Spiced Eggplant: A Cautionary Tale

Let this be a lesson unto thee: just because something sounds good in theory (and maybe even smells good while cooking) does not mean it will taste good in actuality. I even tried mixing this with a bit of mushroom gravy to dull the taste, but to no avail. Never, ever do this.

Fudge No More!! (or, accidental candy)

Last week, I made my first attempt EVER at making fudge! Exciting, right? Since I've never made candy before in my life I decided to buy a candy thermometer, since there is no way I'd be able to tell when the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage. Anyway, why drop candy into a pot of water to figure out if it's done when you can just use a thermometer? Mine came with a handy clip that let me abandon it in the pot, which was helpful.