I Make a Very Wet Souffle

I made a souffle today for the first time ever. Actual it was probably also the first time I had ever eaten one as well. Every time I hear the word souffle Carol Burnett comes to mind and the song she sings on the musical Annie where she says "I make a very dry martini, I make a very wet souffle." I think I have my father to thank for my ability to remember song lyrics appropriate for any occasion. Anyway back to souffle making. I think it turned out well. It was like eating cheese flavored air. Since souffles are supposed to be light and fluffy I think that is a good sign. It was also an important lesson in patience. When one is cooking a souffle the most important thing to remember is NOT TO OPEN THE OVEN. Easy enough huh? Not for Miss Impatient. I open the oven for everything I cook at least half a dozen times. I caught myself in the act at least twice this time. Finally I went upstairs and just ignored it. Overall I liked it, James didn't, which was surprising and the verdict is still out for Jay. Of course since he didn't come home until an hour after it came out of the oven I am not sure his opinion counts.
I love experimenting with food, especially the stuff that no one really ever cooks. I taught myself how to bake bread in college. I had a friend of Hispanic heritage teach me how to make tamales. I have dabbled in Moroccan cuisine, Vietnamese, Thai, and Indian. Having recently reentered the carnivorous scene, I am pretty darned good at cooking tofu too. I think most people enjoy my cooking although there have been some doozies in the past. It occurred to me a week or two ago that I had never tried to make a souffle before. Obviously my curiosity had to be satisfied. I called up my cooking guru Nancy and asked for the lowdown on souffle making. (I think Nancy could make some good money giving cooking lessons).
I can confidently say I am a good cook. The only thing that has been giving me fits lately is my baking skills. I am not terribly good at baking. Most cakes and brownies for me come from a box. Some of you reading this may remember a certain Easter cake a few years ago. I blame that mistake on being pregnant at the time. I think the problem comes from being impatient. Cooking is a little more instant gratification. Baking takes longer, involves more pans usually, and makes me feel fat. But lately I have been craving the perfect cookie. The one that tastes good, and is soft and gooey on the inside. Mine have been less than sweet and terribly crunchy or just plain burned. I guess I will keep working on that.
I think my next cooking experiment will be chocolate molaise. For those who don't know, molaise is a type of Mexican sauce used for enchiladas and other dishes and sometimes it is made with cocoa. That is my kind of meal.