Making Stuff You Don't Like

[jgarner53]

So I unexpectedly got off work yesterday and heard my mixer calling to me in a sort of sad, forlorn voice. I chose a recipe (the Vanilla Chiffon roll from Baking with Julia. A simple vanilla chiffon cake rolled around a chocolate walnut mousse filling. I'm not a huge fan of walnuts - here and there, or in a salad, fine, but I tend to find them generally a bit astringent in baked goods like cookies. I considered swapping the walnuts for pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts, but decided that for this first go-round, I'd stick to the recipe.

I suppose I should say that I was planning on sending this off to work with my husband this morning, not serving it up for us. I did feel that I needed to taste the cake and the mousse, though.

In my estimation, the walnuts overpowered the chocolate in the mousse, and I didn't particularly care for the texture they gave to the mousse (the walnuts were chopped pretty fine in the food processor). But since I wasn't eating it, I could manage a taste.

Do you, whether as home cooks or PCs often prepare things for others that you yourself don't care for? How do you deal with the fact that you should taste the components of the dish (or the final product) when you're not crazy about the flavor?

[Chris Amirault]

Do you, whether as home cooks or PCs often prepare things for others that you yourself don't care for? How do you deal with the fact that you should taste the components of the dish (or the final product) when you're not crazy about the flavor?

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I run a preschool/kindergarten (not today; plumber's fixing the shower behind me), and my partner Andrea very often cooks things to send in to the staff. Not only does she enjoy baking just about anything, but she's also working her way through different styles, types of baking, and cookbooks (such as, of course, Baking with Julia!). So she prepares things that she doesn't necessary enjoy herself and sometimes even sends it off, Thomas-Keller-like, without trying it first.

She's also currently suffering from morning sickness, so unless it's a baked potato, she ain't enjoying anything much.

On the other hand, I eat just about anything and have a difficult time parting with food I've cooked -- bad boss, I suppose...

[duckduck]

I do. Occasionally I'll do a recipe because it sounds interested or because someone in my house will enjoy it. I used to make a curry swirl bread for my mother all the time and I don't care for curry powder. At times, I make things I will not eat. There is another thread going on elsewhere in eG about restaurant reviewers writing according to their tastes. I'm one that will try things and try to stay conscious of the fact that there is a difference between was is good or bad and what I like or dislike. I can dislike something and write a good review on it. It's always good to explore new things.

[JFLinLA]

I remember reading an article once about professional chefs with food allergies and how they handle it. Just think about it if you had a severe seafood, peanut or other allergy.

PS - I'm not a walnut fan either.

[jim_jimmers]

we make brownies at the resturant i work at. the customers love them. but to me they are overpoweringly chocolate. i hate making them. they take forever and take up the whole oven. so i usually try to make them monday when there is no service at night.

[chefpeon]

Hey, great thread topic!

I HATE making things I HATE! For some reason, if I don't like it, making whatever it is I hate seems like a real chore. Again, I will mention (if y'all aren't sick enough of me complaining about it) that stupid Sesame Flax Oat Cake cookie thing I have to make zillions of every week.

They're not much better than a dog biscuit as far as I'm concerned, and I'm always making them.......a nightmarish thought: I have the recipe MEMORIZED!! AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

I also hate (detest) rhubarb. I never make strawberry rhubarb pies if I have the choice, but if I have to, then I always have someone else taste test for me....because with something I hate that much, I wouldn't know bad from good.

Cherries too......don't like 'em. Or peaches. Yuk.

Same goes for walnuts.....they always seem acidic and bitter to me. If I'm going to use nuts in something (and it's my choice) I will do anything to avoid using walnuts. ANYTHING.

I think one of the perks of being a PC is enjoying what you make (no trusta da skinny cook!), so if I can't enjoy the fruits of my labor, it ain't fun at all! But, ya take the bad with the good.....

And what's up with Rugelach? I hate it!

And Stollen.....

and anything with anise in it.......

Oh shoot.....I could go on and on.........

[Carrot Top]

Often in professional cooking one is faced with this 'problem', unless you've reached the point where everyone around you is pleased to eat exactly what you choose (i.e. celebrity chef type and not even then, really...).

We all have food likes and dislikes and some very intense ones.

You can taste it in your mind, if that way works well for you...

But bottom-line, we have to rely on our audiences. They, are who we cook for...so as an aspiring writer must find a trusted 'reader' who can comment in a good objective caring manner...a chef must find a trusted taster!

Shouldn't be too difficult, huh?

Not to downplay the problem, for having the right mood or not in cooking certainly can affect the final taste of things in an unmeasureable way...

[wattacetti]

Do you, whether as home cooks or PCs often prepare things for others that you yourself don't care for? How do you deal with the fact that you should taste the components of the dish (or the final product) when you're not crazy about the flavor?

Well, I'll make stuff at the request of some people for say, special occassions but that's about it. Gallo pinto, stuff with raisins in it, that sort of thing.

For the most part, I'll taste (in tiny tiny quantities) as I cook to adjust seasoning but I won't eat it.

Aside: I like walnuts, but prefer when they're not cooked into something.

[Wendy DeBord]

So far I haven't found any specific ingredients in baked goods/pastry I don't really like. So I've got a great job! It probably wouldn't hurt me if there were more things I didn't like.

Theres a few things on the savory side that I'm not into. I can and do force myself to try everything, but I can't do organ meats, period-or something that really stares back at me......and I've yet to eat a soft shell crab where the shell was soft and unnoticable, I'm done trying that!

When it comes down to something I really dislike I'll trust my sense of smell and someone elses tasting opinion. But I have to add, that typically when I taste something my co-workers don't like as their guinee pig, it's usually off because they didn't taste it themselves. Then you have to let the taster make the adjustments! I think for the most part it's best to let someone else make what ever item you dislike.....you just can't bring in that finesse if you hate the main ingredient.

