All I planned to do this morning was post a pretty picture of my Christmas morning shortbread.
But a striking difference between two of my photos got me thinking before I’ve even finished my morning coffee. In addition to the usual butter, sugar, and flour in my basic recipe, this batch included freshly picked garden rosemary and tiny bits of pecan. Melt in your mouth goodness 2.0. Just a suggestion of savoy with a smidge of nutty crunch. Elevation in one bite.
On the one hand the right ingredients are everything to the success of the shortbread. But. The right ingredients alone don’t guarantee a perfectly finished product. Not even non-GMO, certified organic ingredients thoughtfully blended together will be enough IF they aren’t subjected to the heat that transforms them from three ordinary ingredients in a bowl to fabulousness on a plate to be enjoyed by others. The same high temperature that has the ability to completely ruin them is absolutely necessary to create the transformation that takes them from ingredients to shortbread perfection.
Life is the oven that transforms the stuff we’re made of into something unique. Fortunately, unlike carefully blended butter, sugar, and flour, there’s still hope even if the heat we experienced left us crispy on the edges or burned.
Just a little imperfect metaphor on this twenty-eighth day of December. Now I’m ready for my second cuppa. ♥️
The Daily Cuppa Jo 