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Recipe rant

This is not a macaron Donna

I did something yesterday that I'm not very proud of.

I ranted on Twitter and Facebook about a bad recipe experience and named and shamed the culprit.

This morning I felt a little ashamed for my lack of manners.  But then I got some feedback from friends and fans that they too had had a bad experience with the recipe and agreed it wasn't up to scratch.

If the situation were reversed, I'd be mortified.  But then again, I'm a little voice in the blogging net-osphere. The magazine/author I targeted is a household name with 10+ years standing.

I guess what really gets my goat is that the magazine blatantly promotes the fact that they test and retest the recipes to make sure that they're perfect.

I followed the recipe to the letter and even I could see that the wheels were coming off early in the piece.  But I was following their recipe and I persevered. In the end I ended up with flat, grainy meringues, not beautiful macarons.

I am a reasonably good baker and I can apply my understanding of baking principles to iron out obvious errors in a recipe.  But for most people picking up a magazine and being seduced by the beautiful photos, they follow the recipe verbatim - and on this basis, the recipe should deliver the promise of the photo.

I'm disappointed for me because I hate wasting ingredients on a bad recipe.

I'm disappointed for my girlfriends who will be eating grainy coffee meringues this afternoon instead of di-licious macarons.

And finally, I'm disappointed for everyone who tried the recipe and wondered what they did wrong.

It wasn't you.

Here end-iths the rant.


Comments

Domesblissity said…
Don't even get me started on that particular person Di. I think they are completely overrated as a cook/baker. Maybe ok on the styling front and yes, I've bought the occasional magazine but, like you, would know if the recipe wasn't going to work but would continue because you'd think they knew what they were doing. (Here's me talking! Remember the Choc Peppermint Slice and I left out the butter? OH NO!) I love the CWA recipe books where they list the ingredients, say 'combine ingredients', basically bung it in the oven and take it out. They expect that anyone with their cookbook would know what they were doing.

You were right in way you said on FB and Twitter.

Anne xx
Friday, 28 October, 2011
Unknown said…
Thanks Anne. Perhaps we could sum it up simply as Style over Substance?
Friday, 28 October, 2011
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said…
Oh what a shame! I experienced some issues with a Martha S recipe for macarons. It was so frustrating! :(
Saturday, 29 October, 2011
Domesblissity said…
Di, the chia didn't add any real taste to the muffins. If anything, added a slight nutty taste. The chia seeds form a gel when water is added. I thought it was great. Bit of healthy goodness added to a basic recipe. Everyone loved them. (By the way, I'd love for my daughter to have the table if and when she moves out, which could be sooner rather than later if she keeps up the moody behaviour! LOL)

Anne xx
Sunday, 30 October, 2011
Laura @ Twenty5seven said…
I've heard problem after problem with this persons recipes and packet mixes. So don't feel bad, you're just one tiny voice... it's the fact that it's echoed by hundreds of others that they should be worried about!
Tuesday, 08 November, 2011
Unknown said…
@Laura - Funny you should mention the packet mixes. My friend tried out the macaron mix and it was terrible. It really gets my goat!
Wednesday, 09 November, 2011
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