About Recipes Thimble

What changed, and what it changed for you

When this site began, it was just a way to share a few dishes I’d made that turned out better than expected. The recipes were copied from other sources, sometimes verbatim, and the only thing that mattered was whether they *looked* familiar.

The photos were often borrowed, the steps assumed you already knew the basics, and the whole thing felt like a half-finished draft.

Now, every recipe is tested at least twice—once by me, once by someone who isn’t a chef. The steps are rewritten to match how people actually cook, not how they *should* cook. The photos show real plates, real messes, and real results.

The goal isn’t to make you think you’re in a magazine; it’s to make sure you end up with something that tastes as good as it looks.

The one that took years

The biggest mistake was assuming that if a recipe worked for me, it would work for everyone. For years, I ignored the fact that ovens run hotter in some kitchens, that some people don’t own a mandoline, or that a ‘lightly browned’ steak can mean anything from pink to charcoal.

The site grew, but the recipes stayed the same—until a reader emailed to say they’d burned three batches of the same dish because the oven temperature was off by 50°F.

It took another two years to admit the problem wasn’t the recipes—it was the instructions. Rewriting them to account for real-world variables meant doubling the testing time, adding notes like *‘If your oven runs hot, reduce by 25°F’* and *‘Use a knife you’re comfortable with’*.

Some recipes had to be scrapped entirely because they relied on techniques most home cooks don’t have. The cost? More time, more ingredients wasted, and a lot of late-night cooking sessions.

Now, every recipe includes a *‘real kitchen’* section with adjustments for common issues—like how to fix a dish if the sauce is too thin or the meat is overcooked. It’s not perfect, but it’s the first time the site actually works for people who aren’t me.

And yes, that reader’s dish finally turned out right on the fourth try.

Meet the author

I spent years treating cooking like a solo project—something you did in a vacuum, adjusting spices until it tasted right, ignoring the fact that most people don’t have the time or patience for trial and error.

My first attempts at sharing recipes were just photos of what I’d made, with a note like *‘Trust me, it’s good’*. When people asked for help, I’d shrug and say *‘Just follow the steps’*, even though I knew the steps were missing half the story.

The worst moment came when I posted a recipe for a dish I’d made for a friend, only to get a reply saying it was inedible.

I’d assumed they’d adjust the salt or simmer longer, but the instructions had been so vague that they’d followed them exactly—and ended up with something that tasted like dish soap. I deleted the post that night and didn’t write another recipe for six months.

The hinge was realizing that recipes aren’t just instructions—they’re stories, and stories need structure. What changed was deciding to treat every dish like it was for someone who’d never cooked before, even if I’d made it a hundred times.

Now, I’m Ramon Dellinger, and this is where I write recipes that actually work. The site isn’t about showing off; it’s about giving you the tools to make something that tastes like home, whether you’re a beginner or just tired of recipes that fail.

What did not change

The core idea hasn’t wavered: good food should be approachable, not intimidating. The first recipes here were for dishes I’d made in a tiny apartment with limited tools, and that’s still the standard today.

If a recipe requires a specialty ingredient or a technique you’d never use again, it’s not here.

The other constant is the belief that flavor matters more than presentation. A dish can look messy and still taste amazing—that’s the kind of cooking this site celebrates.

The photos might be clearer now, but the focus is always on what’s in the bowl, not how it’s arranged on the plate.

What is still being fixed

Right now, the biggest project is making sure every recipe has a *‘what went wrong’* section—short troubleshooting tips for the most common mistakes. It’s slow work, but it’s the next step toward recipes that don’t just work, but *teach*.

If you’ve ever cooked a dish from here and hit a snag, the contact page is where to let me know what should be added.