After five weeks away in sunny Florida, I’m home! I’m home! I’m home! Traveling for a food lover often means bringing home edible goodies. Florida may not come to mind as a gourmet mecca but I still made plenty of worthwhile purchases. Nestled between all the dirty and clean laundry, I packed jars after jars of preserves I made from local Florida fruit. There is also a nice bottle of Estrella Damm Inedit which was introduced to me by friends in Austin last year. Of course, who can forget to buy some Biscoff speculoo spread in both original smooth and chunky?
I also brought back various baking ingredients which may be deemed as waste of luggage space. My pantry in Florida left me with half used bottles of Nielson Massey vanilla extract, instant espresso powder, Droste cocoa powder, Pomona universal pectin, rapid rise yeast, and desiccated coconut chips. I’d be the first to tell you these are all ingredients I can source back home but they are also quality items I use on a regular basis. It would be a huge waste to throw them away so I packed them anyway.
I was at risk of running out of luggage space until I checked the weather forecast back home. Last week’s balmy summer temperature is nowhere to be found. Instead, we return to the seasonal normal of just-above freezing temperature. Continuing my outdoor training will be challenging but I breathed a sigh of relief. You see, I bought a winter coat when I visited Miami. I know, who in her right mind would buy a winter coat under the Florida sun of 80F/26C? You’re looking at one.The space that I freed up by wearing the coat on my back allowed me to snugly pack everything inside my two suitcases.
Aside from things that take up valuable luggage space, I also came home with lots of memories. The last five weeks I had a chance to hang out with Florida friends I previously only got to see briefly at races. I also made two new feline friends that accompanied me everyday while I worked. I grew up without pets and it was a fun experience to live with two.
Today will be a busy day adjusting back to my daily life at home. Cooking and baking may have to take a backseat until work, laundry, training, and paper work are taken care of. I look forward to return to the French Fridays with Dorie group sooner rather than later!
