From Innovative to Odd

Baking is, to me, complete expression of my creativity and simple giddiness in my taste buds. This weekend, I experimented with some new flavors, mixing herbs with butter, sugar and flour to create a new breed of cookies. The exercise was clearly in sync with my creative needs - I generated a new formula, concocted my ingredients, heated them all in the oven, and viola...a new flavor was born. But truth be told, my taste buds did not get giddy. I smelled the aroma, was eager to take a bite, broke the warm specimen in half to observe its delicate texture, and then...shrugged in recognition that my new creation was "just alright". I don't think the fault rested in the recipe. The cookie rose to perfection, caramelized slightly in texture, and was crunchy and moist at the same time. The problem was me. What I want in a cookie is something sweet, not savory. I want chocolate, peanut butter, or nuts to sink my teeth into, not basil and rosemary. While these new recipes were in fact new and different, and dare I say, tasty, they lacked the essence of what a dessert should be. Is there a line where desserts should not cross, where they go from being innovative to odd? Let us know your thoughts.