brown rainbows

I hold in my trembling (but not for long) hand the greatest human development since our primeval ancestors successfully concluded their quest for fire, and learned how to cook their mammoth meat rather than swallowing it raw, au parasites.

It is a box of Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies™ mix, which with the addition of some oil, a couple eggs, and a dab of water mixes up easily into a batter that cooks in a little less than an hour, and produces an 8-inch-by-8-inch pan of decent-tasting brownies -- not the best you've ever eaten, and certainly not as good as your Aunt Myrtle Mae's, but good, for lack of a better word.

However, these brownies are easily rendered magical, with the addition of just a little magically infused oil. I'd recommend no more than a couple of tablespoons of magic in six or eight tablespoons of oil.

The result is a pan of brownies that taste just as great as the non-magical version, but have what some call "the rainbow effect." The French like to say these rich and delectable treats have "a certain I-don't-know-what."

Whatever you want to call it, this gravy-colored rainbow's effect tends to make people smile a lot, and temporarily look (but not feel) as if they've taken a wrecking ball to their foreheads.

However, those who would eat the magic brownie must be warned, not everyone finds the effect pleasant. In fact, severe heartburn, echolalia, and panic attacks inevitably afflict some who just innocently sought a little magic in their lives, so exercise due caution in these matters.