Levelling Up

I rely on hope when it comes to recipes. It's about trust, really. I trust the instructions will, if followed, result in a pan of stuff that will at least in some way resemble the photo. I'm successful enough, often enough, to consider myself a half-way decent cook. There have been some epic failures, The Incident of The Purple Stew being chief among them, but on the whole I can be counted upon to follow a recipe and produce something which, while it may not exactly match the photo, at least matches the definition of 'food'.

Unless the recipe came from Mother, who is crafty and leaves things out. She changes small ratios, which cause Yorkshire Puddings to fall. She omits important tricks, like chilling bowls. She fails to impart the arcane secrets of cold vinegar in pastry. She writes in hieroglyphics. She is sly.

Which is why I am always so pleased when I catch her in the act and why my Chocolate Oat Delights this year will finally be as glossy and rich as hers. 

Use large flake oats. Cool at room temp.

She is sly.