I Don't Like Working Like A Robot

The other day I read a post that reminded me of my childhood. Nothing is more pleasant than remembering my childhood. Childhood, spent a little after the middle of the last century, in a village in northern Romania was, at the same time, hard but also beautiful!

I have only one regret when I remember my childhood, the regret that I was so stupid that I didn't realize I was living the best part of my life.

Well, in this post, The Round Flat Cake, Denise, @dswigle, reminds me of apple pancakes, pancakes that I haven't had since my mom made them, long, long time ago.

Beyond the pleasure of remembering, reading Denise's post, and seeing the photos, I smelled, instantly, the smell of apples and cinnamon, a smell that filled my grandmother's little house and woke me up immediately, no matter how early in the morning it was.
But not only that was the effect of remembering those wonderful pancakes, but also the desire to eat them again and that was only possible if I had taken the time to make them myself. Especially since Denise gives the recipe in her post, an easy recipe for anyone to make.

In the excitement of the moment, after deciding to get started on making pancakes as quickly as I could, I also commented on the post and told Denise of my intention, beyond thanking her for giving me such joy by writing about these goodies.

My comment:

"I remember my childhood. I need to make these pancakes. I just went to the market and bought apples but I realize I forgot to buy eggs. I read your recipe well but my memory failed me. I have to go out now to buy eggs too, look, Denise, what your post makes of me! Not only a cook but also a traveler. When I saw the photo of the apples in the pan I instantly smelled them mixed with cinnamon. Lovely. Thank you!"

I think it was well understood, I intended to make this recipe of Denise's and for that, I had to make two trips to the supermarket and market to buy the necessary ingredients. I went to the store and bought, so this post can be included in the #MarketFriday category, I think everyone agrees. Thanks!

And yet, I forgot one important aspect.

I wasn't home alone and my wife had long wanted to try an apple pie recipe made in the pan, not the oven. When she saw the ingredients I had bought, which, coincidentally, matched the ingredients needed for her pie, she suggested we make her pie.

I was put in a big bind, because I promised to make the pancakes according to Denise's recipe and, on the other hand, my wife is a big child and it's hard to stand up to children's wishes. I told her that I had to choose between two recipes and she reminded me that democracy reigns in our house and we have to vote which recipe will be first.

We voted, just the two of us, and I don't know how it happened that her recipe was chosen! ( Actually, I know, also from Denise, who once told me that "happy wife = happy life" or something like that).

I was lacking inspiration for this week's post for #marketfriday and when I saw Denise's pancake recipe, beyond wanting to make the pancakes myself, I knew I would also write about my experience with this action. Now I feel compelled to write about my wife's apple pie...

Apple pancake

Ingredients:

three apples
two eggs
sugar 140g
oil 60ml
milk 150ml
flour 200g
baking powder, cinnamon, salt, vanilla sugar

Preparation:

It is a pie that is very easy to make.

In a bowl, we mix all the ingredients listed above. A soft dough will result.

Wash and clean the apples, then cut them into thin slices.

We need a pan with a non-stick coating and quite high. Place the apple slices on the pan.

Pour the batter over the apples.

Cover the pan with a lid and place over low heat to cook for 25 minutes.

After the 25 minutes were up I took the lid off and checked the pie. I found the top too soft, i.e. uncooked, and left it on the heat for another 5 minutes.

I turned off the heat and removed the pie from the pan. The moment of truth came and... I didn't like it! It was burnt!

After such an unsuccessful attempt I need to know the mistakes I made and learn from them.

I like cooking a lot, trying to make all kinds of dishes and even experiments, that is not to be guided by recipes, that is to follow the recipes but to allow myself to make small or big changes. Of course, this approach often leads to pleasant surprises but also to failures but this was the way I learned to cook.

I like to cook freely and I don't like to work like a robot!

That's why I've avoided baking, which involves precise, no-fail steps and actions. I don't like to weigh, measure, count, set the clock when I bake. That pays off and I suffer what I have shown above.

The mistakes I think I made may be the following...

The dough must have been too thin because I put in approximate amounts, by eye, of flour and milk. The intensity of the fire on the stove was not ideal. Maybe the size of the pan was not right.

The next time I try it I will be more careful with the quantities and baking times and maybe I will succeed. Until then I can say that I have succeeded in saving the pie. I scraped off the burnt, thin part, with a knife and the rest was edible AND very tasty!

Am I to believe it was Denise's revenge? No, not a chance. Denise is such a mild-mannered person that she can hardly be angry with anyone. In the four and a half years we've known each other here, I've often tried to upset her and failed.

Still, I have to apologize, and what can I do that best with? With a flower, of course, #alwaysaflower. And with a ray of sunshine trying to get into my house every morning.

Now I remember our mutual friend, but more Denise's, @old-guy-photos, who used to call her Sunshine!

For #MarketFriday by @dswigle