It's all about chemistry

Proof of my inner mortality

Picture it, Rochester, Thanksgiving Eve, 2011.  My mother, sister and I are spread out in my sister's kitchen preparing the stuffing for the next day's feast.  We were discussing Thanksgiving's past and the newest Muppet movie (outstanding!)   Out of nowhere I announce that I believe that I am dead inside.  My mother, who has the patience of a saint, has heard this one before and ignores me to keep on sauteing.  My sister is also used to my occasional ridiculous questions/tangents/observations but was caught off guard as she was focused on measuring Romano cheese and chopping parsley.  She asked me, "Wait? What?  You were as blunt as if you were giving a weather report.  'Tomorrow it will be forty degrees. Partly cloudy.  I am dead' inside.  Of course you are not dead inside!  You were just singing and dancing along with the MUPPETS! What the hell is going on here?"   So, here's what's going on here... 


Last week, I went out on a series of perfectly normal, nice, even fun dates and I said I would NOT blog about them.  Well, actually, I said I would not blog about the guy.  Slight difference.  I did exactly what I set out to do.  I shut up and dated.  It was successful and stress free. Dare I say even enjoyable.  He was cute,smart and made me laugh.  Here's the kicker though.  There were no sparks.  I mean zero.  NONE.  We went out twice, because I wanted to make sure there wasn't even a glimmer of something resembling a spark.  On the second date we went to the movies and I spent the whole time making sure I wasn't touching the arm rest because I didn't want him to think I was making overtures and have him reach for my hand or worse, my knee! Had that happened I then I would have had to awkwardly get up to go to the bathroom. Yeah, a bit out of control but the point is, he was a very nice guy and I didn't want to inadvertently do something silly and hurt his feelings.  You know, like jump up out my chair in the middle of the movie and blurt out "NO thank you." Because it's hard to recover from something like that.   

I was not blinded by science

I just wasn't feeling it.  Which I realize is fine.  You aren't going to spark with every guy that comes your way, which I good because I can barely imagine how exhausting that would be.   All of that is well and good.  It's what comes next that got me thinking.  Here is this perfectly nice man and I can barely summon a "meh" from inside my soul. Meanwhile approximately five months ago, lesser specimen sent my heart a-racin.  Why?   Why would my subconscious think a jerkface is A-OK but not this seemingly sweet man?  What's up, soul?   The short answer is who the hell knows?  It's chemistry, baby.  I could choose to drive myself crazy, or I can continue to shut up and date.   This time around, it's shut up and date. 


With chemistry on the brain, today's recipe is Sponge Candy!  Sponge candy is science at it's most delicious!  It's the baking soda/vinegar volcano of your 4th grade science class dipped in chocolate and given away as a Christmas gift!  


Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 TB white vinegar
1 TB baking soda




Line 9 inch square pan with foil, leaving 2 inching hanging off of sides and coat foil with butter. Combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar in large, deep sauce pan. Stir over med. heat until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking without stirring until candy thermometer reads 300 degrees swirling pan occasionally, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat.  Immediately add baking soda and stir until well combined.  Immediately pour into prepared pan and cool completely. 


Use foil to lift candy from pan. Fold foil down sides.  Cut or break candy into pieces.  Dip into melted chocolate.  Let set completely before storing.  Can be made 1 week ahead of time.