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Don’t be that person: please follow the recipe when you bake

I enjoy cooking. And I’m very lazy.

If you’re anything like me, you likely ignore the cookbook and spin up dishes using your “gut” to guide you. “That’s probably a cup of broth.” “There’s no basil, but oregano will do.” “Are tomatoes really necessary.” Regardless, it usually works out...usually.

It seems there are many cooks who rely on their “culinary intuition” for a delectable dinner. Manga artist UsagiNoMimiChan (@usagitoseino) is seemingly one such chef. The illustrator recently tweeted a piece about learning to bake during the pandemic. According to a friend’s counsel, it seems her wayward habits will not cut it when it comes to making confections. See the translations below the manga tweet.

Frame 1:

(Find me on LINE); When I first started working from home, I thought I’d use the extra time around the house and learn how to bake.”; “People like me who never follow the recipe often have a hard time learning how to bake, especially in the beginning.”; “Oh, really?”; (she bakes in her free time)

Frame 2:

“For example, how much and what kind of seasoning do you usually add?”; (2 tablespoons of soy sauce); (1 teaspoon of soup stock); (using my intuition to answer)

Frame 3:

“How long do you bake dishes for?”; (20 minutes in the oven); (using my intuition to answer)

Frame 4:

“Please, PLEASE follow the recipe when you bake”; “I’ll just guestimate how much baking powder, et cetra to add.”; “FOLLOW THE RECIPE!”

That seems like a firm ‘no’ to me. She’ll actually have to buy a cookbook.

Online readers reacted:

  • “There’s a lot of chemistry involved when making bread or confections. If you mess up the balance of ingredients just a little you can ruin it.”
  • “If you’re used to measuring ingredients by eye when you cook you’re likely to mess up the amount of sugar at some point.”
  • “I agree. I rarely measure anything when I cook. But I’ve messed up jellies every time I’ve tried to make them.”

You can find more manga by UsagiNoMimiChan on her Twitter. She also has books available on Amazon.

By - Luke Mahoney.

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