Nice Day

One thing I like to do in my spare time is cook.I like to think that I'm pretty good at it, but the only other person who eats my cooking is my fiancee.So, I'm never really sure if I'm really doing a good job or just making things that we both happen to like.

Recently, a friend of mine at work planted in my head the idea to make lemon meringue pie.I decided to give it a go and made one.This time, I brought one of my slices to work to give the friend.She loved it and has actually been talking it up.I decided to make one for a bake sale today.Well, I really made two, but one was bought outright.

Long story short, I brought it in to rave reviews.

"Delicious.Not too sweet."

"You really have talent."

"...to die for."

It may be a bit shallow, and fuck it all if it is, but it really gave me great pleasure knowing people were digging it.I worked hard and made those suckers completely from scratch.The smiles felt nice.The "...to die for" comment made my day.

I really do like to cook, especialy baking, because food is something everybody can appreciate.Of all of the three billion things I attempt to do and of all of the one hundred hobbies that I attempt to maintain(all at the same time) and rarely master, cooking gives me the most personal satisfaction.I don't even get pissed at the mistakes I make because I know it's something I won't do again.Hell, a few weeks ago I lost about $8 in white chocolate because I didn't know not to add water to melted chocolate.(It "seizes", which means it develops the consistency of thick, cold cake frosting and it can't be rescued without fucking up the taste of it.)

Before the lemon meringue, I made marshmallows.Fucking homemade marshmallows!!I made a batch of dark chocolate mint, one of chocolate covered Oreo cookie, and one of lemon and white chocolate.I don't know which was more fun.That's what it's about.I put on some tunes and I get to work.If the recipe is complicated, all the better.If it takes three hours to make, no problem.

I even thought for a time that I would pay off my credit card bills and use the money saved to go to culinary school.Then I realized that I hate high pressure work environments and I would end up resenting a job I thought I would love to do.So I'm keeping it a hobby, only now I'll feel more comfortable sharing it.