Well, it seems to be because I am loved. Nice thing to be loved...
At Christmas I put out a plea in an email to all our friends, that if they ever came to visit - please, please bring me JIF peanut butter and Fritos. Australia does not seem to carry either.
Funny thing when you move to another continent - suddenly when you crave something such as a Frito, and you can't find a Frito - life becomes all about the Frito. Even though I probably only ate Frito's twice a year at home. I could not get past the fact that there are no Frito's here - and a regular corn chip will just not suffice.
And well, many of my friends/family responded - hope they know I love them too!!
(Some bags of Frito's may be missing from this picture - as they are already in my belly. Salty deliciousness!!)
And JIF, well - I believe I am primarily at least 1/3 JIF. I think if you tested me, I would be Dutch, Irish and JIF. It is a staple of my diet and I would wither away without it. I brought two jars with me in my check-in luggage, but they disappeared- rather quickly. Comfort food, Lord know I needed comfort those first couple months.
Tried a different peanut butter from the shelves here - still in the cupboard if someone would like it. It will never, ever be opened again - thanks to my new super, duper stash of proper peanut butter and one chocolate Hazelnut spread. Do you see the size of the bugger in the front? Holy cow - my friend must have went to an Army base or something for that one!! It's like a BUCKET of JIF. Then there are a few COSTCO jars and some regular yummy hand sized containers. I think I'll make it through the next 2 1/2 years just fine, thank you.
So - if you do come to visit, do you mind carrying on some cinnamon rolls? I know they will be at least two days old when they get here - that's ok, I'll steam them or eat them stale and crispy. I think I'll be ok with that. Really. The East Detroit Bakery makes the best ones on the planet, but hey - Kroger does a fair job of it too. There was also a fabulous place in Brugge, I could find the name if you need it, but I'm guessing no one is flying here from there. Oh my goodness, how does a whole country not have a single, yeast risen, soft, white iced cinnamon roll??
On my kitchen counter is a stack of recipes - all for cinnamon rolls - the yeast is bought and the testing will begin shortly. It's just so much easier though when a bakery does it all for you and you can just buy two at a time. One to eat in the car on your way home from the bakery and then one you put on the counter for about an hour - before you eat it too, this time cut in half with butter.
Wish me luck - the ten thousand cinnamon roll baking trial is about to begin in a week. Maybe you should come visit now, I'm gonna need help eating them all! And thanks, but no - I think I'm good on the JIF - for now. But ask me again in a few months...
(Happy dance when the first of the goodies arrived!)
