Century Egg by Andrew ?' of Flickr
Do you catch yourself eating the same old thing every time you go out? Is it capelinni d’angelo with Bolognaise sauce? Perhaps it is always that steak, medium well done with the potatoes?
Thing is, you are missing out on taste combinations that will help you out later on in your career.
When I was just starting culinary school in Alberta, Canada, I had no knowledge of any cuisine outside of what my mother made. Gourmet food to me was Italian food at the Olive Garden, or maybe Swiss Chalet at Christmas time.
I recall when I was in my soups and stocks class when the daily task was Mulligatawny soup. Thing is, we had to TASTE the item that we were cooking. I remember saying, “I am not Indian, and why would I eat curry?”
I tasted the soup, a delicious mixture of curry, apples and chicken.
Wow! It was like a taste explosion in my mouth! The door was opened up for flavors, and I walked right through it. I literally drank a whole liter of soup during my break. It was so good; I even gave up the break’s cigarette to eat more.
Today I make it a point to try everything. Pad Thai, with its sweet flavors and notes of tamarind, to spicy Malabar shrimp. Perhaps Greek cheese or Taramosalata dips? There is a whole culinary world that is just dying to be tried.
Push the limits of your taste buds. What astounds me is the amount the supermarket has changed over the last 10 years. It used to be hard to find sake and mirin, let alone Tamaki gold rice. You can find these items in the aisles of even the most mundane supermarket now. Reach for that new cheese, you know, the one you have never heard of, instead of old yellow cheddar. What’s the worst that can happen? You don’t like it. The best? A new cheese for you.
Don’t scrimp on taste. I know, I am always going on about frugal, local items. When I say frugal, I do not mean eating plain beans with a little salt. I mean getting the most bang for your buck. I hate how people will buy the no-name brands of items claiming “it tastes the same.” Sorry folks, this is not always the case. Sometimes a few dollars here and there will really make the difference in flavor, and impact. Ever try to eat no-name ice cream verses Tom and Jerry’s?
Eat out at different places once in a while, but choose differently. This also goes against all frugal advice. I am not advocating that you stay home all the time, slaving over a stove. How are you to experience new flavors, combinations if you are not out there trying them? I am about being frugal, but not about being a miser. Best of all, you can back home and try and re-create those dishes!
Try out new things, even if it means you will flop. My wife can attest to this: for every victory I have in the kitchen, I have a string of errors behind me. I have tried making various items like ice cream, only to have it flop. Point is, I tried. Have you ever had strawberry and black pepper ice cream with aged balsamic glaze? It is wicked! Sounds like it would be bad, but it was a hit at the flambé table!
Buy a new cookbook every chance that you get. I think the best cookbooks are available from my store. (Okay, just kidding.) Seriously though, it is important to read up on new recipes. Family classics came about because someone took a chance with some ingredients or a recipe. The family liked it, and off we go. Same goes for menu items in a restaurant. Sometimes a new combination will go right over the top.
Are there any reasons you can think of on why trying new foods are good?
