Cookies of Despair

Herself and I tried out a new recipe for Halloween - chocolate-chip-pumpkin cookies. They are a lovely fall color, and quite tasty, I think. (Herself thinks so too, although she must pick out the chocolate chips to avoid migraine.) Alas, the Offspring were not interested in consuming the cookies. Instead, they ate drop-forged-store-bought-donuts. Or Pop Tarts.

Herself realizes that not all recipes will be successful. Yet, of the four humans in the household besides Herself, only 25 to 50% at any given time can be relied upon to try anything new or exhibit enthusiasm for homemade goods. Herself's Beloved is always game, but he works such long hours that he is not often home to consume whatever Herself has made, and so she does not often cook items specifically for him lest they spoil and go to waste. Of the Offspring, it is extremely rare that all will enjoy the same particular item. The three must be cajoled to taste something new, with varying degrees of inveigling depending on which child is most hesitant. The odds are, only one of the three will enjoy a new item enough to consume a noticeable quantity of it.

And so, Herself remains a frustrated and despondent cook.

Fortunately, the holiday season is swiftly approaching, and Herself will have an opportunity to satisfy her stifled love of cooking by providing baked goods as gifts to her friends. Maybe they will like the cookies.