Miss Manners: i have no recipe to give

[minoanmiss]

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Cooking is one of my passions, and I love to share my food with others. And while I love positive feedback, I am sometimes taken aback by the automatic request for a recipe as soon as someone compliments something I've made.

Unfortunately, I do not use recipes. I am an intuitive cook, who many times throws things together. I have explained several times to these people that I do not use recipes, but continue to get asked.

I am not a curmudgeon, and not trying to keep my creations' ingredients secret; I just don't have the time, energy or memory to remember everything that went into a dish. What would be a good response to the constant, "This is delicious. Recipe, please!"?

GENTLE READER: "I made it up and don't have one. But I'm flattered that you liked it so much. You'll just have to come over again and I'll try to re-create it."

Comments

[magid]

Thank you!

If I didn't, I'd waste a lot. As it is, I'm already behind on all the greens, and I have another pickup this afternoon....

I did have a new idea for the already-dying salad greens from two weeks ago that I hadn't gotten to in time: put them as green mulch on some of the potted plants I have on the porch, specifically the ones with dirt showing, so they can subside into dirt over time, and protect the surface in the meantime. I'm hoping this will get me to figure out better solutions before they get to this point again.

[minoanmiss]

That sounds like a good idea. The plants will need all the help with the temperature rising.