The things we got wrong
This page is a log of the mistakes we made before we knew better. It’s here so you can judge how we do things now by what we fixed—and what we haven’t.
Most sites talk about what they *do* right. This one talks about what we *did* wrong. The difference matters: the first is a promise; the second is proof.
Three we had to fix
Here are three failures that changed how we work. Each one was caught by someone who trusted us enough to point it out—or by a reader who noticed something we missed.
The wrong ingredient ratios
- 1Published a recipe with incorrect egg-to-flour ratios
A classic French omelette recipe listed 3 eggs for 2 tablespoons of flour instead of the traditional 2 eggs for 3 tablespoons. The mistake stood for six months before a reader in Paris emailed us the correction. We pulled the recipe, rewrote the ratios, and added a note about how small changes in proportions can ruin texture. Sonia Thibodeaux fixed it.
- 2Mislabelled a spice blend as ‘authentic’
A recipe for a spiced egg curry used a pre-mixed ‘garam masala’ that didn’t match the one in the original family recipe. The error went live for four weeks before a contributor spotted it while testing the dish. We replaced the blend with exact measurements and a warning about store-bought shortcuts. Sonia Thibodeaux caught it.
- 3Omitted a critical step in a custard recipe
A vanilla custard recipe skipped the tempering stage entirely, which caused curdling for anyone who followed it. The post had 120 upvotes before a home cook left a comment describing their failed attempt. We rewrote the method with a step-by-step tempering guide and added a troubleshooting section. Sonia Thibodeaux updated it.
What those three changed
These failures forced us to build rules that now shape every recipe. The lessons were simple but costly to learn the hard way.
Rules that came from mistakes
- Every recipe must be tested by at least two people before publication. *(From the custard curdling mistake)*
- Spices, blends, and shortcuts must be clearly marked as ‘optional’ or ‘adjustable’—never implied as ‘authentic.’ *(From the garam masala mislabel)*
- Ratios and measurements must be double-checked against at least one trusted source before going live. *(From the egg-to-flour error)*
The people behind this
This site is run by Sonia Thibodeaux, Founder & Editor. She’s the one who signs off on every correction here—and the one who still flinches when she sees a recipe with a missing step.
The log exists because she believes the best cooking stories come from the things that went wrong first.
Keeping a list like this isn’t easy. It means admitting when the work isn’t perfect, even when no one’s watching. It means looking back at mistakes instead of moving on. But it’s the only way to earn trust: if we’re wrong about the small things, people will notice.
And if we don’t fix them, they’ll stop listening.
There’s a small mistake Sonia still carries—one that never made it public. The first time she tried to make a perfect soufflé, she over-whisked the egg whites until they turned grainy. She threw it out without telling anyone. That failure taught her more about patience than any recipe ever could.
If you find something we got wrong, tell us. The contact page is where to do it.
There will be a next one
This list isn’t finished. We’ll add to it whenever we find something we should have caught. If you spot a mistake—big or small—let us know. The next entry might be yours.
The recipes are grouped by category: Breakfast & Brunch and Side Dishes.