For a minute, I hesitated to write the word "dessert" in this blog's subtitle.
But I realized with self-conscious clarity that to type anything but "dessert" would defeat the purpose of BROWNIE OR DIE (henceforth, BOD). My moment of pause revealed how impulsive is the knee-jerk condescension towards the brownie: we do not naturally consider fudgey four-by-fours dessert in and of themselves. Nay, only pinned under an icy fist of ice cream can any chef put a brownie on the dessert menu. We call this dish "brownie a la mode" to soften the cruel reality of the situation and appease the French. Sound like any other attitudinal approach of historic import?
Let us hate on the brownie for a few sentences: the brownie is bourgeoisie. It is a dessert with little potential for dramatic presentation and limited flavor flexibility. Baking acceptable brownies is contingent not upon culinary brownies, but a good box mix (more on that later). Brownies are not nutritious. At all.
Now ask yourself: are these flaws inherent shortcomings of the brownie, or are they reflective of our inabilities as a society to alchemize chocolate, sugar, butter, and eggs into art?
On behalf of all brownies, I demand respect. Join me in my crusade for better brownies from better bakers! (Scream here if you'd like, but not for ice cream).
But I realized with self-conscious clarity that to type anything but "dessert" would defeat the purpose of BROWNIE OR DIE (henceforth, BOD). My moment of pause revealed how impulsive is the knee-jerk condescension towards the brownie: we do not naturally consider fudgey four-by-fours dessert in and of themselves. Nay, only pinned under an icy fist of ice cream can any chef put a brownie on the dessert menu. We call this dish "brownie a la mode" to soften the cruel reality of the situation and appease the French. Sound like any other attitudinal approach of historic import?
Let us hate on the brownie for a few sentences: the brownie is bourgeoisie. It is a dessert with little potential for dramatic presentation and limited flavor flexibility. Baking acceptable brownies is contingent not upon culinary brownies, but a good box mix (more on that later). Brownies are not nutritious. At all.
Now ask yourself: are these flaws inherent shortcomings of the brownie, or are they reflective of our inabilities as a society to alchemize chocolate, sugar, butter, and eggs into art?
On behalf of all brownies, I demand respect. Join me in my crusade for better brownies from better bakers! (Scream here if you'd like, but not for ice cream).
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