No matter what happens in the kitchen, never apologize. - Julia Child

While reading "My Life in Paris" by Julia Child it occured to me that I have never posted about mistakes. I can admit that over the years my total flops are few and far between. However, I never want to give the impression that I don't have absolutely FANTASTIC disasters every now and then. So, while cleaning up my folders on my computer I stumbled across this beauty of a picture and had to share it with everyone.

This is what happens when you forget that you are in the process of making Banoffee Pie. I have made this recipe so many times without a hitch that this time I got careless. I put the sweetened condensed milk in the boiling water, set my timer, hit to couch to watch some Dexter and promptly forgot that I had anything cooking on the stove. The water fully evaporated and the result was that instead of caramel being formed at a constant low temperatire of 100F it quickly rose to whatever heat my elements can throw out - probably close to 400F.

Luckily Ryan heard a rattling sound (the noise of the can vibrating with heat in the now empty pot). We both approached this ticking bomb with caution. Burns are no joke and I don't think I can imagine a worse substance to be burned with than scorching caramel. From behind a dishtowel sheild I turned off the element, slowly placed the lid on the pot and every so gently slide it off the hot burner and to the back burner. We both knew better then to touch the actual can (have you ever seen that Simpsons episode when Bart puts Homer's beer can in the paint shaker?) and decided to deal with it in a few hours when it had cooled.

As we were walking out of the kitchen we heard the sharpest and loudest "pop" and the backs of our legs were sprayed with drops of caramel. The can had exploded open and there was caramel everywhere. When I say everywhere, I mean EVERYWHERE. This happened more than a year ago and I am still occassionally finding drops of caramel hardened onto surfaces near the ceiling, under counters and across the room.

So! When everything goes to pot and you're ready to throw in the dishtowel just channel Julia, have another sip of wine and just keep smiling.

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