Do you remember your teacher saying: “Read the instructions carefully before beginning your exam?” Well, I remember that. And I try to heed that advice when assembling complicated items like electronics and other computer-y kinds of things. But when it comes to recipes, I’m supposed to know what I’m doing. Today, I made an assumption, and you know what they say about ass-umptions.

Pavlova was on the menu today. It’s a scrumptiously sweet and chewy meringue desert. My mistake was not noticing the big Cº next to the baking temperature. It was a European recipe. While I know a Pavlova is supposed to be baked at a low temperature, I should have known that the 150º was perhaps a little too low. When baking, it’s a pretty good idea to do more than just glance at the recipe. Like I said… ass-uming… can get you into trouble.

The results were beautiful, at first. But a few short minutes out of the oven and it was an immediate disaster. Syrupy goo was oozing out of my beautiful meringue.

So here is my latest and greatest culinary iPhone App recommendation: MeasuresLite. It converts more than just temperatures: distances, weights, etc. Check it out. It’s free and right at your fingertips.

Make a note: 150ºC equals 301.99999285ºF!

I’ll have the perfect Pavlova ready for viewing at www.ThePatricianPalette.com.