Buoyed up by the delicious results last time I cooked Costolette di Maiale con Salvia (pork chops with sage) based on the recipe in Jamie’s Italy, I decided to rustle it up again last night when we had a guest for dinner. It was edible but, unlike previous versions, far short of delectable.

What went wrong? I can blame a little of it on our dinner guest turning up earlier than expected but the heart of the problem was that I wasn’t putting enough care in, from the ingredients to the methods. Rather than recreate it, I attempted to simply assemble the dish. The result was like “painting by numbers” instead of creating a fresh piece of art.

So, next time: thicker meat on the bone, older potatoes, more time frying and less time baking and a host of other little details. At least it gives me a reason to cook the dish several times again in the near future. Thoughtfully doing that is the only way to ensure that I will then have it reliably at my fingertips.

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