For the second year in a row, I spent the big dinner with one of my sister’s in-laws. Mom still made a few things, but at least she didn’t have to cook or host the whole thing. As a matter of fact, Mom stayed home with Dad and we brought them back plates. Talk about service!
Before the Big Meal
Once again, I made Naturally-Dyed Red Velvet cupcakes. So, the first question is always what “natural dye” was used. Answer: A beet. A very large beet. Then, I explained that in order to retain its beautiful color, the beet must be raw going into the blender and the batter has to be acidic.
Long-Time Coming
In true Teresa fashion, I forgot the cream cheese to make the frosting. I pivoted and made a buttercream frosting instead. I’d made that cream cheese frosting twice before and both times it came out runny. Mom said that I’d used too much butter. I’d used the amount of butter the recipe had called for both times; so it must be my technique.
Among the Oenophiles
A few days later, a long awaited book finally materialized. Many things went sideways during the pandemic, including this book. The idea was to have poets to write about wine and then upon its release, we’d meet and different wineries to read and sip.
I’m enjoying the contributions, but not while sipping wine. Since writing my wine poem, “Dear Malbec,” I no longer have a daily glass of wine. Only on the weekends. Another pivot I’ve had to make, but this time, it’s not due to a missing ingredient, but rather me getting older and having the wisdom to know I have to make changes to continue enjoying life.