that the eggplant was bitter. Instead of throwing out the baby with
the bathwater, Clark employed a clever tactic: “If it comes out and
it’s not what you want, change the name.” That dish became
“Bitter Eggplant Salad.”
After eating her crostini, her trofie with pesto and ricotta, and
an amazing seared duck breast with cherries, I reach the following
conclusion: to create accomplished, publishable recipes, you must
(1) know a few basic techniques and (2) let ingredients inspire
you. Wander around the farmer’s market, buy what looks good,
take it home, and experiment. You may fail, but as long as you
keep moving, it shouldn’t matter.
“Don’t be afraid,” says Clark as I get ready to go. After
watching her at work, it’s clear that fear has no place in a recipe
creator’s kitchen. The essential ingredient is gumption.