Smoke poured from the frying pan as someone began pounding on my door. I was in my 20s and learning to cook by way of disaster. Inept and absurdly confident, I had zero doubt, having watched a few cooking shows, that I could master any dish. In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies
“Seriously, how hard can it be?” I thought. “Any idiot can follow a recipe.” That night I tackled recado negro, a Mayan paste akin to mole poblano—but way spicier. It seemed easy: Roast chilies till black, then blend with spices and vinegar. Sure, Mérida, Yucatán, had banned cooking the dish within city limits, given that the burning chilies can double as a chemical weapon. “But whatever,” I thought. “I got this.” Now pain seared my eyes; my lungs screamed. I turned off the stove, but the pounding continued. When I opened the door, my Latin American neighbor stood in the threshold, a hand over her nose. The noxious fumes had traveled through the walls into every apartment. Her expression said it all: You asshole.
57 Things Every Guy Needs to Know About Cooking
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I followed a half dozen of my neighbors down the hallway. Outside, I promised I’d never cook again. Any illusion I’d had about becoming the next Anthony Bourdain or Andy Ricker had gone, well, up in smoke. I was the idiot who followed the recipe and still managed to cause a mini-catastrophe. A seasoned cook would have known not to roast the chilies indoors; a seasoned person wouldn’t have thought so highly of himself to even try. When the fumes cleared, I returned to my apartment and, with my hubris in check and a newfound respect for actual chefs, quietly ordered a burrito. This essay is part of our Art of the Fail series.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
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Smoke poured from the frying pan as someone began pounding on my door. I was in my 20s and learning to cook by way of disaster. Inept and absurdly confident, I had zero doubt, having watched a few cooking shows, that I could master any dish.
In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies
“Seriously, how hard can it be?” I thought. “Any idiot can follow a recipe.”
That night I tackled recado negro, a Mayan paste akin to mole poblano—but way spicier. It seemed easy: Roast chilies till black, then blend with spices and vinegar. Sure, Mérida, Yucatán, had banned cooking the dish within city limits, given that the burning chilies can double as a chemical weapon.
“But whatever,” I thought. “I got this.”
Now pain seared my eyes; my lungs screamed. I turned off the stove, but the pounding continued. When I opened the door, my Latin American neighbor stood in the threshold, a hand over her nose. The noxious fumes had traveled through the walls into every apartment. Her expression said it all: You asshole.
57 Things Every Guy Needs to Know About Cooking
Read article
I followed a half dozen of my neighbors down the hallway. Outside, I promised I’d never cook again. Any illusion I’d had about becoming the next Anthony Bourdain or Andy Ricker had gone, well, up in smoke. I was the idiot who followed the recipe and still managed to cause a mini-catastrophe. A seasoned cook would have known not to roast the chilies indoors; a seasoned person wouldn’t have thought so highly of himself to even try. When the fumes cleared, I returned to my apartment and, with my hubris in check and a newfound respect for actual chefs, quietly ordered a burrito.
57 Things Every Guy Needs to Know About Cooking
Read article
57 Things Every Guy Needs to Know About Cooking
This essay is part of our Art of the Fail series.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
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The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
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Uncle Nearest Whiskey Lineup Is Rapidly Expanding
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Highland Park 54 Year Old Is Among Best Scotch Releases of 2023
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Uncle Nearest Whiskey Lineup Is Rapidly Expanding
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Highland Park 54 Year Old Is Among Best Scotch Releases of 2023
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Uncle Nearest Whiskey Lineup Is Rapidly Expanding
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