In cooking, as in life, I tinker. Like my grandmother and mother before me, I rarely follow a recipe to the letter. And if I do, you better believe I’m going to riff a little.

As rebel legend Frank Zappa put it, “Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.”

So I deviate...with joy! I may toss in sun-dried tomatoes, green olives, and marinated artichokes to turn tuna salad into a colorful, zingy celebration. It’s not just lunch. It’s art. It’s soul. It’s mine.

“Art,” said philosopher Benedetto Croce, “is ruled uniquely by the imagination.”

That’s my approach. Light improvisation, guided by instinct. With confidence and time, I get bolder. But I don’t usually go rogue. Unless the spirit moves me.

Like the time I accidentally added tablespoons instead of teaspoons to an apple pie crust. My mother-in-law teased me. My father-in-law said it was the best pie I ever made. Go figure.

Lesson? When people love you, even your “oops” can work out beautifully.

So go on—stir, splash, sprinkle. Trust yourself. Let your food—and your life—taste like you. (And maybe ease up on the salt.)