Stick a Fork in Me...

I love food.

But there is something that goes beyond sopping up that last bit of marinara with a fresh crust of French bread. Deeper than smackingly tasting each finger after pulling apart a succulent chicken-wing (partly to drive Mom crazy but mostly not to miss any of that greasy, spicy goodness).  Nearer and dearer to my heart, even, than slicing into that perfectly medium, melt-in-your-mouth steak after month upon month of living vegetarian-style in the school cafeteria. 

Two words: Baked goods.

The first week home from school I decided to experiment as my parents didn’t think it prudent to invite me to accompany them to California upon graduation (no, I’m not bitter).  When my foray into Asian cuisine totally flopped (who knew rice and curry could burn like that?!), I immediately turned to brownies.  What could be easier for dinner than dropping a couple of eggs and some oil into a soft pile of chocolatey powder?  Forty-five minutes and half a pint of vanilla ice cream later and the rice glued to the bottom of the pot soaking in the bottom of the sink couldn’t have been further from my mind.

Homemade English muffins were fun and pretty tasty, but I can see why Thomas still has a job.

And of course, number one reason to make a rare trip to the store and confiscate someone’s apartment: cupcakes.  It’s just one of those things.  See them in ad or here someone mention a party and I’m craving fluffy white cake and gobs of vanilla frosting for days.  I’m drooling just writing this, despite the canoli still resting comfortably in my gut.  Here’s the catch: I don’t even like cake.  Birthday cake?  Forget about it.  Give me a peach pie or a mound of ice cream.  Wedding cake?  I fought it for a while.  But wrap it in some colorful paper to keep it moist and make 30% of the dessert whipped frosting…I am so there. 

So what’s the point?  Well, there is none.  Except that you are now forewarned of my rapturous relationship with my taste buds.  Stay tuned for my existential struggle with what will hopefully be a new hobby (i.e. cooking) following my recent frightening screening of the extraordinary documentary, Food Inc.