A few days ago, I had energy. I suppose it’s because I had no pressing work deadlines, and because the dog knows to wake whoever’s sleeping on what used to be “my” side.
I had so much energy I researched recipes and went off to buy supplies for broccoli with Parmesan, chicken with dumplings, mushroom / barley soup, chicken fricassee, and chopped salad.
The energy ran out while I unpacked the supplies, but I had a short day on Thursday so I started a few dishes. I woke this morning to the soup base in the crockpot, and, damn, it smelled heavenly. The chopped salad turned out well, and it seems my head turned as well. I even ignored that I had broken the biggest crockpot the night before. I could do no wrong.
“I’m going to make popovers,” I thought. “I don’t need to look up the recipe.” Well, then my head straightened out, because who does that? I never do. I look up the recipe for boiled water. There were no differences between the Fanny Farmer recipe and Mom’s Betty Crocker recipe, only Mom’s cautioned against over-beating.
That’s why I poured out three thin popovers and three of nothing but lumps.”No problem,” I thought, “I am on a streak. I can do no wrong.”
I gambled on my cooking streak.
People, these were the worst popovers ever. Three were scrambled eggs in flour, three were water-filled crusts. I have lost my confidence. All I have to do to finish the soup is add the cream and heat, and I’ve decided we will just heat and assemble our individual bowls. Every man for himself with the cream. I am not to be trusted.
I’m a little afraid to touch the hat, too.
10 responses to “I Am Not Invincible”
Yes, don’t touch the hat right now! Wait for a rainbow on the horizon or some such. As for cooking, just be careful.
Luckily, there’s not a whole lot of care needed in opening a vat of Kozy Shack.
Ah yes, a visit from the fuck-up fairy. He tends to visit me a lot too.
Becs – The Muses have abandoned me. Got two weeks before the derby, no rush.Zayrina – What brings him on? Can he smell confidence?
What IS a popover? I bought a popover pan in the US, and we use it to make Yorkshire puddings. But popovers? No idea.
I have times like that too, when I can’t remember how to make something I’ve made over and over. It’s a slippery cove, confidence.
Big Dot – In the US,the recipe for popovers and Yorkshire pudding is the same, but the delivery differs. YP is the recipe ladled over beef drippings, which then puffs up, popovers are made in the pan separate from any meat.
You know, I’ve been cooking (and well!) since I was five, and I get caught all the time by that “don’t overstir” business.
Something none of my big fat cookbooks ever told me, which I had to learn from Shirley Corriher: let popover batter rest ten minutes before pouring it out, so the flour hydrates. That allows for maximum puff.
Elsa – after that hint I wanted to make Easter morning popovers, but I knew it would conflict with Easter lunch. Next weekend.
The difference between my YP and popovers is that in YP I use beef drippings and in popovers I use butter only.
Shirley Corriher says you only have to let it rest 10 minutes? My recipe says 45! Dang. She’s pretty smart, I’ve been wasting time all these years.
Courage!!!
Tami – Oh, odd – drippings to the batter in the popover pan? Huh.Hattie – I had the courage to touch the hat just tonight. It is now very very feathery and slanty. I’m going with it. I may attach a large bird to the side of my head.