Balsamic Vinegar

Oh my. When did I discover the joy and pleasures of cooking with balsamic vinegar? I'm not quite sure, but tonight I was thoroughly delighted by the smell of this wonder ingredient as my chicken was roasting with a glaze made with balsamic vinegar...swiped over the pieces of chicken, mixed in with the red potatoes, peppers, onions and garlic cooking beneath said chicken. Oh my. D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S. It cooks down to such an enticing sweetness - as I smelled the aromas wafting from the oven, I was tempted to open the oven door and enjoy the blissful smell alone. But, being of an energy efficient mind, I kept my distance (not TOO far) and luxuriated in the essences of flavors emitting from the oven. Did I mention the vinegar's friend, rosemary? I do believe the dance they performed added to the lure.

Needless to say, I am fast becoming a balsamic vinegar devotee. Yum, yum, YUM.

What does the future hold?

I am checking out the blog "The Pioneer Woman" and although I am wishing for that countrified life, I am here. In Santa Barbara. A Southern California city. And I work full-time doing something other than my passion. But as a friend said last night over dinner..."Are you resigned to not... I've opted to just go with 'bloom where you're planted' and do for Jesus" or something along those lines. I need to opt for this more than I have allowed. Gratefully my job has opened up opportunities to do a LOT of what I enjoy - especially baking and catering. People have been so kind and encouraging. I have more opportunities to put in hours upon hours in the kitchen (mostly late at night owing to that full-time thing that occupies my days) than I imagined I would.

I made this wedding cake for a lovely couple last weekend - it's my "signature" lemon cake with lemon curd frosting served with a blackberry sauce.

I'm not into fancy frosting decorations, so the flowers are the key players in any "beauty" people behold.  Me - I'm into making a cake that tastes good.  Fortunately, that's what's helped sell my baking to people who want to pay me for my baking...and cooking.

Now...what does the future hold?  My piano tuner husband has purchased a Furniture Medic franchise and that is our new venture. I say OUR because I hope that is what it will be...I'm excited...and today I'm overwhelmed.  Can I do anything to get this off the ground? Can I really be a part of this business?  Can I market this? I know I can do the computer work on the office end, but someone needs to push this along and make it a viable and growing business. I see the future, but am feeling inadequate today.

So here's to blooming where I'm planted, and to knowing that this is a Michael and Karen thing. That excites me. Together, again, at last (I stole that line from a story-teller on NPR's "Snap Judgment").