Hoping for easy like Sunday morning

I spent my early Friday morning hours finishing a sheet cake (and a few bonus cupcakes) for a lunch time party at a school in my neighborhood. Chocolate congratulations.

Waiting for butter cream to set at an ungodly morning hour gave my head a little time to run back through last weekend's projects. And y'know what? My mornings last weekend were absolutely lovely. Baking in early light, coffee break and dog walk around 8am, frost-finish-deliver by 10. Accomplishment. Whatever happens the rest of the doesn't even matter. What a luxury.

I already posted some photos and information about Saturday here. Sunday's cake was a raspberry filled vanilla bean cake, modeled to look after a cake from the year the bride and groom were wed - 1950.

A 60th anniversary!

I'm imagining this weekend will involve less cake, more soup, lots of music and at least one special all-out breakfast. Hopefully some quality studio time too.

Oh Baby Baby

My Saturday morning assignment was a woodland themed baby shower cake to serve 50 plus people.

Woodland themed? ...Yes!

Baking is a glorious way to spend any morning and I had so much fun making this cake.

Inside, the hexagon was a vanilla bean butter cake filled with mocha buttercreme. The outside was covered in espresso and semi-sweet chocolate ganache (and woodland critters, of course).

C'mon. Those little critters are CUTE.

VD: Welcome Back

So my Valentines Day posts trend on the late side, this year's being much more belated than last.

My excuse is that Chinese New Year fell on the same day as St. Valentine's this year, and the Tiger came in with such gusto that I've been having just a little trouble catching up.

The theme of this year's box was "say no to VD". In addition to the regularly scheduled whoopie pies, broken hearts and mini bundts were also featured.

xox

Sunday Soup

I was temped to title this post Souperbowl Sunday, which was followed by an immediate sense of discomfort that not only could such a thought pass through my brain but that I'd actually entertain it. So, no. I will not be starting every new post with a shitty pun. I'll just think about it in silence and then hang my head in shame.

Two things that I started doing recently:

1. Buying dried beans and then soaking them before making what ever it is I'm going to make with them. It's awesome. Not only is it cheaper than buying canned beans, but the beans hold up much better and have a better texture. Sure, it requires planning ahead a little bit, but don't we all feel better when we're planning wholesome meals ahead of time that we make from scratch with oh so much love and attention? We do. Which brings me to number
2. Sunday soup. Generally, if I eat well I feel well (save the occasional chili cheese dog with mustard and onions). Since weeks seem to get crazier and crazier, and available minutes seem fewer and fewer, and I have this job that I go to so I can't actually just sit around my house staring at soaking beans, I've become fond of making a big pot of soup on Sunday nights. This gives me solid lunch and dinner options for the week so I'm not skipping meals and getting cranky, or constantly snacking on crap.

Ok, back to Souperbowl Sunday. I was actually invited to a Superbowl Party. I'm not much into football. If you're looking for a sporting event to bring me to, or invite me to watch at your home, I like basketball. Now you know. Anyway, I'm not into football but I am into cupcakes, and while Sunday soup was simmering I made a few dozen cupcakes.

These little guys will be accompanying me to the party. Because although I don't really care about the superbowl, I do like to party, and no party is complete with out a cupcake.

Custards Last Stand

I'm fairly certain that almost every birthday cake I had as a small child came from a place called the Home Dairy. Once located in an old brick building in downtown Ithaca, the Home Dairy was a bakery and cafeteria in the truest form. It was here that Mr. Avery baked and decorated the cakes and cookies that my bother, sister and I would spend our formative years fiending for. It was here that I was first inspired to try my hand at making something sweet and good looking for someone else to eat. It was here that I also had my first taste of baked egg custard. Egg custard and egg custard pie are classic Southern desserts that I rarely come across. Delicious, simple, without excess - egg custard is one of my favorite desserts, and invokes some of the sweetest taste memories of my life. Here's how you do it:

Baked Egg Custard

6 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350. Yield 8 6oz custards.

Put the eggs in a mixing bowl and stir just until mixed. Add the sugar, salt and milk, and mix until well blended.

Strain through a fine meshed sieve, and stir in the nutmeg and vanilla. Divide evenly among your custard cups.

Place cups in a baking pan, and fill the pan halfway up the cups with hot water. Bake in preheated oven for 30 min, or just until custards are set (this can seem tricky if you haven't made custard before because they'll be a little jiggly, but if a knife inserted in the center comes out clean - you're all good). Remove from the hot water bath and cool.

I like my custard at room temperature or chilled. Some like it warm. I support you in serving/eating it however you want to. Your kitchen - your rules.

Iradell Rd.

I spent yesterday afternoon packing things at my grandfather's house. It's one of very few physical places that seems to have remained the same since my childhood. I brought a few table linens home with me and their smell is almost intoxicating. It triggers an entire past lifetime of emotion in my core that suddenly I feel inclined to protect and preserve. Like, I better put these little buggers in a plastic bag otherwise I'll never again be able to remember what my childhood felt like.

Soup's ON!

It's fall and I'm only interested in participating in 3 major food groups: Soup, Cider, and Donuts. Monday I ate donuts for dinner and every night since I've eaten soup. Some at home, some at friends, and some at Asia Cuisine. Here's this week's soup in review:

Fish stew and crusty bread at home. Courtesy of Rachel.

Chicken noodle soup at Mandy and Fuzz's. Thanks Fuzz!!!

Jam Bong at Asia cuisine.