Lemons.

Over the years, I've acquired a taste for sour foods. I hadn't always. Sour gummy worms, salt & vinegar potato chips, real lemonade - they always made me cringe. I also hated the fact that they make the inside of your mouth feel... wrinkly. This, of course, limited my choices at Sweet Factory. I stuck to the usual: mini jawbreakers, (non-sour) gummy bears, (non-sour) gummy strawberries, (non-sour) gummy grapefruit wedges. But over time, I've come to appreciate the sweet, the savory, and the sour.

This was my second attempt at making Chicken Piccata. The first time, I had been overzealous with my lemon juicer. But this time around, I was able to balance the sweet (Sauvignon Blanc), the savory (butter) and the sour (lemon juice). I made some Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, recipe courtesy of Ms. Ina Garten and some steamed broccoli and cauliflower to accompany the chicken. My test subjects enjoyed it.


"When life gives you lemons..." Isn't that what they say? "Make lemonade." "You paint that shit gold." Or more recently, courtesy of a friend - "Put them in a hefeweizen and cheers my friends." Or as in my case, make chicken piccata.

I've grown accustomed to that uniquely sour and pungent taste of lemon - that first sensation that makes you cringe and shiver. I've learned to endure it because what follows is fresh, crisp and almost sweet.

I continue to tell myself that everything is okay. I remind myself that the sourness is momentary and fleeting. And I wait for the sweetness that is to come.