Zoe Guttenplan [better] Today

What came out wasn't pretty. It was lopsided, leaky, and the edges were charcoal in some spots and pale in others. But when I cut into it? The butter had pooled in the crevices. The zucchini had caramelized into jammy ribbons. It was devastatingly delicious. That galette taught me that precision is a tool, not a god.

In the test kitchen, precision is everything. You need replicable results. But at your dining table? You need joy. zoe guttenplan

I want you to feel powerful in your kitchen, not intimidated by it. If you only take one thing from this post, let it be this: What came out wasn't pretty

How could I create recipes for a living if my own stove was lying to me? I remember the exact moment I let go. I was making a simple summer squash galette. The recipe (one I had written myself) called for a "flaky, laminated-esque dough." But my kitchen was 85 degrees. The butter melted into the flour before I could even roll it out. The dough tore. The zucchini wept. The butter had pooled in the crevices