Somethings are just not meant to be.
I made chicken pot pie with a cornbread crust, an almost effortless recipe, forgiving and actually benefitting from having the sauce, chicken and vegetables cooked the day before and then combined just before you eat. Everything's going along swell and I step into the kitchen 7 minutes before it's done to check on it and discover the cornbread crust is black and smoking.
Did I panic, fall to ground cursing and shrieking like Linda Blair? I did not. I announced lunch would be a little delayed (what's the point of pretending?) and went back in the kitchen prepared to pry the crusty crust off and make a new one. My equanimity was rewarded, too; when I pushed a spatula under the burnt part, it came right off and revealed a perfectly done, unburnt layer below. Thank you Saint Donna of Reed. It was actually terribly yummy. I wish I had saved you some.
Of course, I forgot to mention I had also burned a pecan pie earlier that morning and NOTHING would save that sombitch. It was one of those stupid recipes where you put the pie in at one temperature and ten minutes later turn the oven down to a less blasto range, but I overlooked that step. Oops. Pecan charcoal.
Two burnt pies in one lunch: what are the chances? I regaled our guests with the story of R Man's old friend Mike who came to dinner often and we had some disaster each and every time. I must have been a little too enthusiastic in the telling, because all the guests (one of whom is an Episcopalian priest. I think he may have worried I was accusing him of some kind of anti-hostette voodoo) swore this was not their fault. I wasn't blaming you, I tried to say, but no one listens to me.
Anyway, the salad was delish. And not burnt.
Ooh, you're a regular Mrs. Lovett, you are!
ReplyDeleteThe one on the right looks like she'd be up for it with the muscle hunk.
ReplyDeletemaybe you should try a pot roast next time?
ReplyDeleteYou needed me. And this reminds about Steve burning his pies that time we all had Thanksgiving together. . . and come to think of it a similar burned crust (that turned out delish after a bit of scraping) one time we made that wonderful winter vegetable pie. I think your oven is pie-phobic.
ReplyDeleteOoo...I envy your dinner guests, but
ReplyDeletewhy don't you *try* to burn something next time, a "blackened" pecan pie perchance?
I'm sure it'd come out perfectly.
Thank you Saint Donna of Reed
ReplyDeleteAre you certain?
And not, Thank you Saint Aunt of Bee?
One time I set the dining room carpet on fire, much to the horror of holiday guests, while preparing cherries jubilee table-side.
ReplyDeleteMaybe your oven is possessed?!!
ALL saved by Mr. P's cool head in a crisis.
ReplyDeleteI burnt an entire pot of chickpeas this morning and had to open all of the windows and leave the apartment in order to escape the stink. I hope no one crawls in through the window.
ReplyDeleteYour lunch sounds delicious, the not burnt part of it. :)