BLOG.GUARANTEEDGF.COM: Paula Deen Settles Age Old Debate

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BLOG.GUARANTEEDGF.COM: Paula Deen Settles Age Old Debate

Paula Deen Settles Age Old Debate

As I was getting ready for bed last night, Paula Deen’s Christmas Special, Paula’s Cookie Swap, was airing on the Food Network (my default TV station). Because none of the recipes are ever gluten free, I wasn’t paying much attention. That is until one of the guests admitted that the recipe she chose to showcase, her grandmother's Perfectly Pecan Praline Cookies, was a recipe she couldn't get to work correctly. That was something I didn’t think I’d ever hear on any show other than one of the many Help Me I Can’t Cook type of rescue/reality shows.

The guest hoped Paula would be able to help her get it right. Paula preceded to follow the part of the recipe causing the guest's problem - the praline section. For all her skill and efforts, Paula didn’t achieve the intended results on her first attempt either. So why did I find this part the most enjoyable? Not because I enjoy seeing people fail, just the opposite: I love helping people succeed. I loved that Paula chose not to edit out this "failed" first attempt. This Special is all about showcasing cookie recipes that home viewers can make to liven up their next cookie swap party. This particular recipe provided more than just another way to share "empty" calories; it allowed Paula to shed some light on an age old debate. I have very definite opinions on this subject and often find myself discussing this very point with customers at the Williams Sonoma where I work part-time. The age old debate? Does size really matter?

By changing the size of the saucepan to match the one that the guest's grandma always used, the recipe worked just as grandma had intended. Getting this recipe to work had nothing to do with the actual recipe or the skill of the cook; it was all about the size of the tool. A small saucepan with a narrow opening and tall sides has less surface area than a saucepan with a wider opening. I hear you thinking that specifying a volume measurement for the saucepan would solve the problem. That was my first instinctual reaction, but I'm usually not satisfied till I over-think a problem. After a little research, I discovered that a 2-qt sauce pan can range from 6 inches in diameter to 9 inches in diameter, with the depth of the pan varying in order to yield the stated 2-qt volume. The volume may be the same on both the 6” and 9” diameter sauce pans, but ask anyone if 3 inches makes a big difference in tool you choose and you'll come to the same conclusion: size matters - even in the kitchen!