Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Pools of Cream... and Cakes

Cakes keep appearing around here. It's a bit like magic, really. A pour and a mix here... a scrape and a slide there... and suddenly a cake is sitting closeby. Is it just right? Is it moist? I'll sneak a forkful and chew and shake my head and pour, mix, scrape, and slide again until, finally, it's just right. Not ready to photograph, of course, but yummy nonetheless.

This one is Gingerbread Cake with waves of Cinnamon Chocolate. It's served in a pool of chocolate sauce and piled high with cinnamon-dusted whipped cream. Last night, after it had dried a bit (due to my careless storage method), a friend and I cut slices and she doused them with cream. She's done it since 1978, she said, when she lived in England and watched them habitually drown things in pools of cream. Yum. The English are brilliant.

Yup, cakes everywhere. I'm really trying to wrap up the cookbook so I can move on to something else. I have this fear, though... I really do... that the moment the book is done and sent off I'll think of something amazing I've left out. I've lost countless hours walking myself through my childhood meals and treats wondering, what was my favorite? What was the most memorable? Delicious? It's wonderful, actually. A wonderful exercise... to think back on the meals and foods that were most important or delightful growing up. Some of mine were biscuits, chocolate cake, southern smothered steak, and mashed potatoes.

What were yours?

Better run. Have a list of very pleasant chores to tackle today. Well, except for mowing the yard. We all know what an ordeal that is for me.

Laugh

Enjoy your day! -Brin

6 comments:

Rox said...

There you are.. Needed my "Cup'O Brin" today : ) Still loving your blog. A great Fall cake recipe is in order I think.. Fall starts this weekend right? Getting all my decorations ready. Bought a make a wreath wreath this morning. Think I will do a pine cone one with leaves too... Hope all your chores go swimmingly today. I am off to finish mine..

Unknown said...

I can't tell you how I can't wait for your cookbook to come out! My Mom was born and raised in England and she used to put cream and sugar on her tomatoes, they eat them as a dessert! Thanks for allowing me a little walk down memory lane. The cakes look yummy to say the least! I have to get my cup o Brin daily too! lol

Alice said...

My favorites from childhood include my grandmothers homemade lemonade and her deep fried french fries. They were pre-McDonalds and very special back then.

Terri Steffes said...

You are a ray of sunshine! I love the cake pictures and hope to be one of your first cookbook clients. I loved my great grandmother's mac and tomatoes. I think it was a touch of sugar that made it special. Thanks for the memory walk!

LBP said...

Can't wait until your cookbook! My childhood memories often center around food. Like Aunt Clara's Fried Apple Pies, Aunt Nadene's Lemon Pie, my mom's carrot cake, notice these are all desserts?? Theres something very comforting to me, now thinking about the special foods loved ones have prepared for me.

It's that feeling of someone making me feel special. I like that feeling!

Linda

Cottage said...

The cake looks and sounds divine!

Yay! Almost finished? Don't worry about what you leave out...that is for Volume II, right?

Once you send it off how long after that must we wait to get one? Should Santa be leaving room in my stocking for one? Or is the Easter Bunny more likely to have it?

Either way, save one for me!