Sunnyside Up

Egg photo by Paolo Neo

Sunnyside up

Two eggs

Sourdough toast

Crisp, salty bacon

A dab of boysenberry jam

French roast

And the tang of a tall glass

Rolos in my drawer

There were two Rolos in my drawer.  “Were.”  Caramel, gooey, gone.

Rainy Summer Day

Wet driveway

Pitter-patter on the trees

Thirsty grass sips

And sips some more

Wet world

Wet summer day

Strawberry Season

Strawberries grow ripe

Climb the vine

To the sun

Strawberry Season

Fresh and Red

Fresh and Red

Sweet and Juicy

Cotton Candy

Cotton Candy.  Stick to the fingers.  Each bite stickier and sticker.  Each bite-careful, keep my fingers dry.  Cotton candy.

Springtime Grille

Sizzle on the grille

On the spring evening

A couple of dogs

A couple of burgers

Grille the bun

Just right, its done

Froot Loops and Pink Milk

Morning has arrived.  Alas.  Through the cereal cabinet I raid.  Economy size Froot Loops.  Three or four bowls and drink the pink milk when its all gone.

A Child of the 1970’s

Break the stale gum in a pack of Topps.  Reggie Jackson, Pete Rose.  Dad has just sprung for some cards and a Snickers for my brother and me with the change from his Hamilton for filling up the Mercury Monarch.

Caramel, Get Your Apples

Caramel.  Quite possibly the best thing ever invented.  It drips between cracks and oozes between kernels, sticking to fingers, sticking to the roof of our mouth.
Caramel makes the salty sweet with its golden kiss.  “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,” as I lick the golden goo off of my fingers.  I dig for my prize as the home team scores and shove the last heavenly bites of childhood into my mouth.  Caramel, so sweet.
My Sundae stands tall.  Golden drips hang in mid-air.  I catch them one by one with my elongated sundae spoon.  This is caramel.  Too slow to hit the ground, yet too fast to catch it all.  It dribbles down my chin, too good to wipe off.  Caramel.  Have you ever wondered what coats your Cracker Jack?  What drips down your sundae?  Certainly this is no earthly creation.
But it is.  Sugar or syrup when put over sufficient heat becomes caramelized.  The edges become golden, careful not to stick to the bottom of the copper kettle.  If even a morsel of your sugar burns, the entire concoction will taste acrid.  Keep stirring.  Your sugar is getting there.  Thicker and thicker-get some popcorn, I think we have some caramel.
I want to make caramel candies.  How does caramel finally obtain its gooey texture?  When butter and cream are added to caramelized sugar, it thickens and, once cooled, it can be stretched and cut into the candies we are all familiar with.  Time to get the apples.

Apple photo by Paolo Neo

Mountain Mikes Pizza in Davis

My favorite table.  Ah, crispy pepperoni.  Sunday is half-off pizza night.  I usually try and take advantage of that every now and then.  Refill the soda.  Extra sauce, extra cheese, just the way I like it.  The Raiders are battling the Chiefs on the widescreen.  Pizza and football.  Life is pretty good.  Mountain Mike’s in Davis.

Pizza photo by Jon Sullivan