The Perfect Batch of Kool-Aid

There's something deeply satisfying about making a batch of Kool-Aid and having it turn out perfectly. For me, perfectly means a perfect balance of flavor, sweetness, and texture--none of that watered-down Bug Juice stuff. True Kool-Aid is a beverage fit for popcorn and dipping slices of white bread.

Yes, I'm still a little kid.

It's not just Kool-Aid, though Kool-Aid requires much less effort. Last week I made ham and cheddar chowder from a recipe my grandfather gave me, and while it took me two hours to assemble and finalize, the end result was rather scrumptious (do people use that word anymore?). I don't do that much "real" cooking these days, largely because of the amount of time it requires, so it was a real joy to make time to prepare actual, not-out-of-a-box-or-can food...and have leftovers that I could freeze and stretch out for days to come.

I am a person with a need to create, and I enjoyed being able to construct a dinner from the building blocks of ham, celery, water, cheese, potatoes, and their ilk. I mean, uh, and milk. I wasn't just feeding myself; I was crafting a meal.

So, with a perfect batch of Kool-Aid in the pitcher and a sumptuous (that's more normal than "scrumptious," right?) bowl of cheddar ham chowder in store for dinner, I'm pretty darn satisfied right now.