Walmart, an Eggplant, and a Birthday Dinner

For the past two mornings, I've been walking around Walmart BEFORE work! I've realized that some of the mad-dashing and rushing that comes with this time of year can be alleviated if not totally banished by getting up earlier in the day and going to Walmart before the work day even begins. It's true that on occasion I have been a big-box store snob (when I can afford to be) but I do compromise my values when money is tight and I need things, lots of things all at once, and don't have the time or money to make fifteen stops. Today I needed a piece of Christmas fabric and an eggplant. Really, where can you buy both those things at once? As I entered Walmart, I was greeted by an older man wearing a Santa hat who looked very much like the jolly old elf. He nodded his head and, as I passed, I heard him greet the next customer, a "regular" I imagine by their conversation, "Hey Rita, how are you this morning?" in a familiar way, much like neighbors over a fence, or a small store owner and a life-long customer. Are these big-box stores really all that impersonal when a community forms within them, where the employees and customers become acquainted and care about each other? Now, I'm not so ignorant or blind to the fact that in some communities these stores displace smaller businesses, robbing jobs and customers from local employers. I also know that this is the way that a big segment of the retail world is evolving. It's good to know that, now and then, I can go in to pick up a few things and not feel that I'm supporting the downfall of the small business owner. It's a dilemma. And believe me, if you want the best Walmart experience, go very early in the morning, or very late at night to avoid the frustrated mother/screaming child--screaming mother/frustrated child scenario (hard to tell who's more mature). You know what I'm talking about!

Anyway...

With that Walmart eggplant, I'm making eggplant parmesan for my daughter Meghan's birthday dinner. She's a vegetarian and she loves it. I serve it with a salad and Italian bread. Cinchy. I make it the easy and convenient way, with Italian bread crumbs, jarred sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Here's the recipe:

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

2 eggplants, about a pound each

1 egg, beaten with about 1/2 cup milk
flour
Italian bread crumbs
olive oil
large jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
grated parmesan/romano cheeses

Wash and slice eggplant (with peel on) width-wise into about 3/8 inch slices (more than a quarter inch, not as big as a half inch).
Dry surface with paper towels.
Dredge slices in flour.
Dip in egg mixture.
Coat in bread crumbs.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. When hot, cook one layer of eggplant rounds until nicely browned. Turn over to brown the other side. When both sides are browned, drain on brown paper or paper towels. Continue until all slices are done. Add olive oil and bring up to heat as needed between batches.

Pour 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce in bottom of large rectangular baking pan. Spread to cover. Layer eggplant, enough sauce to cover, 1 cup of mozzarella and a sprinkling of the parmesan/romano cheeses, repeating until everything is used up, ending with a final layer of the cheeses. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 additional minutes or until cheese begins to brown on edges.

Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Photo credit: http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/victorygarden/images/eat/recipes/eggplant_parmesan_lg.jpg

Cake Season

It is cake season! This weekend I delivered three graduation cakes. The first one was for my nephew and godson Ben, who graduated from Marist in May. I put an edible photo of Ben and his long-time girlfriend Megan (also Marist ’09) on the cake. We cut around the photo so all that was left was the picture, but then I noticed someone ate Ben’s right leg! It was all over after that! The second cake was for twins Emmet and Jesse, sons of my friends Catherine and Michael. Emmet and Jesse graduated from Saratoga High this weekend and are on their way to Brown University in the fall. Their cake had Brown University’s logo as the design. The third was for a woman at work whose daughter graduated from Lake George High School, also this weekend, and hers was done in the school’s colors, blue and white. Luckily, the cakes were for parties on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so I was able to pace myself and get it all done. I can’t say I was fully functional by the time it was all over. After I was done baking Saturday night, I realized I needed more ingredients for Sunday’s baking. I went to Walmart after midnight, realizing I was wearing flour and sugar on my black shirt. I didn’t think too much of it. It was Walmart, after all, and it was after midnight. People were friendly and smiled as we passed in the aisles. When I got back to my sister Patsy’s house, I said “Yeah, I am a mess but I had to go to the store anyway.” She pointed to my shirt. I was unaware that I was sporting a good 2-inch circle of white frosting dead center on the right side of my chest – right there!!!! No wonder I got smiles in Walmart! Yikes.

I know a number of people who, when they hear I bake cakes, say “Oh, I used to do that.” Or “My mother used to bake cakes.” For a lot of people, baking party cakes seems to be something that used to be done. It’s a lot of work and takes precious time, and can be an expensive hobby. Still, I don’t see myself ever stopping this practice of baking cakes for people as long as I can make the time to do it (not always possible). It is a very big part of my life. I love to participate in celebrating important milestones in life. The actual design and decorating of the cake is usually an act of inspiration and based on impressions of the guests of honor, with knowledge of their particular personalities and passions. It’s that personal touch that seems to mean the most.

I watch cake TV: Duff and his Charm City Cakes, Food Network cake challenges, and now the Cake Boss on TLC (something has to take the heat off Jon and Kate!). If there’s batter going into a pan and fondant being rolled out, I’m hooked. It’s like cake school. I have learned so much just by watching these people work. You realize that baking cakes is a matter of consecutive steps. If you can follow through from A to Z, you can bake and assemble a cake. It helps to have some artistic inclination. I used to paint in oils and watercolors. Early in my twenties my artistic direction changed from paint and canvas to food coloring and blank cakes. Sometimes I think that I don’t want to bake cakes anymore. I want a break – nights to watch Law and Order or the Food Network, time to read a book for pleasure, or time to do nothing and be fine about it. I don’t see that day coming any time soon. As soon as I sit down, I start to think about the next cake, and then it starts all over again.