I don’t want to admit this, but since Molly Wizenberg of Orangette can spill the beans, so can I. There are recipes that fail miserably, be it oversight on my part or a poorly written recipe. For a foodie, it’s disheartening and often the source of anger, resentment and what I’d like to diagnose as “pad thai depression” (PTD). It happened Monday night. I was giddy to try a new recipe for pad thai that I pulled out from one of my favorite food magazines. It smelled good, it looked good, and all was right with the world until I took a bite. Overpowered by sriricha sauce, my pad thai was ruined (in my book) and I sunk into some serious PTD. Like an artist disappointed with a ruined canvas, I too, take it personally when something doesn’t turn out perfectly. Classic type “A” personality, yes, but also neurotic and passionate about the kitchen? Most definitely, especially after a weekend of successful cooking!
I was too distraught to post about the PTD, but I saved the best for last. Last Friday, I made chile rellanos. Chile rellanos are one of my all-time favorite Mexican dishes and I’ve always “oohed” and “aahed” over how the mechanic’s of this delicious treat, until now. Time consuming? Yes, yes, and yes. Not only did it test my culinary skills, but also required some last minute creativity. The effort paid off as you can see.
