I

do look for inspiration in myself. As long as my legs can move me forward, I will continue on.

That Tastes Better Than I Thought

I Can’t Cook

f you say you can’t cook, you won’t cook. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Without a positive attitude and a better personal prophecy, you will never cook well or come to appreciate a fine sense of taste. Take responsibility for yourself, look at the chapters we have covered and merge the thoughts presented there with action. Go and cook with new found confidence. Eat with unabashed enthusiasm. Embrace the delight that is food with a newfound sense of self. ur last exercise recipe is you. Develop your own taste. Make a list like the mine on the right and don’t forget it. Use it as a reminder of how you approach food and taste in your own way. Good luck, and thank you for reading.

A Whack on the Other Side of the Head

Introduction Ahead of you is a series of recipes based on the book “A Whack on the Side of the Head” by Roger von Oech. Each recipe is specifically designed to address your palette and help you expand your sense of taste. For some, this will mean overcoming flavors you don’t like. For others, this will bring out your adventuresome side to try new things. For everyone, I hope it will help you become more creative in your approach to ingredients, cooking, and the pleasure that is eating.

Use these recipes to address your four creative roles. The Explorer who searches for new information and resources. The Artist who turns that information into ideas. The Judge who determines what to do with those ideas and their value. And, finally, the Warrior who carries those ideas in to action.

What’s the point of a cook book you don’t cook with? Make sure to actually tryout some of the recipes. Don’t be afraid of them, I made sure they all require a low level of cooking skill and have clear directions. Plus, cooking is a social experience.

Nothing helps overcoming fear like having your friends at your side. Invite them to enjoy this book with you.

Put yourself at some risk with this book. Save a recipe that you’re interested in for a dinner party, or family. Set a date, and make sure you can nail it by then.

Sometimes you’ll be dissatisfied with what turns out. That’s okay. Use it as a stepping stone to address what was wrong, and continue on with new found persistence.

I start this side of the book with the easiest recipe of the nine. You have no excuse not to try it. As Ernestine Ulmer but it, “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”

�This is my advice to people: Learn how to cook, try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun�

Julia Child

That Tastes Better Than I Thought: The Cook Book

Recipes in taste and creativity curated by Benjamin McIntyre