A cook’s lesson: Never apologize

I hope this comes at no surprise, but not every meal in our house is “blog-worthy.” Be that as it may they are usually healthy, filling, and tasty. This one was embarrassing…

I had a brilliant idea for a hearty pasta meal and it flopped, completely and utterly. The plan was to combine some spaghetti squash with cooked whole wheat linguini. The combination of noodles would be folded into a light and creamy carbonara sauce adorned with flaked smoked salmon. Sounds good right? I know I was looking forward to the first creamy bites! Except somewhere between concept and delivery, the execution turned ugly.

The first red flag was the salmon — this is also the most embarrassing part. I ruined a beautiful small piece of home-smoked salmon. I thought we needed more protein, so I picked up a can of Wild Sockeye to mix in. As soon as I popped the lid off the can I remembered why I don’t use canned salmon. It’s not the extra-fishy smell or the soft texture that puts me off, it’s the bones. Small pin bones and bits of spine stay with the meat in the canning process. They turn soft enough to be eaten but still crunch between your teeth. Crunchy salmon makes me queasy. I got to work picking all the bones I could see out of the mushy pink fish but I couldn’t get them all.

I hoped the rich creamy sauce would make up for the unappealing protein; it didn’t. I had a recipe but, true to form, didn’t follow it exactly. I am sure the water I used to temper the eggs was not hot enough; they didn’t exactly scramble but they didn’t thicken the sauce either. I also used a different cheese, which got a little lumpy. The sauce turned out watery and an unappetizing pink color.

When I finally put the finished dish on the table I couldn’t even be bothered to clear away the random toys or take the salad out of the plastic box. Classy!

Later that same night, I picked up my current Edible Books book club read, Julia Child’s My Life in France. In chapter 2, section II, she tells the story of serving her friend “the most vile eggs Florentine one could imagine.” She says, “I made sure not to apologize for it. This was a rule of mine.”

“I don’t believe in twisting yourself into knots of excuses and explanations over the food you make. When one’s hostess starts in with self-deprecations such as “Oh, I don’t know how to cook…,” or “Poor little me…,” or “This may taste awful…,” it is so dreadful to have to reassure her that everything is delicious and fine, whether it is or not. Besides, such admissions only draw attention to one’s shortcomings (or self-perceived shortcomings), and make the other person think, “Yes, you’re right, this really is an awful meal!” Maybe the cat has fallen into the stew, or the lettuce has frozen, or the cake has collapsed — eh bien, tant pis! Usually one’s cooking is better than one thinks it is. And if the food is truly vile, as my ersatz eggs Florentine surely were, then the cook must simply grit her teeth and bear it with a smile — and learn from her mistakes.”

At dinner I knew the meal was not great. It was edible but no one considered a second helping. Scooping the remains into a leftover container did not fill me with excitement. I did not realize at the time I was following Julia Child’s wisdom, but I did not apologize, and boy-oh-boy did I learn a few lessons.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.