A recipe for me

I long to be Crème brûlée,

Elegant, appetising, challenging.

With a hard shiny surface

That repels the unworthy

A puzzle to the stranger

Underneath - soft, silky

Rich and smooth and just a little bit French

I fear I am a muffin

High in fibre, plain, sensible

The boring choice, the predictable selection

Where random ingredients

Often on the verge of spoiling

Are thrown into the mix

Savoury or sweet but never the show-stopper

I used to be leftovers

Crammed into plastic Tupperware

Left to sweat in the back of the fridge

Slowly turning sour with neglect

Flecked with red and black mould

Eventually discarded with disgust

During a biannual fridge clean

But I'm probably a soup

A colourful medley of vegetables and legumes

Hot or cold, spicy or fragrant

Healthy and hearty

A guiltless pleasure on a cold day

Unremarkable, but familiar

Occasionally lacking seasoning

Always better with cheese