Thomas Keller, one of my favorite chefs, has a way of thinking about recipes that I just love. He says the first time you use a recipe, do it exactly as written. Follow every direction, every measurement. That way, you taste what the recipe writer or the chef had in mind exactly. Then the next time, you rewrite the recipe in your own words as simply as possible—you’re moving from their language to your language. Once you’ve rewritten the recipe your way, make the dish according to your new recipe. The third time, make it only from memory, and make at
