If You Can't Take the Heat . . .

Oh please. These days, it's so hot and humid in our kitchen I wonder why the hell I would want to build a career in one. I spend my days trying to get into the freezer as often as I can. If I could take out each french fry at a time for an order (and I don't even work on that side of the line), I would gladly do that. I go into the freezer to count items for inventory and take my sweet time, when once, long ago (was it really that long ago?) I would run in, grab what I needed and run out. And if I didn't find it in the 2 seconds I was in there, then I probably didn't really need it anyway. Who would have thought that months ago, some of us stood in the kitchen in scarves, hoodies, and hats, volunteering to work the grill just so we wouldn't freeze? It's so hot, that one of the lights near the gas range goes out periodically. It's so hot, I repent my sins so that I won't have to continue suffering in the afterlife. Do you get the point, or must I go on?

It's too hot to eat and yet my stomach still knows hunger. I can't think of food, but if I don't eat, I know I'd pass out. Yesterday one of the guys made guacamole and I ate a ramekin full with a spoon. He chuckled at me, "spooning it." Besides the fact I love the stuff by itself and would gladly eat it in spoonfuls, who wants to fry up tortilla chips? And yes, we cut the tortillas and fry them to order.

Needless to say, I haven't baked anything at home in a while, and cooking consists of warming up something I've brought home. I have many ideas for desserts but they require the use of an oven, and until it cools off some, they will remain ideas. I do owe someone a batch of birthday brownies, and someone else deserves a little treat, so I'll be baking in the morning.

If I could, I'd probably eat an Original Rainbow Cone every day for every meal. I miss those cones so much. I would love to make ice cream myself, but I don't have an ice cream maker, and today at work I was reminded that before you can enjoy that delicious cold treat, you must stand over the stove and stir, stir, stir your custard base, and let me tell you, standing over a hot stove stirring a stockpot full of vanilla base will put anyone off of ice cream for a while. Unless it's Ben & Jerry's.

It's hard to believe that August is upon us. Just a couple of weeks ago, it was cool enough to require a light sweater-yes, sweater. It was chilly on the 4th, watching fireworks with friends on a coworker's deck. I am looking forward to Fall and baking bread. Until then, I'll let someone else do the cooking, or stick to cheese sandwiches.