Blog writing has opened up a whole new world of cyber friends that share the same passion for food that I have. Our commonality is a love for cuisine and a desire to share our experiences via the internet. Every day I find inspiration through other bloggers, websites and e-mail updates. The modern media age has brought me into contact with people from all over the world to exchange ideas on subjects for which we share an affinity. Amazing!

Recently I wrote a blog about lemons that included a reference to lemon curd (see Here Comes the Sun). A fellow blogger, Vinny Grette of cookupastory@wordpress.com commented back encouraging me to try my hand at making lemon curd as it was really quite easy to make. With plenty of lemons still on the trees, I decided to take up the challenge. I searched the internet for a variety of recipes and techniques to use in refining my own version. Based on a few basic ingredients, I experimented with the formula until I reached a result that was both manageable and tasty. Vinny was correct that it wasn’t a formidable task.

My little experiment of making several batches of the curd produced enough of the sweet substance to necessitate a preservation plan. Another trip to the internet convinced me that the curd could be canned by the water bath method. My attempt was a successful venture except that I filled the jars too full. It seems that lemon curd expands more than regular jam and caused a little leakage. No problem, I located a  recipe in  Southern Living magazine for a coffee cake that utilized the curd in a fragrantly delicious rosemary scented treat.

Whether for research, organization or inspiration, my computer has become an integral part of my cooking routine. The convenience and wide range of information is the perfect complement to a well-equipped kitchen. Although I love to peruse a good cookbook and am attached to my collection of these tomes, I admit that I am chomping at the bit to get a new tablet-style device to access recipes. I am confident that is one device that won’t end up at the back of the gadget drawer in my kitchen.

Recipe for Lemon Curd