Tuna Fish
Recently, the local daily challenged its readers to recall their biggest cooking mistake (I cannot find a link). That reminded me of a story.
It wasn’t so much of a mistake as insight into how I tick.
When I was about five, I purchased a Peanuts cookbok, The Chef Is In, through a book order at school. My folks always bought me as many books from the book clubs as I wanted provided I read them. As I recall, there was never a problem reading the ordered books. Early on, I read lots of Peanuts books. My fifth birthday party was a Peanuts-themed party.
Anyhow, I had this cookbook. One day I wanted to make something from it. I picked out a tuna fish sandwich (I believe it was. If someone with a copy of the book would like to verify that, I will be most appreciative). The recipe called for water chestnuts. My mother, a very wise woman, suggested we skip those. I would have none of it. To me, if a recipe called for an ingredient then it is used.
Well . . . that was the nastiest sandwich I had eaten in my short life. Now that I am much older, it still ranks up there. I had to eat the entire sandwich and I am not certain we ever made another recipe from that cookbook.
I am still the same way today. As my family knows only too well, the first time I make a new dish, I follow the recipe completely. I want to experience the dish as it is written. Once made, I may modify it the second time. I keep copious notes in my database about the dishes I make. For instance, the granola I have made for the past 17 years as a note to double the amount of honey to use. I recall that from the very first time I made it.
As early as five, I demonstrated this trait. It is definitely one of the symptons of my OCD. That Beetle has OCD even more defined than mine is hardly a wonder.
* Photograph from Stuck in ’70s
Also blogged on this date . . .
- Meaning of Life? - 2008
- Governor Corzine Astounds Reasonable People - 2007
- Dot . . . Dot . . . Dot . . . - 2007
- Addiction - 2007
- More, More, More - 2006
- And then there were four - 2006
- Corzine Apologizes - 2006
- E-ZPass & Highway Gasoline - 2005