.when life gives you friends.

my hpff doesn't do sweet. for her birthday, she gets a pie and that is only once a year. with her coming to memphis for a long weekend to go to bbq fest with us and to see me (of course), she wanted to sample my baking. she's such an excellent cook and making something in the kitchen for her is a little nerve-racking. we're also chummy enough for brutal honesty.

when i asked her what i should bake for her arrival, she didn't even hesitate. lemon bars. i have to admit i was a bit relieved because i don't think i've quite graduated to pies. maybe for her next visit.

to tell you the truth, i don't think i've ever had a lemon bar. while i know what they're supposed to look like, i didn't really have much of a grasp on what they're made of until i looked into recipes. i found the one i wanted to use on bakedbree.com and decided to give it a whirl. anything for my hpff.

as i donned my apron and began making the ingredients come to life, i realized these were the perfect pairing for our friendship. you see, lemon bars are a little bit sweet and a little bit tangy. being so close to my hpff makes for a friendship that i couldn't live a day without, but it also lends itself to the kind of friendship that sees you on even your uckiest of days. our friendship has it all.

making these lemon bars reminded me of the relationship between my hpff and me. like the foundation of shortbread, it began simple with an understated sweetness. as the layers of years were added, the varying ingredients of a great friendship blended to form what we now see as rich and still refreshing.

when i pulled the fresh-baked pan out of the oven, i found a gooey mass of yellow waiting just beneath a topping of crispness. now, if i can just get my husband to stop eating them all before she even arrives, they really will be a treat.