Ah, Houston...we've had a problem...

This part is about having the right tool for the job and if you have the correct equipment your productivity and quality will go up...at least in cooking.  If not, you duct tape and bailing wire the mess together and what you have is a perfectly executed duct taped/bailing wired assembly.  Can you even get bailing wire anymore?

Now in an emergency you may need to rely on duct tape and bailing wire which is what Apollo 13 had to do.  Hopefully, your cooking isn't an emergency, unless of course your brother and sister-in-law from California unexpectedly shows up to spend the weekend because their house is being fumigated for bears.

Think of a mechanic. I suppose a mechanic could repair your car with a screw driver, pilers and a hammer...but would you want him too?  And would he want to?  Then why go though a process with many steps, prep work, learning, selecting, examining and executing just as a mechanic does without the proper tools?

I thought I selected the proper tool for baking pizzas, which perfecting the pizza crust I want is somewhat of a thorn in my paw for some time, although the pain is less now.  I knew to get the crust I wanted I needed two things: a pizza stone and high temp.  No prob I thought, I'll just use my brides Pampered Chefs cookie baking stone!  Ha, in your face pizza crust!...one down, one to go!  Except...that stone isn't made for 500+ degree heat on the lowest level of your oven.  Max: 450.  It worked okay 2 or 3 times, then I heard an unfamiliar "pop!" which radiated from the bowels of my Bertazzoni stove ( a love/hate relationship).

Oops!

Although, the pizzas didn't come out too bad I must say.

a margarita...







                               and a prosciutto/arugula/roasted garlic.