what was she thinking??

It started with the chocolate caramel creme brulee. Or maybe the Spotted Dick. Lately I’m writing constantly about food.  What’s gotten into me?  (Please don’t answer that)

Today I reached my food tipping point.

This morning I got one of those recipe chain letters.  It’s simple:  send one recipe to one person, pick 20 friends and forward the chain, add my name at the bottom.  Delicious recipes would start flowing in.  All I had to do was one click.

Making this decision wasn’t brain surgery:

I hate chain letters.

I already refused to do this exact chain letter three times in the last 3 weeks.

More to the point, I don’t even like to cook.

I clicked.

What would possess me—in a moment of temporary culinary blindness—-to comply?   I have no clue.

I dutifully choose 20 friends who might actually enjoy getting or giving recipes;   I think  I’m being a pretty good sport.  And it isn’t long before the emails start flowing in.

Not recipes.  Rejections.

“I’m out of town this week….”"

“Sorry, I adore you  but not this much….”

“I’m surprised people still do these;  there are so many recipes  on the internet.  (This I know.  I posted about a recipe site yesterday. )

Even my sister turned me down.  And she loves to cook.

And I don’t blame them.   So I’m throwing in the dish towel.   This is my official apology— and my solemn promise never to send a chain letter again.

This is also an official warning to anyone who continues sending them to me.    (You know who you are.  And I happen to know the person who sent a recipe chain is even less functional in the kitchen than I am.)

Actually the best part happened just now.   As I’m about to post this, I hear my Blackberry, so I check the message.   It’s another chain letter.