The things we got wrong
This is a log of the mistakes we made—what we got wrong, how we found out, and what we did about it. It’s the opposite of an About page, which usually lists what a site does well.
Here, you’ll see what didn’t work, and why you can trust that we’ll keep fixing it.
Most sites don’t publish their corrections. The ones that do are usually either startups admitting they’re still figuring things out, or established brands turning their failures into marketing. This isn’t either of those.
We keep this log because it’s the only way to show that we actually learn from our work—and that we’ll keep it honest, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Three we had to fix
These are the three biggest mistakes we caught early enough to fix before they became habits. They’re here so you know we’re not just talking about transparency—we’re living it.
The mistakes we fixed first
- 1The wrong oven temp for slow-cooked dishes
Our first batch of slow-cooked recipes all came out underdone or overcooked because we used the same temperature range for everything. The problem stood for six months—until a reader emailed to say their pulled pork was dry. We tested every recipe again, adjusted the temps, and rewrote the instructions. Camille Salazar did the retesting herself, line by line.
- 2The mislabeled spice blend for jerk seasoning
We published a jerk chicken recipe with a spice blend that was missing allspice and nutmeg—two key flavors in real Caribbean jerk. The error went live for three weeks before a commenter pointed it out. We corrected the blend, added a note about the missing spices, and made sure every future recipe used a tested, verified mix. Camille Salazar double-checked every spice measurement after that.
- 3The broken link to a key tool
Our ‘Essential Kitchen Tools’ page had a dead link to a high-quality meat thermometer for weeks. No one noticed until a reader asked where to buy one. We replaced the link, tested the tool ourselves, and added a backup recommendation. Camille Salazar now reviews every external link before publishing.
What those three changed
These fixes didn’t just correct the mistakes—they changed how we work. Every time we catch something early, we make a rule to catch it sooner next time.
Rules that came from mistakes
- Test every temperature range for slow-cooked recipes with at least two different ovens. *(From the oven temp mistake)*
- Verify every spice blend against a trusted source before publishing. *(From the jerk seasoning error)*
- Check all external links manually before a page goes live. *(From the broken tool link)*
The people behind this
This is Camille Salazar, the founder and editor of *Red Apple Recipes*. You’ve just read about the mistakes she caught—and the ones she fixed. That’s how you know she’s the one who’ll notice the next one too.
Keeping a log like this isn’t easy. It means admitting when you’re wrong in public, and that’s never comfortable. But the alternative—pretending everything is perfect—is worse. The best cooks learn from their burns, and the best editors learn from their typos. This log is proof we’re still learning.
One mistake that never made it here? The time I over-salted a batch of homemade pasta dough so badly I had to start over. The dough was ruined, but the lesson stuck: even small errors teach you something if you pay attention.
If you find something we got wrong, I’d want you to tell us. Not to shame us, but to help us get it right next time. The contact page is where to do that.
There will be a next one
This list isn’t finished. We’ll add to it every time we catch a mistake—big or small—and we’ll keep fixing them. If you spot something we missed, let us know. The contact page is the place to do it.
The recipes are grouped by category: Appetizers, Beverages, Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Main Courses and Reviews.