Constrained Gourmet is going to be your best food blog resource!
I’ve always believed that a recipe is an idea; a palette; an inspiration. I don’t believe in following recipes precisely. Why? Because most of the time, we don’t like a spice or ingredient; don’t have access to all of the ingredients or want to be more creative. We are all a Constrained Gourmet – it is just part of life. When I get a new recipe that I want to try, I almost always deviate somewhere along the way. The other blogs are teaching you a recipe or a cuisine. I am teaching you how to get to the end result, no matter how many constraints are thrown at you along the way.
Scallops and mushrooms first course
The method that I want to teach is techniques of how to deal with constraints in gourmet cooking. Let’s say that you plan to make chicken piccata and find that you don’t have any capers or lemons. What would you do? Throw in the towel and order take out or change the plan? If you have olives, substitute those for the capers. If you don’t have lemon, use other citrus. Maybe throw in some more wine to compensate (always a personal favorite of mine!). Don’t have chicken? Use pork or fish. I will help you navigate the constraints that we all face in our kitchens.
Let’s also be realistic about our feelings and their impact on our cooking. How do you feel when you are cooking under stress? I can help you create a great gourmet cooking plan that will make you and your guest happy. We’ve all experienced the week from hell at work and having to keep your commitment to a dinner party. I can help you through constraints like this. With good planning and a schedule, we can break it up into manageable chunks that make your dinner party a success without exhausting you in the process!
Caviar and potato chips
We’ve all been faced with unexpected guests for dinner. That is one of the biggest constraints you can face in gourmet cooking! I can help you with these situations by using items from your pantry, like dried mushroom risotto with three key ingredients almost everyone has on hand and won’t spoil. Or, have you ever rented a house and had to use a less than ideal kitchen? Don’t run to the take out place – queue the grill instead! I make whole meals on the grill and can show you how to the do the same.
Learn with me. We’ll face constraints together, which will give you more ideas about how to deal with anything that comes your way. Use my food blog to help you stay gourmet when life gets in the way!