I find that all recipes vastly underestimate prep and cook time for everything.
Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
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Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#42After looking at the recipes in question, I suspect that some of these writers are merely using the term Caramelized in a loose, informal (or, if you prefer, "technically-incorrect") sense. When what they more-precisely meant is lightly softened, translucent - a state of onionhood used in no shortage of recipes as an intermediary step during the cooking process. The writers are therefore perhaps guilty of casual synt…
You mean "semantic misuse", not syntax misuse, as syntax would misuse something like this be.
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#43Recipe writers routinely lie about how long a recipe takes, too. Most reporting a time requirement much under 30 minutes get there by ignoring how long it takes to process & prep the various ingredients. "15-minute meals" often take 10-15 minutes of prep before you can start them.
The entire recipe-industrial-complex is optimised primarily for convenience. Even a majority of the supposedly reputable cookbook authors are obsessed with “quick and easy” recipes. If you actually want to learn cooking a cuisine, most of the content you find via google or top selling cookbooks is going to be useless and filled with shortcuts and overly simplified ingredients lists. If you’re looking at a recipe that’s quick, easy, or simple, that’s a huge red flag that the recipe is BS. Another one is if it’s a foreign dish and you can somehow find all of the ingredients in your local supermarket.
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#44My theory about cookbooks: They are not designed for cooking or even cooks. Instead, the books are fantasy , to let the reader imagine that they could, will, might cook delicious meals and get praise, affection, love, and approval from their family, friends, and dinner guests. And for the onions, part of the fantasy is how easy the cooking will be -- brown the onions in at most 10 minutes.
The phrase you're looking for is "food porn"
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#45If you add a little baking soda you can dramatically speed up caramelization.
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#46Has anyone here tried the baking soda trick? I've read about it but can't imagine the flavor would be any good
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#47My theory about cookbooks: They are not designed for cooking or even cooks. Instead, the books are fantasy , to let the reader imagine that they could, will, might cook delicious meals and get praise, affection, love, and approval from their family, friends, and dinner guests. And for the onions, part of the fantasy is how easy the cooking will be -- brown the onions in at most 10 minutes.
A good cookbook can be life changing, a bad cookbook can be near worthless (maybe this is true of any type of book). "12 Recipes" is a book a chef wrote for one of his kids to learn to cook and I loved it. Some soft cooking skills or other background information about what was actually important and what can be skipped really helped me learn to cook much better for myself.
I think the problem with some cookbooks is that cooking is a somewhat technical or scientific process. If the author is too technical, they can gloss over details that will trouble a home cook, like how tos for complex techniques that they are familiar with, how long things will take someone with less practice, how much prep / cleanup can add up at home compared with working at scale in a restaurant with dedicated prep cooks and dishwashers, etc. My partner was a professional chef for a catering company and the "recipes" they used internally had almost zero details besides ingredient ratios. I couldn't imagine trying to follow one without asking a ton of questions.
On the other hand, some people aren't technical enough and so they can't properly assess the details or break things down into a strong formula for someone else to replicate. They can be vague about measurements, timing, or technique, so even if you follow what's written your result is pretty far from whatever they had done in their own kitchen.
Then there are the "telephone" recipes that have been stolen back and forth from different blogs or articles without anyone making them and over time they've degraded into something just plain wrong.
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sifting flour is to get the weevils out ;)
You’re right but that flour would have to be out (unsealed) for a while. Boy, weevils!
That strikes me as a fairly modern thing. I imagine that weevils and/or rocks in flour was a common issue just a few generations ago (or, in many countries, to this day).
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#49After looking at the recipes in question, I suspect that some of these writers are merely using the term Caramelized in a loose, informal (or, if you prefer, "technically-incorrect") sense. When what they more-precisely meant is lightly softened, translucent - a state of onionhood used in no shortage of recipes as an intermediary step during the cooking process. The writers are therefore perhaps guilty of casual synt…
I suspect this is correct. I find softened onions preferably for a number of uses. Caramelized onions can be too sweet, and soggy/limp. I've even found that leaving a trace of crunch is better in many cases (eg beef bolognese). But don't listen to me, I've never really figured out the difference between cooked yellow, white, and sweet onions, and just buy whatever is available and has the least mold and soft spots. E…
The best way to learn the importance of using the right onion is by making french onion soup with red onions.
You'll quickly realize that it belongs straight in the trash.