Can we talk about the moment you realized you were overcomplicating a basic technique?

I was making a bechamel for a gratin in my first head chef job in Austin, and a new dishwasher, who had cooked in a diner for 20 years, just said 'you're stirring it too much, you're making it gluey,' and he was absolutely RIGHT.

3 comments

3 Comments

williamm8212d ago

Tbh my grandma taught me the same thing with scrambled eggs.

williamm8213d ago

That feeling hits hard in the kitchen. For me, it was trying to make the perfect omelet for years, always fiddling with the heat and pan. A friend watched me struggle once and just said, "Stop poking it. Let it sit." Turns out I was breaking the seal and making a mess. Letting it cook undisturbed for a minute made a huge difference. Sometimes you just need to get out of your own way.

dakota_burns8313d ago

Oh man, that's so true about the omelet. But honestly, a minute might not be long enough for a good seal. I wait until the top looks mostly set, no runny bits, which takes a bit longer. That patience is the real secret to not having it fall apart.