The Lengths We Will Go To

I bought some wonderful strawberries this evening at the store. I just love this time of year when they are so fragrant and sweet. I also purchased some butter pound cake. Mmmmm...

So I cleaned the strawberries, added some sugar and homemade vanilla - mascerated them a little - and set them in the frig to do their thing.

After dinner I started assembling my dessert. Pound cake, strawberries and all their juices, and --- WTF!

Where are my co2 cartridges for my "whipper". I had the powdered sugar and cream in the container mixed and ready to be "poofed" into wonderful goodness....but I can't find my cartridges.

Surely to goodness my mother (who has been helping us pack) didn't pack them. She has been so specific about what can go in the boxes and into the Mayflower truck (she used to work for them).

For instance, no alcohol. Well shit, now I have to haul boxes of liquor myself. Wait and see, I am sure that will be the day I get pulled over for speeding...I can see it now.

"No officer, I haven't been drinking."

"Those? Oh those are used for cooking."

"What? Yes I use tequila for cooking - ever had a margarita cheesecake?"

"Of course they are open - you don't use an entire bottle at one time."

"Open container law?"

"Never heard of it."

Anyway, if alcohol can't be transported, I am sure there is some rule about co2 cartridges. I rummaged through every cabinet and even opened a few packed boxes with no luck. I now envision the truck exploding during transit. Great.

Well shit. I guess I'll whip the cream by hand. Ouch.

Not a good idea on the arm, wrist, shoulder - you name it.

Yes I am being somewhat lazy. I have a kick ass Kitchen Aid, but the bowl was used for the Margarita Cheesecake I made for my father-in-law this evening and it isn't clean.

Hmmmm.....so I put the wire wisk attachment on and held a bowl with the mixture in it under the beaters. Bang, bang, bang - splatter. The bowl is too small.

So I pour it into a larger bowl. Bang, bang, bang - whipped cream. Whew!

Wouldn't Cool Whip be simpler?

There certainly would be less dishes to wash now.