How much do you trust recipes?
Discussion
Never been a fan of new recipes- tend to stick with my old practical cookery for the basics, and use recipes if I see something on TV or in a mag
However after several confusing disasters, that should have looked wonderful like in the picture!
It makes me wonder how much to trust modern recipes
We made cheese straws the other day, lacking with the old fashioned recipe we downloaded one off the net- well they looked like yellow diarrhoea after 5 minutes in the oven, when comparing it with the old recipe, it was double cheese and butter than the trusted one.... so how could this new recipe ever have worked!!
However after several confusing disasters, that should have looked wonderful like in the picture!
It makes me wonder how much to trust modern recipes
We made cheese straws the other day, lacking with the old fashioned recipe we downloaded one off the net- well they looked like yellow diarrhoea after 5 minutes in the oven, when comparing it with the old recipe, it was double cheese and butter than the trusted one.... so how could this new recipe ever have worked!!
Depends on where they're from, the internet has so many recipe sites and some of them seem dreadful. Delia online and waitrose I'm happy to follow to the letter first time then tweak to taste if necessary, otherwise I treat all recipes with caution and sometimes I'm just baffled.
I tried this http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/pork-an... the other day and it was horrible.
I tried this http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/pork-an... the other day and it was horrible.
Savoury recipes are a guide IMO and I'll cheerfully tweak them depending on taste and what's in the cupboard. I don't do enough baking to be confident of pissing about or spotting errors in internet recipes so I tend to use books where I know other recipes have worked.
That or the proof-reader doesn't know one end of a spoon from the other.
Mobile Chicane said:
I've had wierd results from the odd celeb chef recipe, or else I've changed the method because I know what 'they' have written is wrong.
It does make you wonder whether they've ever actually cooked the dish themselves.
It does make you wonder whether they've ever actually cooked the dish themselves.
That or the proof-reader doesn't know one end of a spoon from the other.My hate for recipes does not come across very well in the OP does it?
Think I have memorised the contents of my trusted recipe book from years ago so rarely have to use them
The only thing I have to keep looking up is crumble mix and tempura batter (doesn't sink in)
I am just so disappointed with results using recipes off the net- usually BBC food.
Waitrose cards are good- however I try not to shop in Waitrose so you end up substituting their waitrose products with your own cupboard essentials, and making amends on the recipes.
The reason I started this thread was on another thread on here, can't find it now, someone asked for a stock recipe
I never even knew stock had a recipe? I suppose it does if you have never made it before
And soup recipes, don't you just bung in what you want in it at the right time, whizz and serve?
Maybe I am just taking too many short cuts
Think I have memorised the contents of my trusted recipe book from years ago so rarely have to use them
The only thing I have to keep looking up is crumble mix and tempura batter (doesn't sink in)
I am just so disappointed with results using recipes off the net- usually BBC food.
Waitrose cards are good- however I try not to shop in Waitrose so you end up substituting their waitrose products with your own cupboard essentials, and making amends on the recipes.
The reason I started this thread was on another thread on here, can't find it now, someone asked for a stock recipe
I never even knew stock had a recipe? I suppose it does if you have never made it before
And soup recipes, don't you just bung in what you want in it at the right time, whizz and serve?
Maybe I am just taking too many short cuts
Plotloss said:
Always treat them as guides.
Slavishly following them is teaching you nothing.
Slavishly following them is teaching you nothing.
Albeit until you've tried something (speaking as an amateur), you don't know if it works or not.
The Gordon Ramsay ones from the F-word website are better than most (in being user-friendly, albeit he tends to under-cook meat slightly for the average palate), as is the Good Housekeeping book. Good Food magazine is terrible...pretty much every recipe I've tried from there has needed some serious 'rescuing'!
Herbie58 said:
littlegreenfairy said:
Be-ro and the old Good Housekeeping are the way to go.
My mum has an old Be-Ro cake book - it must be about 20 years old but it is the best cake cook book Ive ever come across. Sadly I can't pinch it as it would be noticed immediately!! 
It's not that different. If there is a particular recipe you want (my copy is a 1950's one..) then I'll happily scan it for you if it isn't in the new one.
Or have a look here:
http://www.be-ro.com/f_insp.htm
littlegreenfairy said:
Herbie58 said:
littlegreenfairy said:
Be-ro and the old Good Housekeeping are the way to go.
My mum has an old Be-Ro cake book - it must be about 20 years old but it is the best cake cook book Ive ever come across. Sadly I can't pinch it as it would be noticed immediately!! It's not that different. If there is a particular recipe you want (my copy is a 1950's one..) then I'll happily scan it for you if it isn't in the new one.
Or have a look here:
http://www.be-ro.com/f_insp.htm
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