I’m a simple man.

I like simple things.

Take Macaroni and Cheese. Most people want that soft, gooey center. The creamy middle. The Instagram portion.

Not me.

Give me the edges.

The crisp parts.
The corners.
The slightly over-baked, maybe-a-little-too-brown, definitely-not-going-on-the-cookbook-cover edges.

Some people call them burnt.

I call them fully committed to being cooked.

Maybe even a little crunchy.

When my family makes cookies, there’s usually a batch set aside just for me.

It’s not intentional.

It’s just… the first batch.

You know the one.

The test batch.

The batch where someone says:

“Hmm… I think the oven might be a little hot.”

Those cookies come out slightly darker.
Maybe a little crispier than planned.

The Sumstine ladies might call them “burnt” while I call them Heat Experienced.

And those… those are my cookies.

While the perfectly golden, bakery-looking cookies are saved for everyone else.

You know, the Hoity-Toity crowd.

But let’s be honest here.

I’m the one who won that deal.

Now don’t get me wrong.

I’m not some kind of culinary barbarian who wants everything burnt like it fell into a campfire.

Hamburgers?
Medium.  Slightly pink in the center.

Steak?

Well now… that depends on the cut.

The better the cut, the less I want you messing with it.

A Filet Mignon might be the fancy choice.

But me?

Give me a New York strip steak.

And if it’s a good one, I like it rare.

If it’s a really good one…

I want it rare enough that if a skilled veterinarian walked by, there’s a reasonable chance they could bring it back to life.

But baked dishes?

Oh now we’re back to my comfort zone.

Because baked dishes are where the edges shine.

Scalloped potatoes — give me the corner piece.

Apple Pie – I like the outer edges where the crust has been through some things and the apples lost their arguement

Green bean casserole — I’ve been known to scrape the sides like an archaeologist looking for treasure.

And those crispy fried onions on top?

I’m not stopping until I find the ones that are slightly more singed than the others.

Some might say burnt.

I say enhanced.

The grill works the same way.

Put something on the grill and I want that beautiful char on the outside.

That’s the art form.

Because here’s where the real skill comes in.

You want that perfect charred exterior…

While the inside is still juicy and tender and not dried out like a piece of driftwood you found on the beach.

That balance?

That’s the difference between a cook…

…and someone who just owns tongs.

Which brings me to a simple truth I’ve discovered.

Life is better along the edges.

The center?

Who knows.

Sometimes it’s great.
Sometimes it’s dry.
Sometimes it’s the part nobody fights over.

It’s a bit of a crap shoot.

But the edges?

The edges are where the flavor lives.

The edges are where the texture happens.

The edges are where things get a little crispy… a little imperfect… a little interesting.

And if you ask me…

That’s where the best parts of life usually are – around the edges

• Ramblings