With the popularity of cookbooks and the proliferation of food shows, it is no wonder that we have become obsessed with cooking as a means to elevate our dining-in nights. Long ago, several decades ago, in fact, people routinely cooked and invited others over for dinner. The idea of dinner clubs was common with households taking turns as hosts. Maybe we saw a little of that resurgence last year, and what may have started as an emerging trend has become reality for more diners.

Grocers have helped make the concept easier with their ability to do some of the heavy lifting. A great meal can be assembled by adding to our own efforts with a purchased, chef-driven grocery item. Together we can work to turn an ordinary meal into a more festive one.

When we do cook, how do we find the right recipe? Even with the continuing sales of cookbooks, we turn to the Internet with the simple question and the speedy Google response turns the query a quick step closer to reality. Do we accept every word from a printed recipe from a well-known chef, or from a recipe website? Or, do we read, interpret, and adjust? I think the latter is the more common method. We read the recipe, think about the ingredients, look into our cupboards, and create our own personal stamp on a recipe. After all what is a pinch of salt? What kind of salt?

I doubt when we follow a recipe word-for-word that it comes out identical each time. There are too many variants. Our mood plays a significant role as the hurried, harassed cook makes a different lasagna than the person who approaches the dish with time on his hands and love in his heart!

No matter how many recipe guides, cookbooks, we own or how easy it is to view a cooking show or access an online recipe, WE make the recipe. We input our cooking knowledge and our memories into the soul of the item. We have an image in mind of what it should look like and how it should taste.

Things don’t always work out the way we plan.

Happens in demo kitchens, too.

Keep on tweaking.