Something to learn even from failure

I am making a habit of cooking something different every weekend now. A hobby that I have come to enjoy and love. There are times when I failed miserably and have to admit complete defeat, then there are times when the failure actually creates a result completely unexpected. It is this unknown that drove me into experimenting with food in the first place. The fact that every recipe will come out differently when a different person makes it is amazing.

Even that complete failure gave me insight in making something new, just as this week’s baking failure has given me a completely different bread than I originally planned. My failure at making Secret dish #3: Focaccia bread because I did not let the dough rise a second time resulted in a type of bread that is crispy on the outside yet has a firm and spongy texture on the inside. That failure, along with greasing the pan with too much oil created a “semi-roasting” condition which is the cause of the crispy outside.

Baking is so much harder to control than normal cooking and it has proven to be a an intricate world that stimulates my mind indefinitely. A field that enlightens and calms my mind. I feel at peace with my Zen while I am cooking. My back doesn’t get as sore as it used to, my movements has gotten more efficients so I don’t spend more energy making the meal than the meal gave back. I’ve also moved low enough in the food chain that I started using fresh ingredients. Going fresh is more healthy and reduces the cost considerably (Although I am still guilty when I am going all out on making an expensive dish.)