When I was a little girl, I tried my hand at baking numerous times—unfortunately, my creations were almost always a dismal failure—unless I used a box of cake mix. When I was older, I discovered my true love in the kitchen was cooking, not baking. For many years, that discovery ended my baking quest, (if you could call it that), as I pursued all things learning how to sear, saute, braise, and properly brown food.