I'm not a one trick pony (or piglet).

Most of my past few posts have had a running "back story" to them. The problem is, it's a secret back story you don't know yet. I haven't yet figured out how to say what needs to be said, so I dance around it instead. Just like today. Tomorrow is secretary's day. Our department secretary, Ulene, is crafty, so we have no hope of surprising her on Secretary's day. So we got sneaky and did it today! I'd be willing to bet that trick won't work next year. Anyway, starting about a week ago the top secret "who's bringing what?" list started going around in Email. I could feel the unspoken peer pressure:"Jason, bring your turtle cheesecake." I believe I have brought in 2 or 3 of them since I started last August. I've made a lot of them over the past few months. In fact on my Christmas vacation I had a master plan of baking 3 cheesecakes in 3 different cities: Jacksonville, Macon, and Conyers. The picture above is from Chris' Christmas in Conyers. (And yes for those utterly confused by my multiple Chris references in my previous post, I did just say "Chris" Christmas Party.) Sadly, I never got to make one in Macon, but I managed a save by baking a red velvet cheesecake with my mother just after Christmas.When I enter the building at work with my cake caddy, people's heads poke out of the office and they stare intently as I pass. They then slink down the hall to try and be the first to pounce on the cheesecake. So to please the masses I added my name and "Cheesecake" to the list, and was greeted with great sighs of joy and relief. But in the spirit of being sneaky and crafty, I had a plan. I'd been telling them ever since I brought my first cheesecake that I can make others. I keep telling them "I'm not a one trick pony!" No one seems to care. No one has ever asked for anything else. It's assumed I'll bring in the turtle cheesecake. You know what they say about assuming right? I decided that since they'll always ask for the same thing, it was up to me to force the issue. I decided to go with my original "Reese's Cheesecake" made with Reese's Peanut Butter and Hershey's Chocolate.I haven't made one of these in years, and was a bit rusty. The recipe is not written down anywhere so I have to more or less figure it out every time I make it. But it turned out pretty good. Of course there were plenty of confused looks when I opened the cake caddy and there sat a very un-turtlish cheesecake. I then had to explain it was chocolate and peanut butter (no caramel). This was greeted with nods and smiles. Then they attacked my cheesecake, forks, spoons, and knives flying everywhere. I do hope I have shown them I am not a one trick pony. Sadly, it occurred to me later this afternoon that I have probably just convinced them MORE than I am "the cheesecake guy." So next time I think I need to go the complete opposite of cheesecake. And that is where I got stuck for most of today. What is the opposite of cheesecake? The best I could come up with was fish. But I don't eat or cook fish. I was stumped. Then Colby came to the rescue. You may remember Colby, the finder of all things Pork. He introduced me to Chocolate covered bacon. He sent me the link to the Wake-n-Bacon Alarm Clock. The latest example of Porkfection from Colby: Chicken Fried Bacon With Cream Gravy! For your own safety, do NOT read the "Nutrition Facts" on the right hand side! But wait! There's also a video! glumbert - Chicken Fried Bacon I do now live in the heart of Pork-opolis, so the next time we have an office party, it's either chocolate covered bacon, or maybe even Chicken Fried Bacon with Cream Gravy. Cause really, what is Chicken Fried Bacon without gravy, anyway? Oh I can feel my arteries clog up just thinking about it! And maybe we can have cheesecake for desert? What? You don't really feel like cheesecake anymore? GOOD!