Pfunksfoolosophy

Yep, I made a promise. Here it is. I can’t believe I didn’t post it already. Life grows exceeding strange, these days.

 CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 8 oz. chopped, semi-sweet chocolate (use good quality. I use Lindt)+ 6 oz. for dipping
• about 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
•  1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

 Mix the cream, butter and corn syrup together in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a full boil. Turn off heat. 

Add 8 ounces of the chopped chocolate, and gently swirl the pan. Do not stir. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Seriously, do not stir the mixture.
 After 5 minutes, whisk slowly to combine. 

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. In the meantime, line baking sheets with parchment paper.

After 45 minutes, the mixture will start to thicken quickly, keep refrigerated another 11 to 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. 
Using a mini ice cream scoop or two spoons, form the mixture into 1-inch balls and and place on the prepared sheets.

Chill until firm, about 10-15 minutes. While the balls are chilling, melt the remaining 6 ounces of chocolate. After it is completely melted, allow to cool slightly before continuing. 
Place cocoa in small bowl. Remove the balls from the refrigerator. Using one hand, dip the balls into the melted chocolate. Roll it around in your hand, allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the truffle in the cocoa. With your clean hand, cover the truffle with cocoa.

Lift it out and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining truffles. Place back in the refrigerator for 5-8 minutes to set.

May be stored up to one week in an airtight container.

I keep them in the freezer, wrapping each truffle in waxed paper and then storing in an airtight container.

Not the kind of day where you want to shoot your face off, but the kinda day where you’re just feeling ‘tepid’? Yeah, I’m in that space. Not to say that I don’t get flashes of wanting to shoot my face off, but I’m not particularly depressed…just feeling like I’m underwater. There’s a ton of work for me to get done today, but I’m not motivated enough to do it, SO I’m going to get up, take a shower at nearly two in the afternoon, and I’m going to make something positive happen today.
Very often, we get so bound  up by our thoughts that we are immobile. If we remain in that state for very long, it becomes our ‘norm’. Can’t let that happen. So, I’m gonna crank up some tunes, get my laundry together and hustle down to the 24 hour place around the corner. Clean clothes. That’s a good start.

Funny thing happened last evening: the little old lady, Ms. Margie, who lives in my building was downstairs on the stoop, cooling off in the early evening twilight and as I stopped to talk to her she mentioned that she had to go downtown to recertify for some Senior Citizen thing. She was reluctant to go because the bus takes forever and since she’s disabled, the subway is a big game of ‘chicken’ for her. Anyway, she made this comment:

“I’m 84 years old. I am a SENIOR senior citizen. Why I gotta go down there to recertify? It ain’t like I’m getting YOUNGER. I’m OLD.”
I laughed and asked her if she had thought about the Para-transit program.

Guess what? She’d never even heard of it. THAT makes me nuts. So I went back upstairs, got online and came back down with the info. She thanked me profusely but I shrugged it off. She’s an elder and I love her to bits. The thing is, her daughter knew about it and did nothing? What’s the deal with that? Me no understandee.

Maybe her daughter didn’t know the right agency to contact or maybe she wasn’t motivated. Ms. Margie is a great lady and a total crack up. I love sitting with her and talking. She’s wise and sweet and swears like a sailor on liberty.

Hey, maybe just remembering her laughter and her comments has brought me around to feeling better. Talking/writing it out always helps.

If you’re having ‘one of those days’ of the tepid variety, maybe if you can think of something that brings a smile to your face and you can get out of your own way, your day will get better.

We all have choices. Let’s choose to be happy, joyous and free.