My Culinary Confessions

While wandering around the Internet, I came across an old post on David Lebovitz's blog in which he spills all his culinary confessions. I think it was a meme for a bit a few years ago so I apologize for being late to the party, but I thought it might be fun to share a few of my own kitchen secrets. I'd also love to hear yours  so please feel free to add to the list in the comments section.

Culinary Confessions

I always eat the first (ugly) pancake while standing at the stove making the rest of the batch.

I rarely sift my dry ingredients (even though I often tell you to sift!)

I scoop my flour directly out of the bag even though I know I'm supposed to spoon it into the measuring cup.

My refrigerator door is overflowing with jars of jams, things I've pickled, and condiments.

I go through 12-18 large eggs a week.

I sometimes buy scrambled eggs at work in addition to the ones at home.

I chop onions daily, but they still make me cry like a baby each time.

I preserved some Meyer Lemons last year and haven't used them yet because I'm a little bit scared that I did it wrong.

I bring expensive Greek yogurt to work a few times a week and let it get sour and watery on my desk before I get around to eating it.

I like my steak and fish cooked well done, but burgers I’ll eat medium.

I use too much salt. In culinary school I always lost points on my dishes for over-salting. But I actually like it that way.

I drink close to a gallon of water a day; probably to wash out all the salt.

I don’t like chicken noodle soup, sashimi, edamame, minestrone, most curries, Thai food, pumpkin pie, cheesecake, filet mignon, white chocolate on its own, bottled fruit juice, tomatoes in salad (except Caprese), roast beef, or anything tartare.

I don't like when chicken tastes too "chicken-y."

I don’t always brush all the dirt off my mushrooms when I’m using them in stews and sautes. I tell myself it adds a bit of flavor.

I don’t always wash my berries before eating them, unless I’m serving them to someone else.

I get irritated when waiters start clearing plates while someone is still eating. It's a quirk I picked up from a guy I used to date who would get incredibly annoyed by it, and would hang on to his empty plate for dear life until I finished mine.

I prefer raw cookie dough to baked chocolate chip cookies.

I use the phrase “I can make that” at least once a day in reference to something edible seen on television, a magazine, a menu, or a store.

And then I usually do make it.

I crave Big Macs and McDonald’s French Fries, but it’s been two years since I’ve had either.

I love mayonnaise. Especially with, on, and in eggs.

I also really love candy. Pretty much all kinds, fancy or expensive, except for licorice things. At the store I always wander into the candy aisle and stare at the options for several minutes, but I rarely buy anything.

Except Cadbury Cream Eggs. I always buy those.

And then I sit and Google ways to make them from scratch at home.

I hate licorice.

But I like Sambuca.

And Amaretto makes me dizzy-happy.

My risotto is perfect, but my regular rice is almost ALWAYS mushy.

Fortunately I don’t really like rice.

Except in paella or pudding.

I only like duck in pate form.

After hearing my coworkers complain about the alleged aftertaste of Splenda one-too-many times, I baked a decadent flourless chocolate torte using only Splenda and smiled inwardly when they raved and polished it off completely unaware that it wasn’t made with sugar.

I go to the grocery store every couple days, in addition to a big Fresh Direct delivery. I also stop at the Asian market, the farmer’s market, and Williams Sonoma for additional “staples.”

I prefer grocery shopping to all other kinds of shopping, and when I’m sad or feeling a bit down, I find walking into a grocery store is the quickest way to make myself feel better.

I love veal, fois gras, and pork without guilt.

I don't like buttercream frosting. It's too sweet and too buttery.

This despite the fact that I. Love. Butter.

I do like canned frosting (or the memory of it as it’s been years since I’ve had any).

Anytime I eat out I can’t help but think about how I’d recreate the recipe at home, certain that my version would be better.

I think that pine nuts, when eaten on their own, have a flavor very similar to smoky bacon or prosciutto.

I much prefer imported oil-packed tuna, but my heart hurts a little bit when I have to pay ~10 dollars for a single jar.

I peak in the oven several times while baking. It’s yet to cause a disaster.

As much as I love to cook, there are some nights when all I want is an order of Chinese lo mein noodles from the takeout place next door. (And eaten straight from the carton!)