What Is Your Kitchen Kryptonite?

That is the name of an article recently posted on the foodie website Serious Eats.

Do you remember Superman, the man of steel? He was (almost) invincible; the only thing in the universe that could bring him to his knees was the element kryptonite.

The gist of the article is that all of us, even experienced/pro chefs will admit (if we possess at least a shred of honesty in our souls) that there is something, a tool, a cooking method, or an ingredient that frightens the goodness gracious out of us.

I have two. The first (and most frightening) is the mandolin. No, not the 18th-century eight-stringed musical instrument. I'm referring to the razor-sharp kitchen gadget that creates perfect thin slices, usually of vegetables — think of paper-thin slices of potatoes for potato chips, or planks of zucchini for lasagne. It can also make quick work of your fingertips (don't ask how I know this).

The other is a cooking technique. I simply will not flambé. Anything. (Flambé is French for flamed — it's the technique TV chefs use when they pour spirits in a hot pan, instantly igniting a 3-foot high wall of flame.) So why do I flee the flambé, you ask? I'm short — really short, and I adore my eyebrows.

I'm just curious. Is there something that you absolutely will not do in the kitchen? Tell me about your kitchen kryptonite in the comments.

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Copyright©2024  Linda Lum (Facebook, Hub Pages, Pinterest) is a retired 
budget analyst for the Federal government, wife, mother, author, and
 lover of anything and everything to do with food history. 
Books: "Past and Present," "How Corned Beef Became Irish," "Ask Carb Diva"