[Chris Amirault]

Often in professional cooking one is faced with this 'problem', unless you've reached the point where everyone around you is pleased to eat exactly what you choose (i.e. celebrity chef type and not even then, really...).

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Hi Carrot Top!

For professionals, I would think that this problem comes up a lot, not in relation to using ingredients you don't like, but in preparing things in ways that you find offensive to your culinary sensibilities. George and Joanne at Al Forno here in Providence, for example, have a rep in town for refusing such requests if they don't meet owner/chefs' standards.

I mean, my wonderful dad likes his meat well done, and I know that there are some restaurants where that would be tantamount to treason. Hell, that's how I feel when I have to char the bejeezus out of a prime entrecote for the man!

What if someone wants you to serve that curry "but without any of those spices"? Or asks for some seviche "thoroughly cooked, you know, so there aren't any germs"?

Inquiring minds want to know, chefs!

[chromedome]

Well, Chris, at my night job such requests are met with a crisp "Tell 'em to order something else!" from the chef/owner.

And our game entrees will not be cooked past a certain point...the bison will not be cooked past medium, and the muskox and caribou will not be cooked past medium-rare. They just don't work anymore after that, and we simply won't serve them.

[Anni]

Do you, whether as home cooks or PCs often prepare things for others that you yourself don't care for? How do you deal with the fact that you should taste the components of the dish (or the final product) when you're not crazy about the flavor?

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It definitely happens. In my last job -- fine dining restaurant with Greek overtones -- walnuts were big. At the time I didn't mind them, but after reworking the baklava and then working up a walnut cake dessert, I can't stand walnuts anymore. And they make my mouth itch. In fact, stone fruits make my mouth itch too, but they're a staple during the summer.

In general I don't feel good about making or sending out a dessert without tasting components first. Notice I used the word *taste* -- and in the case where I don't like the item or am allergic, I take as little as I can get away with . I'll also ask someone who's palette I trust to back me up.

Also, the food business is a service industry, so sometimes you gotta suck it up and serve people what they want, if it's doable ("table 3 wants the cake, sorbet, sauce, and garnish all on separate plates"). It was a lesson hard-learned for me but it was also interesting to learn how happy and appreciative customers can be when they get what they want.

[Carrot Top]

Hi Carrot Top!

For professionals, I would think that this problem comes up a lot, not in relation to using ingredients you don't like, but in preparing things in ways that you find offensive to your culinary sensibilities. George and Joanne at Al Forno here in Providence, for example, have a rep in town for refusing such requests if they don't meet owner/chefs' standards.

I mean, my wonderful dad likes his meat well done, and I know that there are some restaurants where that would be tantamount to treason. Hell, that's how I feel when I have to char the bejeezus out of a prime entrecote for the man!

What if someone wants you to serve that curry "but without any of those spices"? Or asks for some seviche "thoroughly cooked, you know, so there aren't any germs"?

Inquiring minds want to know, chefs!

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chromedome's response to this is naturally the ideal one for chefs to think of doing! But one that is a privelege...that perhaps only independent chef/owners can make. Reputation is vital, and if one can do this and keep customers and maintain reputation, well! A nice thing, yes....yes, indeed-y!

But many chefs do not have this option. I can think of two circumstances immediately, in particular. In catering or in personal cheff'ing or as a private chef, the client has placed an order that you as chef have agreed to comply to.

In catering or personal cheff'ing, if you say "I won't do this"...it is likely that someone else will get the job. Lots of catering businesses can not afford to turn down almost any job that pays what they ask...competition is too great.

As a Personal Chef, the same situation applies. Even moreso as a Private Chef, for then you are being paid to cater specifically to the client's desires.

The largest chunk of time in my own career was spent working with the situation of feeding (initially as working chef then executive chef) then caring for (as in front-of-house management and finally overall operations) a group of extremely wealthy, powerful people that used their time over the dining table to do billion-dollar deals daily.

The mission of the investment bank I worked for was to provide top-quality creative solutions in a heartbeat to their clients. Therefore it was my mission also. Anything that could or would make the guests happy was aimed for, within reason and sometimes without reason...for people do like to play power games.

It takes a lot of getting used to providing this type of service. You run, you stretch yourself in ways emotional and intellectual, to make the experience of the guest not only 'good' but stellar and also personally warming in some way.

Lest the thought come to mind that this is an exclusive situation and that therefore this way of doing things is only applicable to the money and power crowd, I find I must beg to disagree.

There are two ways (at least) of looking at the act of putting food on the table for someone. Neither is right nor wrong in my opinion.

The first is food-centered, kitchen-centered, chef-centered. The food stands above all, the chef's creative abilities, technical skills and talents stand above all...and anyone who doesn't like it can go elsewhere.

The second is people-centered....it is about making the person dining, in any way possible, extremely pleased, happy, content, and cared for. It is a closely focused service that requires study and care of who is at table, and respect for that person's wishes no matter how they may vary from one's own ideas and tastes.

This can be done at home even in the most reduced of circumstances as well as it can be done with a huge budget and staff.

My personal philosophy is that food is a way of caring for people...a small bit of kindness, respect, or love that can be done on a daily basis...so my own way leans towards the second way.

Sorry to go on so...I love this question and am deeply fascinated by the psychology and philosophies of everything surrounding the ways we eat and feed others.

P.S. As I posted this I realized the subject had moved from specifically pastry to a more general discussion of cooking...it is true that many pastry chefs can not re-do whatever it is they have made without ruining it, even if they wanted to...so some of this discussion would not 'work' for their situations...

Edited September 16, 2004 by Carrot Top (log)

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks to Carrot Top and chromedome for their responses!