Cold shrimp scampi salad
Inspiration comes from everywhere. As a young cook, I HAD to use recipes; if I didn’t, I would become paralyzed by fear of messing up. I felt the same way when I was driving and feared getting lost.
Once, I made a dish, probably more than ten times; I didn’t need the recipe anymore but never deviated from the original.
I made the dish this way for years; then, I began to learn what flavors went with what and started cooking “my” food. It is an ever-evolving process.
I watched the documentary Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, which changed my thoughts about food. I finally understood why some food was spectacular, and others were mediocre at best.
I learned how to balance a dish. I discovered what umami was and why it’s called the fifth sense. I finally learned how to season a dish properly. These things take regular home cooking to the next level and beyond.
Flash forward 20 years, and now I use recipes to inspire or see ingredient ratios. I will still follow a new or tricky recipe until I learn it. In baking, recipes are a must for most people since you can’t wing it.
My inspirations for the summer.
Look, anyone can cook and has to start somewhere. Back in the day, I used Betty Crocker and The Joy of Cooking cookbooks. Today, new cooks have YouTube, online cooking classes, food blogs, and other social media platforms.
Food was always an essential part of my life back then, and I wanted to get better. It took a decade or two before I stopped apologizing for my food and getting embarrassed when people complimented me on my cooking.
I use the food blog Love and Lemons whenever I am looking for new fantastic vegetable mains, sides, or salads. The food and recipes on this blog feel a bit like sunshine to me.
One of my readers asked for the lemon vinaigrette dressing recipe I used on the green beans & scallops salad I made this week. Here is the link to Love and Lemons recipe for Lemon Vinaigrette. I replaced the thyme used in the recipe with tarragon.
I have no affiliation with Love and Lemons, but when I like something, I share it. I’m sure anyone could find at least 3-5 recipes they would like to try; I have mine earmarked.
I hope this post inspires someone and a new food blog to check out. Something I always have on hand? Lemons. 🍋