So THAT's what happens when you leave stuff on the stove too long!

In keeping with my pledge of being thankful in November, today I am thankful for kitchen creations gone wrong creating a good laugh.
Last night my roommate and a friend were making dinner for all of us. Siobhan and I were getting ready to go to Zumba (side note).  Our friend Bryan said he wanted to make a balsamic vinaigrette for his tomato mozzarella salad.  I say- 'I'll make a balsamic reduction--we can drizzle it on!'.
I have done this before. Easy.  I have NOT done this in a while--a few months.
If you have ever boiled balsamic vinegar you know this is not a pleasant experience...or maybe it isn't in our house because we don't have a fan in the kitchen to suck up the fumes.  I may have had it on a little too high because before we knew it our eyes and noses were burning so badly we couldn't stop laughing, all the windows and doors are open because clearly I am trying to gas us out.
My phone rings.  It is my friend Johanna who is flying into the airport and I am picking her up later on.  I answer the call as she was trying to get a different flight.  She asks if I can pick her up at seven.  I am trying to remember what time I have class, not cough, talk over the screams of my distraught housemates/guests who are being forced out of their homes by my kitchen disaster.   I am crying.  Johanna thinks I feel inconvenienced, I don't--I just can't breathe or see.
We hang up..I don't know what happened on the phone.   The next thing I knew things did not look right in the pan.  They went from vinegar to some sort of caramel.  Balsamic vinegar caramel.  This could not be good.   I tasted it.  This was not good.
I quickly asked for a bowl and poured it in.  Within minutes it was completely hard.  As a rock.
Of course we tried it.  It was balsamic caramel.  Hard balsamic caramel.  Not really sure you can do anything with that.  Also, I'm pretty sure the heat could have taken the flesh off my finger.
And, also.  The house smelled like vinegar for no good reason at all.  Sweet.  Sweet hard vinegar candy. Delicious. Y'all know what your Christmas gifts are this year.

**I have a picture of this...the blog won't take it...sigh**