BRANCHING OUT

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Based on that saying, a lot of people are afraid from even borrowing ideas from others and add their own twists. I see nothing wrong with borrowing ideas from other cooks and applying my own additions and takeaways.

When I started taking my cooking more seriously in 2014, I solely relied on the recipes of others to try myself. The more I did this, the more I became accustomed the flavors of the ingredients I was using, especially ingredients that I had never tried before and fell in love with.

As my palette expanded, I would make a dish that I found online or in cookbooks and afterwards ask myself, “What if?”

What if I took Chef Monir Mohammed’s Butter Chicken recipe and replace the chicken with cauliflower and broccoli to make a vegetarian alternative? So I did, and just like the Butter Chicken, the “Butter Vegetables” turned out great.

After my second attempt at Skittle Doodle Fudge was a success, I thought of using the same basic method but featuring a different featured ingredient. That led to Oreo Fudge, Mint Chocolate Fudge with M&M’s and Chocolate Peanut Butter fudge with Reese’s Pieces.

As more time went on and I became more familiar with how certain ingredients and spices taste and cook, I began coming up with my own dishes from scratch. I will sometimes come up with a possible idea and search the internet to see if it has been done before and will find nothing. In those cases, you can quit before starting or you can go with your gut.

It might not always turn out like you thought it would (Froot Loops & Grape Juice!), but you never know unless you try. Even if you are sketchy about an idea, there is always the option of doing a test on a smaller dish and using the same ingredients. You can easily turn a basic macaroni and cheese into a Greek or Indian version by trading out some spices and swapping one cheese for another.

A main ingredient is a mannequin. Don’t be afraid to dress it up however you please.