It's a dirty job.....

Yesterday we didn't line the square mold
and the brownie batter flowed underneath onto the sheet pan.
It still baked up nicely, but not pretty enough for sale
So we had to eat them
Still warm, intensely chocolately, a touch of coffee,
And a bit fudgy in the center.
So this morning we lined the mold.
The recipe calls for 2 ounces of 'dark liquor of choice'
Today we're using Guiness in the deep chocolate brownies
And Guiness does not come in a 2 ounce bottle.
Which means there are leftovers
Which means that at 10:30 in the morning
Chef and I are having a toast.
Oh, I really hate this job, we say,
smiling. F'n pastry.
When a truffle breaks
or the lavender sea-salt coin cracks
Oh, no, you have to eat it
Oh, nooooo, I hate this job
The words belied by the smile
the closing and fluttering of eyelids
as chocolate and spices dance over the tastebuds.
Pastry.
It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
Fortunately, that someone is me.