Two words: emulsified meat. Even the most-intrepid home sausage maker will concede that getting that perfectly blended, spongy texture is better left to the pros. Go ahead and make chorizo, but leave the stadium franks to the factory.

If you’re a brunch perfectionist, knock 'em dead with a homemade hollandaise (it's really not that hard). But head to the store for your muffins, as a truly satisfying roll with the requisite dips and divots is tough to pull off at home.

Kneading and stretching warm curds can make for an interesting weekend project, but don't expect this labor-intensive method to become a regular source of cheese for your summer caprese salads.

Nothing can elevate a Manhattan or whiskey sour like a plump, booze-soaked cherry. But tracking down sour cherries, pitting them and soaking them in imported liqueur is a time-consuming and pricy project that can make that $16 artisanal jar at your gourmet market look like a bargain.