1. Chose the recipe(s) you’d like to test from the Recipe Testers’ Homepage—or if you’re using the Free Choice Option, search the site for recipes you’d like to make—and print them out. Look them over carefully. Do they make sense? Are they easy to follow? Are there any logic glitches? If you find any, or if there’s something you don’t understand, please email me before you cook—this will save you time and expense.
Scrutinizing a recipe before beginning is a good habit to develop. Too often many home cooks like what a recipe looks like in a magazine or cookbook and jump in, only to discover that there are items mentioned in the directions that weren’t listed the ingredient section. Or they find all the temperatures for a fantastic-looking white-chocolate whisper cake are in Celsius, and the only conversion charts to be had are in their kids’ science books, which just happen to be in the lockers at school.
2. Once you understand the recipe, head for the kitchen. As you cook, keep this list of questions handy (they should look familiar!) to help you write your critique later.
A. Was it easy to find all the ingredients required? If not, what did you substitute?
B. Did you have all the asked-for equipment or did you have to improvise? If you improvised, what did you do?
C. Was the recipe as written a good representation of the cooking/baking process you went through?
D. Was the stated yield correct? If not, what was your yield?
E. Was the cooking | baking time correct? If not, how many minutes, plus or minus, was it off?
F. And everyone’s favorite part: Did you like it? Go for it. This is no time to hold back your praise or your vitriol.
3. Write your critique. Click on the recipe evaluation, and fill it out as thoroughly as possible.
4. About “Testers’ Choice”: For those recipes that you found worked as written, were really great, and you’d make again, it gets a special logo. The logo signifies to readers that the recipe is a not-to-be-missed treat. For those testers who have a particularly compelling and lively review, we’ll add it. Who knows? After having racked up enough reviews, some of you could become a Ruth Reichl or a Jeffery Steingarten.
5. A few things to keep in mind:
A. Please cook/bake the recipes as written. We want our readers to know that your evaluation was based on the recipe exactly as written. You can improvise or change to your taste later. Do not choose a recipe if you cannot comply.
B. If in doubt, write me. An e-mail now could save problems or money later.
C. If you’re going to be out of commission for a while, and we all are at some time or another, just let us know. We’ll work around you.
D. Please cook at least one dish every two week session — but as many as you wish. If we find that you’ve missed three months in a row, you’ll be removed from the testing list, but you’re always welcome back when you’re able to fulfill the requirements.
Happy cooking,
Director of Recipe Testing
LC
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