So I'm a recent graduate with a B.S. in food science. You would think that this would make me the exacting, type A kind of cook who meticulously measures everything and refuses to eat raw cookie dough. This couldn't be farther than the truth. At the end of the day, I'm ready to kick off my heels and just go for it. Dump stuff in a pot. Use my hands. Eyeball it. End up with food on my face. You know, get aquatinted.
Knowing when its OK to improvise takes about 80% knack and 20% knowledge about ingredient chemistry. Stuff doesn't always turn out right, either. But I'm here to document my results.