8 things people love to order in restaurants but never make at home
Sure, a meal can always go wrong. But to manage that with this divine cheese garlic bread or this classic shrimp cocktail, you really have to try very hard. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of recipes you simply never want to attempt.
After all, it’s not for nothing that we head out for the best sandwiches in Amsterdam, or sit down for pappardelle with lamb ragù at our favorite Italian restaurant TOZI. Make it yourself at home? We don’t even want to think about it. Just like the attempts of these heroic home cooks.
Ravioli
“My brother and I once tried to make ravioli ourselves. On Mother’s Day, no less. We thought we could stack the ravioli. Add a little flour here and there and surely they wouldn’t stick together. Surprise: they did. The evening ended in a sticky mess of pieces of cheese wrapped in limp pasta sheets.”
Candy
“Making candy at home without having the necessary tools is simply not worth it. Period.”
Bagels
“Really, any type of bread that first has to be submerged in a lye bath. It does give them that deliciously light salty flavor and crispy exterior, but it’s simply too much hassle.” Lye is actually prohibited in the Netherlands, so we can’t try it anyway. That’s because it is a corrosive substance and can cause nasty accidents if used incorrectly.
Melanzane
“Melanzane tastes ten times better when you eat it at an Italian restaurant. Besides, I still haven’t managed even once to stop the eggplant from swimming in watery tomato sauce. I need help.”
Yogurt
“Although you might think this is quick and easy to make, it’s anything but. It’s a precise process in which everything you use has to be spotlessly clean (otherwise the wrong bacteria will get into the yogurt and make it go moldy) and the milk has to be at exactly the right temperature, meaning that taking your eye off it for even a moment can be disastrous. Just grab a carton from the shelf.”
Fried chicken
“The reason? Making fried chicken wings is delicious, but afterward your kitchen is always covered in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs. Takeout saves you all that mess.”
Eggs Benedict
“By the time the hollandaise sauce is ready, the eggs are perfectly poached and the buns are toasted, half of it is already cold… What was I thinking?”
Trifle
“Showing off with a homemade dessert at a dinner party is fun, except when it takes an entire day to make. Besides, buying all the ingredients costs four times as much as buying a delicious one at the store.”
Also read:
- People who completely lose it (really) when the food goes wrong
- Why does the first pancake always fail?
- 10 of the craziest dishes from Rate My Plate
