Il buon parmigiano
“Non cooks think it’s silly to invest two hours’ work in two minutes of enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet.” (Julia Child)
At one end of the spectrum there are tight painters and tight cooks who follow a recipe almost word by word with a sense of duty. Then, there are cooks who hardly ever do and who like to invent their own recipes. Those cooks are not afraid to take risks. And, as they become more experienced, they are likely to start blending a variety of flavors borrowed from diverse cultures into new, exciting mélanges.
The tight cooks have mastered some dishes to perfection. They do not like it when surprises take them off guard. Improvisation is not easy for them. They are disciplined and neat. Their kitchens are germ free and resemble a laboratory where everything is organized with purpose. They have a utensil for every task and invest in professional cookware. The tight cooks have a large collection of cookbooks which they keep in thematic order. They take notes and keep records. Their meals are always a success but their repertoire tends to be limited.
The loose cooks like to cook to music. Their kitchens are inviting and resemble a general country store. They too have a formidable collection of pots, pans and gadgets which they have acquired as much for their style as for their utility. They have an impressive collection of cookbooks which they consult regularly, but hardly ever follow any one recipe. Whether their meals are simple or elaborate, they are impressive in both taste and presentation. Of course for these cooks the outcome is less predictable and they do fail on rare occasions.
These statements are for sure overly generalized, but perhaps they also contain some food for thought about both the process of painting and cooking.