On Saturday, I gave my first talk about my book “Breaking Bread in L’Aquila” pub date 4/6/2010 at The New York Independent Center which hosts its annual Small Press Book Fair. It was great!
As part of my prep and prop presentation (say that a dozen times), I wanted to bring a couple of props but then decided, another time. With my luck, it would have been a disaster if I put “Pepé Le Pew onions” next to the biscotti. It would have been a clash of flavours!
But seriously, I wanted to make a point about my relaxed style of cooking. For example, how do you pick a medium? What if you don’t like the medium? What if you like two smalls or a large?
In some of my recipes, I didn’t show a conversion ie. one medium = 2 cups. Why? It’s against my philosophy of strict rules but more relaxed and by adding a little more of this or that is fine.
I want you to embrace the concept of using more or less of an ingredient and what you and family enjoy. It won’t ruin the taste when taste is in the eye of the beholder!
ps – we’ll get to desserts later!
I love this approach, since it also prevents unnecessary waste! (We’ve all been there… you cut up an onion, measure it out, put the rest back in the fridge “for later”… yeah.)
wow congrats on the book so happy for you, Rebecca
It’s my philosophy.