The first time has charm. It is not necessarily the charm. The idea exists and this first attempt tells us if it is worth pursuing. Then the concept needs to be explored, tested, stretched. The first time often brings us frustratingly close to the ideal. We can imagine that we've nailed it. A little time to digest lets us step back and evaluate a little more deeply. That moment when discovery and creativity ignite and explode has faded. It is at this point where we dig in and begin to make adjustments. Little tweaks. Sweeping changes. Keeping the initial idea as a touchstone but not as a road map. It sometimes seems the closer we are in the first attempt, the longer it takes to perfect. Recipe development, like writing, requires a process. It's easy to toss something off and run with it. It may even be very good, but, you'll always wonder if you could have done better because you know you didn't quite give it your all.
Years Past
November 6, 2010
