When I'm not tapping out articles in front of a computer, I'm usually in a kitchen, whipping up something to eat. Usually that means old reliables, but I like to mix it up now and then by trying a new recipe. But usually there's something standing between me and expanding my culinary horizons: the ingredient list. More recipes than I care to name have what I've grown to call "The Deal Killer"--a single, necessary ingredient that I don't have and can't procure without undertaking a Joseph Campbell-style hero's journey.
