At this point, I can only imagine that my poor oven is about ready to go on strike. Groaning and rattling at every request for increased temperature, it has hardly had an hour to cool down. Walking into the kitchen, the atmosphere feels the same as walking across the equator, only drier heat and with sweeter smelling air by far. In the past three or four days alone, I’ve been working on cupcakes, brownies, birthday cake, gingerbread… And that’s not even half of what remains on my “to-bake” list. The next week will bring only more birdays, more holiday cookies, desserts for family dinners, all of which will be due on very inflexible deadlines.
I don’t mind the rush [yet], but the frenetic energy filling the house can sometimes cause small mistakes or simple oversights as one rushes to get everything done. Brain farts, if you will. The gingerbread I mentioned had been destined to become the structure of a small house, but in my haste, for some inexplicable reason I decided to use a brand new, untested recipe. Bear in mind, I do have a solid, tried and true method for crisp and delicious gingersnaps, perfectly suitable to be enlarged to create sturdy walls… But somehow I didn’t make that connection at the time. Suffice to say, the results were less than satisfactory, and my plans to build a cookie-based home will have to be put on hold until January when things calm down a bit. Such is life, although I won’t deny my disappointment by this twist of fate.
Trying to exist independly of my overworked oven for atleast one afternoon, I turned to a different tried and true method for gingerbread. Upon request, I revisited this pattern, but making small modifications to turn the faux-gingerbread man into a sweet little bear instead. All that was really necissary to complete the transformation was the addition of ears and a nose, but for some reason I find this second attempt somehow more endearing. I guess I really am more of an animal – person than a people – person.
Now if you would excuse me, I think I need to start pre-heating the oven…
Okay, so I cheated and looked at your blog…just had to see how my bear came out! I LOVE HIM! Thank you so much….
I am also more of an animal person than a people person :)