But what is failure? There's no such thing as a perfect plate. The day you think you've reached perfection, you should probably quit while you're ahead. Perfection is something I (and most cooks, I'm sure) strive for each and every time I fire up the burner and start cooking. So does that mean that failure is a lack of perfection? Is failure something that occurs between the outset of cooking and the end of the dish, only to find that it didn't quite come out the way you wanted? Maybe you oversalted. Maybe you under or (god forbid) overcooked that steak. Maybe you had this ideal tucked away in your mind, this vision of what you wanted as the end result and you didn't quite reach it.
Step back. Breathe.
Now, what have you learned? What would you, could you, and absolutely should you do differently next time? Learn. Cooking is an ever-evolving process. At least, it should be. Let's face it (and this has been said before), we're not curing cancer. It's only food. Besides, there's already a cure for cancer, and it's Chuck Norris' tears. The problem is that Chuck Norris never cries. And neither should you. No crying in the kitchen. No temper tantrums, well, not over the food. Other cooks, yeah, they get under your skin. But you're the only one responsible for your cooking. And for your behavior before, during, and after.
So, rather than feel pushed down or upset or angry or flat-out pissed off about a result that you hadn't anticipated, try learning from it. Maybe being disappointed isn't always a bad thing. It makes you a better cook in the long run, right?
notes:
- "boneless" short ribs don't quite turn out right. more connective tissue = more collagen = more delicious
- calphalon makes a tri-ply stainless steel that is every bit as good as all-clad, but with more comfortable handles
- men don't cry. only women cry. men WEEP! (just not in the kitchen)
- did I mention more bones = more collagen = more delicious?
- 6 hour lamb belly confit is my new hero
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