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I'm in such agreement with you Juan, on the subject of cooking. I'm by no means either a chef or a gourmet chef, but I took an early interest in cooking (unlike sewing), and I've learned some lessons that apply to life as much as they do on how to prepare a good meal. You need to have the desire to be a good host or hostess. A cook who cares nothing about the tastes of his or her guests is no chef, no matter how well they can follow a recipe. I know somebody like this who is always trying to impress people, rather than trying to please them--there is a big difference, and I think you could probably apply it as a principle to any art. The chef should also fix food that he or she would eat, because as you noted, constant tasting is a must in order to find the optimal combination between taste and smell, which work together. Ever tried to cook for somebody who has no sense of smell (as in physical damage)? I have, and their sense of taste is completely deranged--it's so sad to see that. The chef as a taster must learn timing, essential to good chemistry in achieving that bon mot. I subscribe to Gourmet magazine not to copy the recipes but to see what I might try to apply to my own cooking, which is not quite so fancy (I couldn't even begin to afford the ingredients, for one thing), but I do like to try different types of foods, especially Indian cuisine, which is really difficult to prepare!:1devil:
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