This is a Comeback…

So, I was in the shower not half an hour ago…yes, I know, weird way to start a food blog…and I came to yet ANOTHER realization.

FACT: Stage Managers are like Vanilla Extract. Stage Manager. Vanilla Extract. Battlestar Galactica. (Also, I’m an avid Office fan)

But seriously, people. I was thinking about vanilla extract. It is so freaking crucial to so many delicious baked goodies. And by now, we should all be familiar with my vanilla no measuring policy. Rarely do we even notice it’s presence–it just works it’s magic, enhancing our chocolates, cookies, cakes, scones, muffins, alcoholic beverages, some savory Carribbean dishes, biscotti, etc. But if you leave it out, you can taste the blandness—these goodies will lack a certain depth—a chaotic mess of ingredients just begging to be tied together. So the life of a stage manager. But more on that in a second.

Bacaaardi and Vaniiiila...

I’m not sure if I’ve ever told you exactly how to DIY vanilla extract. It’s so simple, and I’ve been doing it for the past three years. And really, it’s completely worth it. This is exactly what Ina Garten means when she says to use “good vanilla extract.” Side note—can I get sued for making that claim? Anywho, get yourself a nice bottle of rum and 3-4 vanilla beans. The better (or stronger) the rum, the more vanilla beans you’ll need. Example, if you’re just using plain old Bacardi—three should be fine. But if we go Bacardi Gold or (dare I suggest) Mount Gay Rum, maybs go with 4 or 5. You’ll be happier in the end. Place the vanilla beans into the bottle, close tightly, and let the bottle sit in a cool, dark place (like your cabinet or pantry) for 3-4 weeks (again, the better or stronger the rum, the longer you wait–but 4 should be plenty). And there you have it! Homemade Vanilla Extract. One batch should get you through 6-8 months of baking. I’d give it a shelf life of a year. You can also use whiskey. CDR–care to share your thoughts?

Last night I made a spaghetti and meatball dinner. Oh. My. God. I don’t want to say that I’m so freaking awesome that I totally nailed it, but…I’m so freaking awesome that I totally nailed it. Sauce was perfectly garlic-ed (the technical term) and the meatballs were pretty succulent (I maintain that the reason behind that is the use of fresh crumbled Italian bread rather than bread crumbs). Super yummy. I made that Hershey’s Dark Chocolate cake for dessert. Result? Oh. My…Meh.

The cake itself was delicious. Moist, chocolate-y, vanilla-y. And I had let some blackberries macerate in some brown sugar, vanilla, and basil which I put on top of the caramel topping. Here’s the trouble. I didn’t cook the caramel all the way. So—the taste was just fine. Lovely, even. Complex. But the texture…not so much. The sugar hadn’t totally dissolved, so it was kind of just like biting into a warmer, gooier version of brown sugar on top of chocolate cake. And after that sentence, I’m wondering why I’m complaining. Still, though–average marks for texture. Not a home run. Issokay, though.

And here we come full circle. The Anna of yester-year (as in pre-2012) would have taken it pretty hard–not having a perfect cake. I probably would have gone on for hours in a state of self-deprecation and inner loathing because what jackass cooks caramel for two minutes and calls it a day, right? Well, no longer–ladies and gentlemen. I hereby introduce the Anna of today. She is chill, and she is making a comeback.

The hair’s been dyed, the tattoo has healed, the closet’s been cleaned, a box has been packed. I have chosen a Vanilla Extract career, but I’m not choosing a Vanilla Extract life (yep–used a botched caramel sauce to allow myself another ramble). I enjoy making the perfect dish, the perfect sauce, the perfect cheesecake–but if something goes awry, or I’m having too much fun that I rush along a dish–I can be okay with the imperfections. I can live with myself and love myself. Oh boy–is that self-esteem boosting? The bells of happiness chiming? Essentially, I think I’ve discovered (yes, MORE discoveries) that I spend a whole lot of time trying to please or impress others and when I fall short, I take a pretty hard hit. Why? What’s the point? Let’s make ourselves happy, live out loud for ourselves and not for others. Like vanilla extract, we’re all so important. We all matter. But I’m a little tired of life behind the scenes.

So, suck it caramel sauce. I’m back.

…And now you all think I’m insane.

~ by arose898 on February 6, 2012.