so, daddy, where do brownies come from?

hmm, that's an interesting question, kiddo. this might take some circumlocutions and a few gratuitous kitchen photographs, but i think you're ready.

i think so. methinks.

and it seems only yesterday you were just a fudgy crumb!

stop being so dramatic, dad.

sorry. so first, you have a gathering of chocolate, eggs, butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla who all really really love each other and make a lifelong commitment.

that sounds like a party!



as you know, brownies can come in all different kinds. you got the blonde, the dark brown, as well as (for lack of a better term) the nutty. kinda like your aunt tess.

oh yeah.

the ingredients (if you will) can also come in varying kinds. look, even the eggs can boast cute little nametags to share their past!



alright dad. keep going. enough of eggs. eggs are BORING.

i thought you'd be more proud of your born-free background! but on we go... here's the old family recipe, which was cleverly printed on cardboard by some silhouetted baking lady:



dont mind the hand. that will be explained when you're a few crumbs older.

okay. sigh.

first things first, the melting stage! one and half sticks of butter nestle closely with four ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate, and they make eyes under the romantic emanations of the microwave.



they look cozy.

just you wait!

dad, what's that?



chocolate clothes! isn't it pretty?

kinda like origami.

so they get all melty into each other, and coalesce. it's their moment. and then it gets a little more crowded with the addition of two cups of sugar, three eggs, one teaspoon of vanilla, and one cup of flour. they all dance a bit together in the bowl.

sounds messy.

son, life is messy.



i guess that silver thing in the mix will be explained later to me, right?

no, that's just a mixing spoon.

oh. right.

they get really comfy and cozy and get stirred, stirred, stirred up! it becomes a wonderfully thick and chocolatey batter, which gets poured in a pyrex pan, smoothed on top, and admired. like so:



ooh. can i see more?

sure.



man, that's looks tasty.

dont get ahead of yourself, there.

heehee. so then what?

all that goodness is put in the oven of love, 350 degrees in fact, for 30 minutes. worthwhile things take time!

what are they doing or thinking when they're in the oven?

whatever happens in the oven stays in the oven.

i see.

and then, after all the heat and excitement, they emerge... shiny! and fudgy! and irresistibly rich!



so irresistible that no photograph exists of the intact pan of brownies!

i dont blame her.

who's her?

nevermind, dad.



and somehow the brownies come into the world! it's a miracle, don't you agree?

life is more rich than i ever imagined.