As many cookbooks may reside on my creaky bedside bookcase and kitchen shelf, I rarely use recipes when I cook. Baking, of course, requires precise measurements and more well-defined guidelines, but cooking is an entirely different craft. A pinch of this, a dash of that, cook until it looks right, and you’ll get the best results, I promise you. It takes time to hone one’s skill, to learn what it takes to get to the perfect stage of doneness, whatever that might be; Practice really does make perfect, as they say.
The ingredients themselves are also up for interpretation, more dependent on what’s in the fridge than what’s written in some text. If I can get my hands on it, that’s what’s for dinner. Special occasions may get more planning, a specific component sought out complete a dish, but no way am I going to plunk down more cash for wild ramps when I’ve got perfectly good leeks in the fridge. No, they aren’t the same thing, but that’s where you start getting creative and forge into new territory, and conceive entirely new flavorful combinations.
And thus, some of the best meals are made while cleaning out the vegetable crisper. Or, in the case of mixed drinks, the fruit bin.
I’ll be the first to tell you that I don’t drink. Not even a little bit. Not at all. But I can truly appreciate the ingenuity in creating a decent glass of sangria, a compilation of pretty much any fruit around, plus red wine and possibly another more potent spirit or two (or more.) If I did drink, I would definitely want to celebrate the close of another long, hot, and tiring week, and knock back a glass or two of this anything-goes sort of beverage. Especially if it were to involve ripe summer berries and zesty citrus… Sort of like this, maybe- And of course, those fruits are definitely up for debate, depending on what’s around. But since I don’t drink, I can’t say for sure. …I just thought that someone looking to celebrate the arrival of the weekend might be interested. Happy [hour] Friday!
I agree – I love meals that involve cleaning out the fridge. Necessity is the mother of invention, after all, and some of my best dishes come out of the most unlikely combination.
I don’t drink at all either, but I do love ‘fancy’ fruit drinks! This photo is stunning, such beautiful, pop off the screen colours!
The only drinking I do is what gets thrown into my cooking but if I did drink I’d definitely want to be drinking this! It looks and sounds incredible!
I know about cleaning up the fridge! :)
I do not drink anymore, and I prefer different mixture of fruit juices… :)
It’s been over 100 degrees in Austin every day for as long as I can remember… that looks pretty divine!
I love throwing random things together to create something delicious! Helps me get rid of my leftovers AND be creative!
totally agree wioth you on that issue! ;)
The anything goes aspect of cooking is the most fun part. :-) The precise measurements of baking is probably why I’ll never be a very good baker. :-(
i do love my sangria!!! but i dont drink that often, so i rarely get to enjoy it. it makes me sick the next day, so i try to avoid it at all costs!!!
i have to use recipes, if i throw caution to the wind i think we would die of food poisoning ;)
Gorgeous photo — this would be a great addition to our pool :)
p.s. I was just going to log back in to Flickr and tell you about Taste Spotting! I see you’re all over it.
I love the ostrich! I just realized that your cookbook is on it’s way to me to review on my blog! How cool. Can’t wait. As the mother of 6 children there is always a need for something sweet. My 16 year old daughter is looking forward to trying as many recipes as she can- she looks to cook the sweet stuff.
I need to try and cook more without recipes but it still scares me a bit! This glass of fresh fruit juice looks delicious.
Sangria is wonderful! I’ll drink it for you! :P