Commentary: Recipes lack flavor in 2 Chainz cookbook, ‘#MEALTIME’

Amy Macynski
Tue, 01 Oct 2013 04:23:52 +0000
Dining, 2 chainz, chicken marsala, cookbook, flavor, garlic mashed potatoes

Rapper 2 Chainz released a digital cookbook, titled ‘#MEALTIME,’ with his newest album, ‘B.O.A.T.S. II #METIME’ Sept. 10.
Credit: Courtesy of Facebook

Tauheed Epps, better known as 2 Chainz, may be a rapper with a lot of zest, but the recipes in his new cookbook are lacking in flavor.

The digital cookbook, “#MEALTIME,” comes with his newest album, “B.O.A.T.S. II #METIME,” which released Sept. 10. It includes 15 recipes, including sauces and salsas. The book includes a forward with tips on how to make the best of the cookbook, including to “cook within your comfort zone,” and to “freestyle your cooking until you (and whoever is eating alongside you) enjoy it.” It also includes pictures of each dish with suggestions for presentation.

I made two of the recipes from the rapper’s cookbook: his chicken marsala and garlic mashed potatoes.

Both recipes began with instructions that had nothing to do with cooking. I do not own an “Alexander Wang Tee” so I was unable to wear it whilst “zoning out” and listening to “U Da Realest” before preparing the chicken, which must have led to the bland flavor of my dish. I do not own a four-finger ring, so it was unnecessary to “carefully place it on a side table before starting to cook” the mashed potatoes.

The lack of flavor was not due to a lack of seasoning; I followed the rapper’s instructions in the forward of the cookbook and seasoned with each step of the recipes.

I think the lack of flavor may be due to the fact my salt and pepper grinders are not made of diamond and I don’t own gold sauce pots, but that’s just speculation.

It is also possible my jam session to “Feds Watching” while “celebrating the good times I’ve had this year” lasted a bit too long, leading to overcooked potatoes. However, I enjoyed the creaminess of the potatoes and would do it the same next time.

The flavor of the chicken was mild and sweet. I let the wine cook down for a bit longer than suggested in the recipe to make sure my chicken was fully cooked. The flavor of the wine and the onions and garlic paired deliciously and wasn’t over-powering, but could have been more flavorful.

I enjoyed the fact that the chicken was cooked in olive oil and not fried with breading, making the dish healthier. Thanks 2 Chainz!

The smell of my campus kitchen while making these recipes was a mouth-watering mix of garlic, onion and sweet wine.

I would make the mashed potatoes again, but I would add some type of cheese to give the dish more flavor. As for the chicken, I’d probably pass on making it again. It was too much work, probably because I had to “get into the right headspace to finish up the meal.”

I really want to try out the teriyaki salmon, but I’m still in the market for a “Versace apron.” Since that’s required to wear for the first step of making the salmon, that meal will have to wait.