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I’ve been meaning to write this post for quite some time now because it seems that no matter what cookbook you read, website you search or recipe card you follow – recipes will taste differently every time.
Why is that?
Ever wonder?
Well, it’s pretty easy if you think about it.
Let’s start with an extreme example to get my point across. Sound good?
Great.
So, let’s say Betty Sue in Italy is trying a recipe in a famous cookbook that she just purchased. The recipe is quite simple but calls for balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper and canned tomatoes. Easy right?
So, Betty Sue goes out to her local market in Italy and purchases an expensive bottle of pure balsamic vinegar, fresh Meyer lemons, expensive Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, organic multi-colored peppercorns and a can of her favorite and expensive can of organic tomatoes.
Then, across the world another woman named Lauren lives in Tennessee and sees the same recipe in the same cookbook and decides to go to her local food store. She purchases a cheap bottle of balsamic vinegar because that’s the only thing the store sells, a bottle of murky lemon juice, table salt, cheap pepper and a can of .99 cent tomatoes.
What do you think happens here?
It’s pretty obvious that the woman in Italy’s recipe would turn out and taste better than the woman in Tennessee, right?
And on a less extreme level you could say that you and I have similar food stores but by purchasing a different brand of balsamic or canned tomatoes or salt would make our recipes taste completely different, as well.
Crazy, isn’t it?
I wanted to bring this up because last week I purchased a beautiful bottle of organic cinnamon and it tasted amazing and I only needed a pinch to create fabulous flavor. But, later that week I was going through my pantry and stumbled upon a cheap brand of cinnamon that I once loved – but it tasted so bland and blah. So, if I used this blah cinnamon in the recipes I’m following – it simply wouldn’t taste as delicious as if I used the organic flavorful cinnamon.
Such an interesting experiment, don’t ya think?
I like to do taste tests of numerous foods to see which ones I like the best. You can try it for yourself, too and you may be surprised which brands taste terrible and which taste great when you go from a spoonful of one to a spoonful of another!
Try setting up a taste test each week for yourself and your family. You can use staples such as salt, pasta, vegetable broth, tomato sauce, peanut butter, beans and breads. Place each brand of the item (such as salt) into small ramekins and mix them up so you have a blind test with the name of the brand on the bottom of the ramekin. Then taste each one and see what you like the best. You’ll be surprised to taste subtle and strong differences amongst the brands you choose.
Could be a fun idea for a salt-tasting party? Don’t ya think?
Invite over your friends and have them taste the different brands – it will create fun conversation and bring back memories of tastes when you were growing up or dining out or traveling to other states and countries.
What do you think? Do you taste a difference in staples that you purchase? Have you ever gone to the store and they didn’t have your favorite brand of peanut butter so you bought another one and were so grossed out that you threw it out? I’d love to hear your stories!
Growing up Italian we always ate olives…ESP. Black canned olives…in salads, on pizza or just a bowl of olives. Store brands make me feel sick and even some better ones are “off” when it comes to flavor. My favorite ‘go to’ brand is Linsay …just plain good taste. Anything less in your recipe and you risk that the entire dish will be poor.
Fresh Tomatoes are probably the one item that is the most different from any thing you buy. But you don’t have them year round so it pays to experiment with what’s available near you. I like several brands of tomatoes that are organic and packed in aseptic cartons. They’re the closet thing to homegrown and way better than canned. Your favorite best quality ingredients and love make all the difference when cooking for others. And it’d be cool to have another kitchen gadget, like the breakfast sandwich maker, to keep things interesting. :v
This is all so true! (And that’s why it’s very frustrating to live in one of those places where it’s harder to find many of the better quality—or more rare—ingredients… even if only temporarily.)
p.s. I would get so much use out of that breakfast sandwich maker! : )
When I go to the store it seems that even some of the health food stores I go to don’t have a lot of the products I use in stock.
All products are not created equally. My husband recently bought me an oil and balsamic vinegar set for me from a great Italian store. OH MY! What a difference. It will be nearly impossible to return to the old stand by’s. Tomatoes make a large difference too. Fresh in season heirlooms or gas sprayed to ripen, both look great but the difference in taste is insane.
I like to experiment when cooking, and sometimes it works out for the best! (I have had my share of kitchen disasters though;) I have a spinach and artichoke dip that I make,and it never tastes exactly the same.
I try not to keep any spices and oils etc… for too long so the flavors of my food isn’t altered a lot. I am bummed when I expect it to taste a certain way and it doesn’t.
I’ve found this especially with peanut butter. Once I started using Organic and Sugar-Free peanut butter, I can’t even stomach Jif anymore.
Interesting article. I have also found this to be true because the growing season each year is different too. For instance, a wine from 2010 that you really liked was just not as good in 2012.
This is a very interesting thought. Sometimes we subconsciously suppress the dislikes to keep up with our budget as long as it doesn’t overly distaste our taste buds. Many times, people just adjust with the prices of their groceries and live with it.
Interesting read!! I recently bought all new spices at a locally owned spice market- I really noticed the difference with the fresh spices- especially oregano!
We recently sold our home where I cooked on natural gas for 36 years. Where I live now we have propane for cooking. Its So different. I never know whether to put the heat a little higher or just make the cooking times longer. Its trial and error like I am learning to cook all over again!
A spice tasting party is a great idea!
this is interesting. i haven’t really experienced it yet, though…..good to know!
I truly appreciate this! I am a chef, and have taught classes teaching a healthier cooking methods for the cooks for the boats/barges on the river. This subject is something that would be of help to me, as it is something few have thought about, and would definitely benefit to the cooks. Thank you!
On another note, how about trying out a new recipe which includes an ingredient or two you’ve never used, and when all is said and done you can’t even tell if your finished product came out the way it was supposed to. Last night i made a soup for dinner, was a bit ‘confused’ by the finished product, but haven’t a clue whether or not i even hit the mark! It could havr been the fact that i substituted 1/2 veggie stock for all of the chicken stock…or maybe i just didn’t like the soup!
Great post – my recipes always come out different too and I always wondered why! I hope I win the breakfast sandwich maker 🙂
I have found the same thing with cinnamon and lemon. It is so easy to juice a lemon for juice, and get the zest as well. You know it’s fresh… who knows how long that lemon juice has been sitting in that little plastic lemon?! And cinnamon? Who knew? I visited our local Penzey’s spice store and tried out all the different varieties of cinnamon — I never imagined one could be so different from another.
Vanilla is the same way. Some are better for baking. Some are better not heated. It’s kind of interesting.
I know I much prefer recipes made with the veggies from my garden than canned items. And I MUCH prefer the eggs that we buy from a church member that are from non-caged chickens that are not given a whole host of antibiotics. Eggs that would make great breakfast sandwiches in the cool sandwich maker that you’re giving away!
However outré it might sound, I find that my state of mind affects the way foods taste to me at a given moment. Maybe it’s being impressionable but if I’m happy my dishes always come out better no matter what ingredients, 🙂