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While my Scarface days of snorting a desk-full of coke and spraying a mansion with bullets are unfortunately behind me, I still get to occasionally dip into the white powder and get a little sloppy.

This time, it was *cornstarch.* 

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23xeoyKMCUJtK34NQT4r3NBHAevhzHSdXmXiYJ56SxPBGgWkqJ9ZkvWANz4ny8fK9zLTm.png)

I am making a Pavlova. 

And despite the name, it is an *Australian* dessert, designed around 100 years ago in honor of a Prima Ballerina touring the country. And, thankfully (since it is the only thing I know how to bake) it is the *perfect* recipe for Finnish summer, where it is easy to make as it is pretty much just beaten egg whites and it is topped with fresh cream and takes advantage of all the season berries - I like Blueberries and Strawberries. 

Here's a basic recipe if you want to try: https://www.joyofbaking.com/Pavlova.html


![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23x1U5GcLkHu5YCANboGdfYZrSxiwz8UMvLfZ3zXb5WFVTXbJ99wNatHv6otekBqwpQ6b.png)

Basically though - it is whip egg whites (I used 8 eggs) to soft peaks, add sugar, whip again to firm peaks, add corn starch, vinegar, vanilla (I don't put the cream of tartar - because I don't know what it is in Finnish) and fold that in. Put it in the oven at 130C until golden brown - let cool in oven.

Done. 

Well... add the cream and fruit on top once cooled. 

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23tw3jAyu9iar7Q6BSuhWwye6dKapC5kDMGEZypEqGxms7juCbyGE4ZtTcWreEYqGaweK.png)

Smallsteps was pretty excited - she got to lick the whisk blade and with about one cup of sugar to 8-10 eggs, it is pretty sweet. I liked this, because considering she is soon six, because of her allergies, her involvement with baking has been limited to far less exciting things but now, she is only gluten and lactose free, so we can roam a little wider and she gets to do some of the fun stuff - like lick the spatula too. 

The cake ("Pav" in Australian) is in the oven baking at the moment, but it will have plenty of time to cool because we will grill between, after my wife's parents arrive in about an hour. Which reminds me, I better check the gas level because - *that'd suck...* I do have a small charcoal grill too, so it wouldn't all be lost, but it is far more burdensome.  

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23ynZ22GR6hy256u4wsFqRBRxqRmWqMUZaGQ8LonxkoKyFVD1ABn5ABPQniYC4k361wNC.png)

My wife literally got the last strawberries in the store last night and they were *very expensive* at 20€ a kilo. Normally at this time of year they are closer to 5 euros - I guess the local Finnish strawberry farms have to transport them through Ukraine first. Price inflation, whether it is needed or not - isn't that price gouging? 

>Oh well.

What am I going to do about it? Still have to eat - though if prices stay like this, it isn't going to be a great amount of strawberries but soon, the blueberries (bilberries) will start growing in the forest and we can go and get them for free. We will also get some strawberries from the garden (if the family of pheasants that camps each year in the corner of the property don't get to them first) and hopefully, plenty of raspberries to go along with the rhubarb - then my wife can make some pies. 

>I wonder why I am getting fat.

This Autumn, we will *hopefully* be able to renovate our kitchen and while prices for materials are up, I at least already have most of the machines bought and stored, ready for installation. We still have to decide on final plans for the design and order the cupboards, but fingers crossed, there is supply available. We have workers booked at least - hopefully they will have something to do. 

The current kitchen isn't conducive to inspiring the will to cook, but I am hoping that once it is, we will spend more time in there as a family, experimenting with making different foods. I have always enjoyed cooking in general, but I have found that I never feel like I have the time to really get in and learn enough, meaning that it is "cooking to survive" more than *cooking to enjoy.* I figure that I am not the only one who is in this position. 

I am hoping that in the next few years, I will be able to do more of what I want to do and less of what I am forced to do, but that nearly always comes down to financial availability, something that is going to get harder to have over the coming year or two, unless well prepped. I am not as well prepped as I should be, definitely not as well as I would like to be - but isn't that the common case?

>Life is no cakewalk. 

But summer vacation is a little easier. 

Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]


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