Mixed Metaphor: The Silver Lining of Kitchen Nightmares

We've all experienced something like the following. You invite someone over, hoping to impress that person with a tasty meal. You plan, shop, and seem to have all your ducks in a row. Preparation begins and Murphy's Law rears its duck-like head: the vegetables are inexplicably infected with a mysterious mold visible only from the inside, the relevant piece of cookware has been rendered useless by all those years of careless abuse (remember: never use metal on non-stick surfaces and don't let them get too hot!). It is enough to make one resign oneself to lonely one-pot meals prepared in a Crockpot. However, there can be a silver lining to such so-called "disasters." Assuming your guest is a human being and not Gordon Ramsay such mishaps can be no less romantic than a dinner gone off without a hitch. In fact, in the grand scheme of things this is a low-stakes crisis (see previous Chef Ramsay link for caveat). It can be fun working through such episodes, and a bumpy start need not be an inauspicious sign vis-a-vis the rest of the night. A little improvising, perhaps a little assistance, and your meal can still turn out tasty. More importantly: having shared such an experience can make for an even more delightful evening and fond memories. So, don't let one apparent disaster scare you out of the kitchen. Make lemonade from these lemons (or panang chicken, as the case may be), and savor the results including the intangible ones.