Quanto Basta
Quanto Basta – QB for short. The English meaning, loosely translated, is “as much as you need”. I first came across this concept while paging through my now all-time favorite cookbook (Made in Italy - David Rocco). David negates the idea that he is a “chef”. Rather he describes his style of cooking and the way he approaches writing his books as “Italian”! The fact is, many Italian cookbooks do not have quantities in their recipes – they simply say “QB”. When you ask someone in Italy what makes something taste so great, they’ll answer, “A little of this and some of that!” That’s exactly how David and I like to approach time in the kitchen.
I’m English, Irish and German – not Italian. Though on many occasions I like to tell people I am – as if I’m justifying the fact that I drink red wine while cooking, love the smell of anything with garlic and have more than once looked at the real estate listings in Venice! Yet at the end of the day, sadly I’m not Italian. But that doesn’t mean I can’t embrace the concepts that make this particular style of cuisine one of the most comforting, versatile and, most importantly, forgiving.
Now, that’s not to say that Italian cooking is simple and without technique, quite the opposite in some cases. Think homemade pasta! (NOTE: See the Cook Cork & Fork calendar for the next pasta class!) But, because the Italian approach to food is focused around a few key, fresh ingredients, for me it is easy to pick out individual flavors and understand if I need more of one thing or another and adjust accordingly.
Quanto Basta is about letting go and trusting yourself. Simply start with recipes that are basic; no matter your preferred cuisine type. Find recipes you can practice making to taste without worrying about messing up the end product. Practice once, practice twice and by the third time I bet you’ll be brave enough to add more salt, or use wine instead of stock, or even add a new spice or two that will elevate your dish to new levels.
Ya know, in thinking about this concept as it relates to cooking I realize that we should apply the QB mantra to most things in life – as much as you need. Most of us don’t really need all the possessions we have. There’s probably too much indulgence and too much frivolity in most things that surround us. So I challenge you to channel YOUR inner QB and evaluate not only your time in the kitchen but also your everyday life. Ask yourself,” How much do I really need?” My guess is that you’ll not only end up creating wonderful meals and recipes but also creating a more balanced, uniquely yours, life.