The Renegade Writer Blog

This is one of the most common questions I get from writers. Developing a recipe is not just about taste but about observation and really understanding ingredients. It is about being curious - thinking like a child is critical. What happens if I mix cheese with rosemary and then try to saute it with pancetta? I recently found a company selling flowers in syrup that are meant to be served in a champagne flute filled with champagne.. very imaginative!

My practical advice is always this — go to the grocery stores, go to gourmet stores, go to Costo, go to World Market (did you know they have a great food section?), and see what they are serving in the deli section, specialty section etc. Pick up samples, taste and try to see what you like or don’t like. What speaks to you? Use that as a baseline and see what you can add to it to build up or sometimes, what can you take away from the dish to make it just perfect.

One important note is that you shouldn’t always select flavors you love. You may love cilantro but many think it tastes like soap (I am not one of them!). Select ingredients you don’t normally like or use and let them guide you and open up your horizons. Recently I began to experiment with a rose syrup that I thought was too sweet. But I paired it with vodka and came up with a fantastic granita recipe - just right for summer.

Recipe development is the most fun part of food writing so be open and have fun.

You can get a lot more on recipe development in my class on food writing starting September 8th. Join us, we still have a couple of spots left! [Monica Bhide]

Have a question for one of our instructors? Mail it to questions [at] therenegadewriter [dot] com.

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