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know how to get there, so they experiment. It’s this in- formation learned from experiments which leads to cures and innovations. I feel the same way about cook- ing. I want to learn how to cook better as well as cook dif- ferent things, so I listen, watch and experiment to gain this in- formation. Conf idence Another reason knowledge is power, is it gives you the confi- dence you need to try something new. I’m not sure why ‘new’ is scary but it is. Perhaps it is the fear of the un- known or in cooking the fear of screwing up the protein, especially an expensive meat like brisket. I remember when I cooked my first alligator, I had no idea what I was doing but once I researched it, talked to a few people, my confidence grew. The result was my guests thought it was amazing. Since then I’ve contin- ued my trek to learn more enabling me to cook crazy stuff like iguanas as well as whole hogs and compete against heroes. Continuing to learn and gain knowledge has emboldened me to im- prove my skills with confi- dence. Ability to Overcome This power of knowledge not only gives you the con- fidence to try something new but when it doesn’t turn out the way you want, it gives you the ability to overcome the set back. One of my favorite overcoming stories is Thomas Edison and the lightbulb. We’ve all heard how he tried about 2000 times and when asked about his failures, he replied those weren’t fail- ures, just ways I’ve learned it doesn’t work. Then he continued with, I only need to find one way. This is what knowledge gives you, even in the face of adversity. When those scores didn’t turn out the way you wanted. When your catering gig was not up to par. Perhaps you tried a new recipe and your family turn their noses up, lov- ingly of course. The power knowledge gives is knowing you will overcome whatever obsta- cles come your way. When Julia Child would attend a food conference, often times you would find her on the front row feverishly taking notes. Why? She is Julia Child for goodness sake. People who knew her well said she would do this because of her drive to ever improve. She understood, whether you are in a food sport event, running a restaurant or in your backyard, knowledge is power. OCTOBER 2019 BarbecueNews.com - 29 ” n e t