Pride Mousse

I'm sure my mother-in-law won't care if I share this story.

I call her "Mother Bear." That is how she is programmed in my phone and it is a term of endearment. Bears protect their cubs. Remind me to tell the story sometime about how she hacked a giant rattlesnake to death with a shovel to protect her babies.

Mother Bear was recently in town for the blessing of Renee's miracle baby. I had to make two-dozen somethings to take to the family luncheon. I had previously decided to make dark chocolate mousse-filled strawberries. I have made them lots of times and they've always turned out to be perfect little show-stoppers. Mother Bear kept asking if I needed any help and I politely declined every time she offered because I wanted to make the treat all by myself. I wanted to make them all by myself so that when people raved about how scrumptious they tasted I could take all the glory. If she helped me then I'd have to say "we" made them, which isn't as fun as saying "I" made them.

I was whipping the cream for my mousse when Mother Bear came and stood behind me. She asked me about my mousse recipe and I suddenly got nervous and prickly all over. And then I overbeat the cream. By the time I folded in the chocolate it had curdled and I was ticked. Adiós cloud mousse, hello scrunchy, separated weird mousse. Because the mousse was overbeaten it didn't pipe into the strawberries right. They looked hideous. The whole time I was piping Mother Bear was asking me, "Did you check to see if something is lodged in your piping bag?" I snapped at her, "No, nothing is stuck. Trust me, they never look like this! You're making me nervous! Hit the road!" I handed her the piping bag and stomped upstairs to get ready for church.

In the privacy of my bathroom I vented to Greg, "Your mom is messing me up! She thinks I'm a baby! She thinks I can't even make mousse! I've made mousse a thousand times and it's better than her mousse because it doesn't have egg whites! I can do it myself!" Just listening to myself caused me to picture a toddler that screams at her mother, "I can dress myself!", and then proceeds to button her shirt incorrectly and wear her shoes on the wrong feet. I really am immature sometimes. Greg, ever the steady one, sat me down and said, "Do you even know who my mother is? She had seven kids. She has given her life away for the last forty years to take care of us. She probably doesn't even remember what it's like to be selfish. All she knows how to do is help her kids. She just wanted to help you because you're her kid, too." Ugh. This is how I treated the woman that bore my husband, taught me to crochet, taught me to blind hem, and attempted to teach me how to install zippers for four hours the night before? I'm evil.

About a minute later Mother Bear squeezed into our tiny master bath and stood by the vanity while I gushed an apology.  With teary eyes and a shaky voice I told her that I didn't know why I was losing my cool over cream (Thomas B. Marsh Syndrome?) and that I just wanted to impress her and to be good enough for her. Then I realized it wasn't that at all. I wanted to be better than everyone.

Pride is awful.

Pride doesn't care if I do MY best. Pride just cares if I'm THE best.  The likelihood of me ever being THE BEST in the world at anything is pretty slim.

It's important from time to time to do some checks and balances with yourself. Assess why you do things. Do things because they bring you joy. Don't do things to be better than others. Push yourself, always push yourself, but aim for a personal best. Don't compare yourself to others. Share what you know how to do and don't take all the credit. Remember that someone probably taught you how to do what you are so good at, and it might have even been your mother-in-law.

You bet I'm including the recipe.

Pride Mousse

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

5 oz. 60% or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (I use my food processor)

1 t. pure vanilla

1/8 t. salt

a little powdered sugar

Heat 1/3 c. of the cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate in a medium bowl and whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool. Whisk in the vanilla and salt.

Beat the remaining cream (with a little powdered sugar added...just eyeball it...a large sprinkling) with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl just until the cream forms stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted. Add the chocolate mixture and beat on low speed until the mixture forms soft peaks. Spoon mousse into small bowls and chill until ready to serve.

Serves 4.

Comments

[Andy Hegsted]

I love the story......it's so true. Pride is an awful thing in our lives but it takes a bigger person to admit when your wrong and willing to be ''teachable.'' You are amazing at so many things, don't beat yourself up about it.

[Corinne]

Love the post Melissa. Such truth!