Only who doesn't dare doesn't fail

I'm not a Taliban of food authenticity. Like culture and language, always in motion is cuisine. So I always recommend to experiment with recipes: changing the ingredients, using different cooking methods or time and so on. After a while, you start to develop an instinct for it and every now and then you may end up with something really sensational. Of course, you must be prepared to fail miserably. Don't experiment too much when you have hosts for dinner, unless they are really good friends and you don't mind being a fool in front of them.

Sometimes though, our great ancestors and masters already tried all the possibilities and refined a recipe beyond perfection. Risotto seems to be an example of something you can't improve anymore. In Italy, we use Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rices to prepare a risotto.

Tonight, I was going to prepare an asparagus risotto, but just in the middle of it I realized I was out of the right rice: I made do with some Basmati rice instead but the result was unsatisfactory. As a matter of fact, the flavor and the taste were very good but the texture was too soft and soggy, definitely not al dente. So, if you want to make a great risotto, stick with the tradition and use the right rice.