How Do You Improvise in the Kitchen?

Sometimes I wish I’d stop bl**dy improvising and stick to the same recipe or ingredients. I end up with so many variations I often can’t remember which one I liked most 😆

Occasionally Ill get half way through or even to the end and think “Oh yer you tried this before and didn’t think it was an improvement”!
 
I wouldn't call it improvisation, but I substitute ingredients all the time. Either because I don't have that specific ingredient and don't think it's worth buying it for just one specific recipe, or because I don't like an ingredient, or think the recipe will taste better if I substitute ingredient X for ingredient Y.

Regarding your initial example of replacing brown sugar for white sugar + molasses, I always find it funny when websites tell you how you can replace certain ingredients, but often the alternative they mention is a combination of ingredients that's even more uncommon than the original ingredient. Here in Portugal molasses are highly uncommon, I've never bought it and never seen it in anyone's house. In that specific case, for me it would have been a lot easier to just go and buy brown sugar.
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Sometimes I wish I’d stop bl**dy improvising and stick to the same recipe or ingredients. I end up with so many variations I often can’t remember which one I liked most 😆

Occasionally Ill get half way through or even to the end and think “Oh yer you tried this before and didn’t think it was an improvement”!
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Sometimes you just HAVE to improvise because if you don't, you might end up being without whatever it is that you might need, and sometimes, no replacement or substitute for it. I, at times. think about what I'd like to make, make sure that all the stuff is here for it, then put my plan into action. :whistling:
 
GadgetGuy said:
Sometimes you just HAVE to improvise because if you don't, you might end up being without whatever it is that you might need, and sometimes, no replacement or substitute for it. I, at times. think about what I'd like to make, make sure that all the stuff is here for it, then put my plan into action. :whistling:
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You do but improvisation for me is a compulsion. When I read a recipe and ignore my instincts to follow the recipe religiously 95% of the time I taste the end result and think Grrr I knew I should have done x..y..z
 
LissaC said:
I wouldn't call it improvisation, but I substitute ingredients all the time. Either because I don't have that specific ingredient and don't think it's worth buying it for just one specific recipe, or because I don't like an ingredient, or think the recipe will taste better if I substitute ingredient X for ingredient Y.

Regarding your initial example of replacing brown sugar for white sugar + molasses, I always find it funny when websites tell you how you can replace certain ingredients, but often the alternative they mention is a combination of ingredients that's even more uncommon than the original ingredient. Here in Portugal molasses are highly uncommon, I've never bought it and never seen it in anyone's house. In that specific case, for me it would have been a lot easier to just go and buy brown sugar.
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Molasses is a very common pantry item in a cook's kitchen in the US. It is easy to find in any grocery store. There are many things that are not common pantry items here, but molasses is not one of them.

CD
 
LissaC said:
I wouldn't call it improvisation, but I substitute ingredients all the time. Either because I don't have that specific ingredient and don't think it's worth buying it for just one specific recipe, or because I don't like an ingredient, or think the recipe will taste better if I substitute ingredient X for ingredient Y.

Regarding your initial example of replacing brown sugar for white sugar + molasses, I always find it funny when websites tell you how you can replace certain ingredients, but often the alternative they mention is a combination of ingredients that's even more uncommon than the original ingredient. Here in Portugal molasses are highly uncommon, I've never bought it and never seen it in anyone's house. In that specific case, for me it would have been a lot easier to just go and buy brown sugar.
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What about black treacle, do you have that in Portugal?
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Sometimes I wish I’d stop bl**dy improvising and stick to the same recipe or ingredients.
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The great American chef James Beard said: " The first time you try a recipe, follow it exactly. After that, you're on your own".
I think that's great advice, but I'd also add that, if a recipe is perfect, then why go to the bother of changing it around?
 
I tend to follow a recipe (more or less) if it is a cuisine I am not familar with.
But mostly I have to improvise due to lack of ingredients.

And it is true, what is common in 1 country may be alien in the other.

Until the sugar challence, I didn't know there was something like brown sugar that was not just unrefined sugar.
We got molasses, but they go on the dirt roads to improve the surface :wink:
 
badjak said:
We got molasses, but they go on the dirt roads to improve the surface :wink:
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In my mind molasses is something you put on the cows feed to increase the milk yield not something we actually eat 🤣
So when I stumble across it listed in American recipes I can't shake the thought Americans eat animal feed 🙄😂
 
caseydog said:
well golly, we iz stupit peepel what does u expect form us molassez iz gud on sum uv mamas corn pone with a steemy bowl uv coon stew

CD
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Aaw come on, you know I can't abide stereotypes and don't fall for all that BS.
I just thought it was funny that I can't get rid of the association with animal feed.
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Aaw come on, you know I can't abide stereotypes and don't fall for all that BS.
I just thought it was funny that I can't get rid of the association with animal feed.
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I get it. I had a hard time shaking the stereotype of British food as bland, overcooked, lacking in imagination, with stodgy gravies and lots of starches. But I've been to the UK four times, and I got past my stereotypes of British food.

Certainly you've had some not too bad meals on your trips to the US.

It's all good.

CD
 
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