An Unexpected Occurrence
Today started out with a lot on my to do list and I hadn’t factored in much time for an unexpected occurrence. Getting ready for a 5-day Pie Camp® has lots of elements and little details, and this time my son and I are doing all the cooking for it, too. One of my chores today was to make a double batch of homemade humus to take. I had soaked my beans overnight and planned on cooking them up first thing this morning. I knew it would take a while to reach a boil before turning them down to simmer for a couple of hours, so I put the kettle on for coffee. By the time the coffee was made, the beans were still quite a ways from a boil so I decided to slip back into bed with my mug and book… just for a few minutes. This was not a good idea. You are probably already guessing what happened.
Yup, I forgot about the beans. I was so engrossed in the book I was reading that I totally, I mean totally spaced them out. My nose was telling me that something was a little odd but I thought that maybe one of my neighbors was cooking up something. Finally, I looked up to see the haze of smoke. That got me up in a flash!
I rushed to the stove where my beautiful Le Creuset Dutch Oven was now spewing out smoke and at least 60% of the garbanzo beans if not more were charred black. Whatever water was left in the kettle I poured over the beans and heard that hot hissing and steaming noise. I added some more water and then carefully carried the awful mess outside.
The smoke alarm was going off, the house smelled horrible (burned garbanzo beans are pretty bad). I got the fan going, and doors and windows wide open.
It was easy enough to get the smoke out, but the smell? It was not going along with it. I felt like a total doofus. Gretapie and Mr Fez settled themselves outside on the deck with no apparent interest in returning inside until this little episode was over.
The upshot of all this is that between errands, and staging camp stuff in piles everywhere in the living room, added to my day was washing all the curtains in the house (they needed it anyway), the woodwork and walls (they needed it too), and whatever else I could with a homemade white vinegar and water solution.
It’s now almost midnight, the smell is better but not completely gone but I’ve stopped for the night. I’ve crossed making humus off my list…maybe for good. Tomorrow I’m going to the store to buy some that’s already made.
I certainly hope you had a glass of wine between wall wipings!! It is fun to get engrossed In a novel, but that’s taking it a little far, Kate! 🙂
A belt of whiskey would have been more to my liking but I was grateful just to collapse in bed last night after that long day, Jean!
Thank goodness it wasn’t more serious. A side note canned Garbonzo beans work just as well. Drain but save some juice for the hummus. Wash in sieve and use as receip calls. I make my own all the time. Learned from an Armenian lady.
I hate to mention the obvious….using canned or frozen cooked garbanzo beans work really well for hummus. Just saying. Hope you have a wonderful Pie Workshop.
WHAT WAS THE BOOK? Must have been great to keep you so engrossed…
Greetings Kate-
Perhaps you might try the “Bob’s Red Mill” garbanzo bean flour- it’s powdered beans and their humus recipe takes well to your own tweaking. You just can’t mess it up!
I love this post. Honest and true, and can I ever relate! Different details, same story. Love that you wrote it up and that you will be buying some hummus, and enjoying the freshening up that came out of this. As bad as all this was, is how good the aromas and joy wafting up from the counters at Pie Camp. Rock on, Kate!
It took quite a while for the lingering aroma to dissipate but it finally has, Nancie! 🙂
Not too long ago, I was toasting coconut in my countertop convection oven. I forgot to set the timer and spaced out doing something else. Two hours later I found my toasted coconut that looked like charcoal. Fortunately, that oven is on a table in my garage and it did not smell up the house.
I’ve always wanted an outdoor kitchen, Gary. It might be time. 😉