…or culinary institute or maybe just writing a cookbook.

The course of the book will be called “Disable Your Fire Alarm & Open a Window” or “If You Can’t Take the Heat, You Really Should Just Go.”

I tried out two new possible recipes for the book (quite accidentally, mind you).

The first is this: If you leave quick-cooking oatmeal on the stove for I-dunno-maybe-it-was… then when you come back to it, if you have the right, intuitive touch like I do, it will have cooked into its own souffle kind of tarte, still possessing some of the fluffy chewiness you will recognise with regular oatmeal, but in a tidy crust!

Simply pick it up, top with marvellous French jams, fresh fruit, or the like, and eat with the ease of a folded pita. Et voila!

The second bit of culinary magic occurred at some point while I boiled three hard-boiled eggs this morning… for some amount of time. Through the process of boiling alllll of the water out of the pot & into the form of vapor, I made oeufs fumé! Perfectly (thank the L-rd!) smoked eggies and I didn’t even have to drain the water! I am saving steps while creating hearty, delicious meals and sides.

Again, thanks to my impressive sensitivity to all things fire-related, I knew JUST when to remember and go to my stove, cut the gas, and save scoop up the three eggs. I am sorry to say there are no pictures of the eggs or my pot. Some things are best written (or not). All of my techniques do come off with a bit of sudsy, warm water. Remember, these two little rubies of culinary magic occurred within maybe two hours of each other. Perhaps the adage, “When the student is ready,…” applies. Anyway, stay tuned. There may be a Julie and Julia-esque project in here, somewhere.

I would also like to say that I burnt the elbow of my best cardigan whilst bending over a flickering candle last week.

Pity.

Love & Flames, Melissa