Anne's Accidental Incindiary Device---A.K.A. Gumbo!

Why, you might ask, after my last post being about the impending snowstorm, would I post this toasty photo here??? (no it's not my work..from a free site...) What would that have to do with a blizzard when I have no fireplace? And before you start to worry, I did not--repeat, DID NOT--set fire to anything! LOL!!!

Well, after sneaking out to shovel some snow without the knowledge of the DH, who was home all day Tuesday, and getting busted mid-driveway (hey, it was good exercise for my leg!) I made my way to the kitchen to get the cooking done. I figured I would have internet access later in the day, and could catch up on e-mail, blogs, etc then, and begin some studio work. Well there was an assinine assumption......HA! (add Grinch inflection to tone here)

At any rate, there were two main things I wanted to cook; gumbo and carrot cake. Both of these items require every pot, pan, bowl, chopping board, any possible kitchen implement owned, but none the less, it was heavy food that would keep us warm.

Now, I have a *vague* gumbo recipe. A couple actually, that I sort of have in the brain and change with the items I have on hand. It is always GOOD, and I do mean authentic New Orleans GOOD, but I always am alone when I cook.

DH, being the thoughtful man he is, decided to keep me company in the kitchen, due to the long and tiring process of chopping, roux-making, seasoning, etc etc that eventually turns into a bowl of pure heaven, fit for the gods.

Since he is at work during the day, I am totally accustomed to cooking alone.....i.e. my concentration cannot be lost. I can't talk and cook on things where there is no written list. Thus when it came time for the seasoning, and that is the most critical part of the gumbo next to the quality of the roux, I got a little lost.

Three times.

I put the cayenne pepper, HOT hot sauce and NOLA seasoning I make into the pot THREE TIMES.

The flame picture????? That's what the gumbo felt like on my tongue. I had sweat pouring off my skull. My eyes watered. I felt like I had snorted straight pepper up my snout. My throat burned. I could feel it going all the way down to settle in my stomach, beginning an attempt to remove the stomach lining, which began to warm and glow sufficient that I stripped down to my requisite winter men's A-shirt under-attire. That was not pretty.......

And I polished off a huge bowl.

Thank heavens for the carrot cake, which I ate with great gusto, in a vain attempt to smother the internal flames. And ate. And ate. Which now resulted in problem number two, sugar rush. My teeth ached not only from heat but from sugar. This did not stop me. On piece number three I was pretty sure one more bite would make me ill, and I threw in the towel.

Well, that was the kitchen part. Yesterday morning I wake again to no connectivity to the internet and feeling the need for exterior contact with the human race (and after rather interesting internal effects of previous meal........) I decided leaning out the upstairs windows with a dust mop, into the freezing cold to swab off the radio receiver for the broadband was a good idea. And it was until I almost fell out, then conked myself on the head getting back IN.

You see, DH has good reason to keep an eye on me at all times. I just get into mischief. It is in my blood.

So here is the report since I last posted:

Work on banners? None.

Work on a bazillion dirty dishes? Accomplished.

Work on countless piles of laundry? In process.

Work on allergy? Oh, still looking for a good, big flea collar......it would have to help!

Work on incindiary device known as gumbo? Trying to figure that one out.....maybe more chicken stock, and a second making of roux........or something to numb my innards.

Thinking about eating cake? Not yet......... >:-[

Hopefully I will actually get to the point of studio work, and be able to report such.

Again, I have to say, I work alone, and when I'm not, well..........you get stories like this instead. 

I apologize for not getting around to personal replies to all comments, but y'all know everything is read. Hopefully by tomorrow I will be back to blog hopping and a semi-normal state of existance.

I'm not holding my breath though.....there is still too much heat in me! I don't want to be one of those people who spontaniously combust......

Now go have a good one and a good laugh on your silly blog mistress!

Pax.