Learn more from mistakes

brianwdmn

I've come to the continued realization that I learn more from my mistakes than my successes. The most recent mistake was with macaroni and cheese. I make it from scratch with 2 parts Colby cheddar to one part Sharp. Starting with a bechamel with fat, flour, mustard, red pepper, and minced garlic, and building to a mornay with the cheese I was ready to bake my creation on the egg with some apple wood for smoke flavor. My mistake was two fold, first using a new charcoal and second not waiting long enough until all the VOC's burned off. What I produced tasted and smelled of the acrid chemicals instead of the mild cheese and the light smoke flavor I wanted. The lesson for me is to be more patient and wait until the Egg is ready. I just wanted to share this revelation in case it resonates with others.

Charlie tuna

Cheese has a funny way of being overpowered by smoke at times.  Thanks for sharing - mark that in the memory log!!

Foghorn

Yes. Thank you for sharing.

If I ever mess up a cook I'll be sure to post it here so others can learn from it.

lousubcap

Thanks for the reinforced mantra-and you are quite right about "where you learn".

wbradking

New egger here and I agree....lots of posts about cooks gone right but you learn from the cooks gone wrong.  I'm still figuring out the timing of the VOC's myself.  I'm sure the pasta soaked 'em right up.  Other than that the mac 'n cheese recipe sounds awesome.