Smells of Bulgaria
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Last week after work I was a little tired and wanted to make a simple dinner rather than spending two hours in the kitchen preparing stuff. So I had a look around the kitchen and saw a brownie mix that had been sent all the way from America. That box was worth about $12 because of shipping to get it over here, but much more than that actually because it is not available here anywhere! I would buy it for $30 if I could!!! I have been so happy that my family has been so helpful with that sort of thing. We have been sent just about everything you can think of that could possibly make living overseas a little more like home.
Excited and full of hope again, I mixed up the brownies, carefully heated the oven to the right temperature, and threw them in the oven for our dinner that night! I had a few minutes to kill so I thought I would try multitasking and run down to the store on the corner to get some bread for the next day. The bread here is much different than the States, it only takes a few days before it starts growing little green friends, so we have to buy it often.
I got back approximately nine minutes after I had put the brownies in the oven and so I knew I had a little more time before the brownies would be finished, but I decided to check them just to make sure. To my horror, when I opened the oven door I smelled the most nauseating and disappointing smell of perhaps the last seven months. It was a classic case of burnt around the edges, but not quite done in the middle. But the conditions were exactly the same as the last time that I had made brownies! What was my mistake?! I will never know.
The silver lining was that we were able to salvage the inside of the brownie goodness. So we still ate it for dinner that night right out of the pan with forks, but it was not quite as satisfying as neat little squares. This has taught me an important lesson, and that is to never ever let something on or in the stove out of my sight, even for nine minutes.
Posted byUnknown at 7:01 PM
I am pleased to be the first to comment on the b22blogstars website. Anyway, Jason - your bread gets moldy? It's not supposed to get moldy after a few days, it's supposed to get stale. You must be doing something wrong. Also, brownies for dinner? Excellent call.
How sad. This happens to us everytime we make brownies too :( Initially I thought this was because Wil burns everything he cooks, but nope they burn every time after only SEVEN mins at our house! It's tough to eat even the good parts when the house smells like burned food. I feel your pain.
Isn't it obvious why your brownies burned? The oven temperature was too high, for crying out loud...! No matter what the box says, set it for half that much. Then let it slowly bake to just until it is set but still soft in the middle. It may take a while. Then take it out and let it cool. The half baked dough will prove to be a moist, lovely goo that everyone will love to crumbs. :)