“Meh!”
Not exactly the ringing endorsement I was hoping for. Having spent hours cooking what I’d hoped would be a tasty pulled pork dish to add to my culinary repertoire this monosyllabic grunt of unqualified indifference was not what I wanted to hear.
Whenever I embark on a kitchen experiment, my family knows that once the forks are in hand they’ve got to be honest. Vote yea or nay. Thumbs up and you’ll get it again, so it’s best not to lie - not even to spare my feelings. Honestly? After spending all that time and effort researching new recipes, gathering the groceries, then wielding the pots and pans, there’s really no kind way to say “Sorry, this sucks.” And yes, when there’s an emphatic “No!” from everyone around the table, I do get a little cranky. But my family knows – from hard-won experience – that it’s really in their best interest to spit out the truth, along with the food.
Few new recipes make the cut around here, though it’s not for lack of trying. Our weekly menus have never been regimented. “Monday means meatballs” has never been my idea of menu planning, although my husband does claim that for a brief time “Perogy Wednesdays” was a thing. While not denying perogies made a frequent appearance during the young kids/hockey/swimming/music lessons phase of our lives, I swear any systemic sustenance scheduling was purely unintentional.
My family members are fairly adventurous eaters, and I enjoy cooking and searching out new recipes, so there have been plenty of experiments. Not all have turned out well. Lured by sumptuous photos illustrating a recipe, I dismiss iffy ingredients and fool myself into thinking that this time, blown away by the exquisite flavour bouquet, my family’s taste buds will fail to detect the presence of those must-never-be-used ingredients.
Admittedly over the years, we’ve scraped a few dishes into the garburator. But my crew's willingness to go along on these culinary adventures has also resulted in an eclectic recipe collection that includes delicious old favourites (Mussels Rockefeller) and new ones (Vietnamese Pork Noodle Soup). Concoctions I held out little hope for (Curried Chicken Salad) got the lip-smacking nod while recipes that sounded so good (Beer-steamed Clams with Chorizo and Tomatoes) ended up in the waste bin along with the leftovers.
Our terrible-to-tasty rating scale has evolved to include an odd category known as “It’d be good as a side”. Not quite a five-fork endorsement, I interpret it as meaning: not suitable as an entire meal but pretty darn good as an appetizer (Sesame-encrusted Tuna with Teriyaki Sauce) or amongst other dishes on a laden table (Potato, Leek and Pancetta Gratin). In other words, a keeper but not an oft repeater.
Despite my family being veterans of the occasional culinary catastrophe - and fully aware that more flops are inevitable - they’re still game to try more edible experiments. Which is great because I know that with all the pulled pork recipes out there, there’s got to be one that’s considerably more tasty than just “Meh!”
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