10 expensive, complex or smelly dishes you shouldn’t want to make at home (part 1)

My good intention for this year is to start cooking more myself. Not just for myself, but for friends too — preferably something impressive that people will still be talking about months later. Although, after reading these confessions about overly expensive, complex and smelly dishes, maybe the sushi place around the corner is still the best spot for our next dinner date…

Of course, we all want to impress our friends when they come over for dinner. You can’t serve that same pasta every time (although FavorFlav’s Sharon has no problem with that whatsoever; her pasta pesto is a hit every time — thanks to top chef Massimo Bottura). Still, you can also take things too far: some dishes simply aren’t meant to be made at home. The makers of these 10 expensive, complex and downright smelly dishes found that out the hard way…

1. Croissants

Croissants may well be the most difficult pastries to make; you just keep folding and rolling. This home baker had a very hard time. ‘I cried so hard when I first tried making croissants! These days I live next to a bakery that makes the most delicious and artisan croissants. Why would I put myself through the stress of making them?’

2. Tonkotsu Ramen

Tonkotsu ramen sounds like a great dish, but if you believe this chef, you absolutely don’t want to attempt it. ‘I spent two days cooking pork trotters in a gelatinous broth, roasting pork belly until it was crisp, grilling corn on the barbecue and making soy sauce-cooked eggs myself. Then I also went to the store to buy whole-wheat ramen, and I could finally eat a bowl. I had spent well over 80 euros on these few bowls of soup. On top of that, it was so much work that I gained an incredible amount of respect for everyone who sells this dish in their restaurant.’

3. Deep-frying

‘Breaded or fried food makes your apartment smell like a fast-food joint within seconds. On top of that, the kitchen becomes such a mess when you start breading things yourself. Your entire sink is full of dishes. It simply isn’t worth it to me.’

4. Donuts

Donuts, yummy, right? This home cook wants to warn you about something. ‘It took hours and hours to make them. First you have to fry the donuts, glaze them and then make the toppings. Then people come over and all the donuts are gone within two minutes!’

5. Shawarma

Who doesn’t love a delicious shawarma sandwich? One tip: don’t attempt it at home. ‘I love it and can never get enough. I looked up the recipe and tried making different varieties myself. None of the recipes was as good as the shawarma I can buy around the corner.’

6. Baklava

The baklava from the Turkish shop in my neighborhood is delicious, and that’s reason enough for me not to have attempted making it myself. I think that’s probably a good thing. ‘Even with ready-made filo pastry, this dish demands the maximum from your patience and cleaning supplies. The sticky honey/lemon substance gets everywhere. On top of that, the butter, nuts, spices and filo pastry together cost so much that it’s cheaper to buy an entire box from a restaurant!’ Still want to give it a try? Chef Mounir Toub is happy to share his baklava recipe.

7. Squid

‘I’m never preparing a whole squid again! It’s a disgusting, smelly nightmare. My entire kitchen was covered in black ink, and I spent days scrubbing to get everything clean. Don’t attempt it!’

8. Macarons

Macarons are, of course, practically everyone’s favorite French treat. They are known for being particularly complicated to make. This baker isn’t likely to try again anytime soon. ‘I absolutely love macarons, but not enough to put myself through the hassle of making them again. I hate how careful you have to be not to ruin these cookies. Even the smallest mistake can make the end result disastrous.’

9. Gnocchi

Gnocchi: you either hate it or love it. I’m not a fan myself, so I agree with this chef and will keep it brief: ‘Gnocchi: far too much work for far too little result.’ But if you’re still a (lazy) gnocchi fan, these French onion gnocchi are very tasty.

10. Sushi

‘The dish I absolutely don’t want to make at home anymore is sushi. It’s incredibly labor-intensive, easily goes wrong (my rolls never come out as neat as they do in a restaurant), and the ingredients are so expensive that you spend a fortune just trying to get anywhere near a platter like the ones you can get at a restaurant. Of course, it can be fun to mess around a little with your friends sometimes, but I’d rather leave making sushi to the pros!’

Also read:

• SAY WHAT: producing an egg costs just 14 cents, supermarkets are ripping us off
• 9 ways to save money even as the supermarket keeps getting more expensive
• Eating ice cream makes you smarter

Source: BoredPanda