My Cooking Nemesis

Cooking is one of my favorite pastimes. While I don't do it as often as I'd like (Dad usually has dinner ready by the time I get home from work), I do enjoy it immensely. I don't claim to be a great chef at all, but for the most part cooking comes pretty easily to me. Just the other night I tried a brand new dish that my dad couldn't stop raving about. I think baked goods are a particular strong point, and I'm getting better at family recipes each time I try them. Still, even the best chefs have something that they just can't seem to master - so you can imagine that a novice like me is bound to have some issues.

I've made plenty of mistakes while cooking, everything from burnt cookies to undercooked (or overcooked) meat. But usually, if I mess something up the first time, it doesn't take me too many more tries to get it right. But there's one recipe that is ever-elusive of my mastery - the omelet.

When one thinks of an omelet, it seems like a pretty simple dish. Beat some eggs, cook them in a pan, and toss in your favorite ingredients. But let me tell you from experience - it is not that simple. AT ALL. Omelets have become the bane of my cooking existence.

I've tried making this tasty meal countless times, and along the way discovered just about every way you can mess them up. Not having the eggs spread evenly enough; overcooked eggs; undercooked eggs; too much cheese (if I'm saying this you know it's possible, even if it doesn't seem possible). And of course, the classic - you go to fold your omelet, the eggs rip to shreds, and you simply hang your head, accept defeat, and settle with the fact that you're going to have scrambled eggs instead. Each of these events ultimately delivers a painful sting to the would-be omelet creator's pride that takes at least a few days to heal.

I decided that tonight would be a good chance to try another attempt at taking on my nemesis (yes, I said tonight. I think I actually make omelets more for dinner than for breakfast). I got home late and wanted something that could be prepped quickly. I was on a roll as I bustled through the kitchen - everything seemed to be going right, and as I slid my finished omelet onto my plate I couldn't help but admire its beauty.

I sat down at the table, so excited that I may have finally made the perfect omelet. But as I got a couple bites into it I came to a horrible realization - the eggs were slightly undercooked, and I instantly knew where I messed up. When you make an omelet, you're supposed to have some of the egg left slightly undercooked before you fold it. Your ingredients cook into it, it's easier to fold, and it eventually cooks through as the complete omelet rests in the pan. But I had turned the heat down too soon and didn't let the omelet sit in the pan long enough. I was once again slapped in the face by failure.

While this moment of dejection is no easier than the others, I'll never give up. I have to reach my goal of cooking the omelet well enough so that I can serve it to other people. I'll continue to battle my nemesis until I'm victorious.

A Getaway Close to Home

If you live anywhere in the DC area, you've probably heard of the ever-popular Rock Creek park. About 5 minutes from my house lies an important piece of this park, Lake Needwood. For years Lake Needwood was nothing more than a convenient shortcut to avoid the rush hour traffic of Averi Road. But last week, my dad and I decided to drive through the park just so that we could take the scenic route home. As I looked around, I was blown away by how green and beautiful everything had become with the warm spring weather. I also realized that I had never taken the time to come and enjoy the park - I had always driven through it without a second thought. I decided right then and there that I would make it a point to take a trip to Lake Needwood to enjoy it for what it was meant for - and I'm not talking about a traffic cutaround.

Normally when I make these types of promises to myself, it takes me weeks, if not months, to finally do what I said I would. But not this time. This time it only took me two days. Thursday was when Dad and I drove through the park. Friday was when I tossed the idea out to my friend David on our morning commute. Saturday afternoon David and I were on our way to the park to take advantage of our local gem.

After we drove around for a few minutes trying to find the ideal parking spot, we finally made up our minds and took to the walking trails. It felt SO GOOD to be outside and walk through the beautiful nature scenes. And it was so nice out! We wandered around, trying different trails, soaking in the nature, and enjoying the beautiful lake views. Our hike eventually led us down to the boathouse where my breath was truly taken away. We didn't rent a boat that day since we were short on cash, but we walked out on the dock and just sat on the water. I must admit, I couldn't believe I was in the middle of Derwood. As we looked ahead of us, all we saw was the lake and trees. I actually had to remind myself that I was still in the DC area and not hundreds of miles away in some random rural lake spot. It was AWESOME, and so relaxing!

Honestly, I'm not sure what blew me away more - how beautiful our little Lake Needwood Park really is, or the fact that I had never taken advantage of it before. I've lived in this neighborhood since I was six years old, and that's probably one of the last times I was actually at that park to play. I've had my driver's license for 6 years and I've driven through that park countless times going to school and work - but this is the first time I took advantage of such local beauty. It was quite the wake-up call!

If you're in the area and you're looking for a quick city getaway, I highly suggest checking out Lake Needwood (or any part of Rock Creek Park for that matter). It's a great little oasis in an otherwise chaotic region. I know I plan on going back again soon. I need to take advantage of those boat rentals!