June Showers

Sarah's bridal shower cupcakes

As I delivered cupcakes to my friend Catherine's house today, I could sense her disappointment in the rain that was falling as her guests were about to arrive.  Catherine was hosting a bridal shower for her friend Sarah.  There was a flurry of activity as Sarah's bridesmades were quickly converting the outdoor party to an indoor event.  The tent was outside, quiet with tables and chairs that wouldn't be used, and the inside of Catherine's home was transformed into shower-central as the girls worked hard to switch gears. The house is a gorgeous Victorian in downtown Saratoga Springs, so very little was needed to create a beautiful environment.  I arrived with 40+ cupcakes and a stand to display them.  The girls worked around me as I set up the stand in the center of Catherine's massive dining room table.

Cupcakes for Sarah's bridal shower at Catherine's lovely home...

After making sure the cupcake set-up was ready to go, I bid them all a happy shower, got in my Jeep and headed east to Greenwich, New York, where I picked up a lay-away purchase at "Just Because," one of my favorite little boutiques.  They carry Vera Bradley products, Woolrich and Tribal lines of clothing, among others, and very pretty jewelry.  For my birthday in March, I'd put a larger Vera Bradley tote on lay-away, (just the right size for my own gear and any "Grandma" items I might need to take along) and for whatever reason just never got back there to pick it up.  Today was the day (so happy belated birthday to me!).  In addition to clothing, the store carries a good variety of things, including baby gift items, kitchen linens, handbags, and nice little gifts-for-self (!) as well as greeting cards.  They offer free -- and very pretty -- gift wrapping.   It's just a fun place to visit every now and then.  Usually, I head in that direction with a sister or a friend, but today I was on my own, so after shopping I went in to the little cafe next store (it has a new name - I'll check and let you know) where I ordered a chicken salad sandwich to go.  I am a HUGE chicken salad fan, and I like theirs because it has Craisins, green grapes, and is lightly seasoned.  They don't use much mayonnaise (also a plus) and I ordered it on their own home-baked wheat bread.  Simple. I hadn't taken time to eat all day, and was hungry but didn't want to go the drive-thru route. This was so much nicer, and I was surprised to find a serving of Lay's classic potato chips in the bag with my sandwich, which are just about the lightest, crispest, best potato chips, in my not-so-humble opinion!  The sandwich was so pretty that I took a picture of it!

Not quite fast food - chicken salad sandwich

Now I'm trying to decide what to do with the rest of my precious Saturday. Katie, Bill, and the boys are at a birthday party.  Russ isn't here this weekend. Oden, the big black lab is hanging out in my apartment while his family is away, and it's quiet as can be.  I could actually do nothing for a little while, but I'm not sure I know how!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Saturday, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

And the Winner for May 2012 is....

Congratulations to Nancy Stevens whose comment earned her the prize of an 8-inch round cake, any flavor she'd like!  Today, on my lunch hour, I printed the name of every commenter for May on slips of paper (a slip for each comment during the month) and my lovely co-worker Lynn pulled Nancy's name out of the Gladware container someone left in our office kitchen hat. Regardless of the vessel, it was on the up-and-up and Nancy Stevens is the fortunate winner for May!

Nancy and her husband Tim are trying to decide what flavor cake they'd like, and I told her she can  have anything she wants!

Meanwhile, it's Friday so I'm baking!  I have 4 dozen cupcakes baking tonight, in preparation for lovely Sarah's bridal shower tomorrow at the home of my friend Catherine who, along with her husband Michael own a gorgeous Victorian on Regent Street in Saratoga.  I hope the weather holds out, but if the forecast is correct and the shower is showered upon, they'll need the tent that's been erected in their back yard.  I've been thinking alot about these cupcakes, and expect that they will be very pretty.  I'll take photos tomorrow as they take shape.  The cupcakes will be displayed on my trusty custom-made cupcake stand.  It promises to be a memorable day for Sarah, Catherine, and all their guests.

With gratitude to Nancy and all who took the time to comment on a post in May, I invite you to keep commenting through June.  It would be great to hear from new voices as well.  It's my pleasure to write this blog for interested readers, and comments help me to know what you like to hear about (or not!).   I'm already excited to see who's going to win on July 1st!

Have a beautiful weekend!

Power

Katie's beautiful peony!

Yesterday afternoon, as I was leaving work for home, the skies were dark with clouds and the wind was churning.  Decades-old trees lining North Broadway in Saratoga Springs were giving way to the wind, and seemed almost elastic in their bending.  I was concerned but wanted to get home quickly.  Visibility was OK for the first few minutes, but as I turned onto First Street and proceeded west, rain was coming down in sheets and hail started to ping against my windshield, bouncing off the hood of my car.  I continued cautiously down Denton Road toward Locust Grove.  As I turned northwest onto Route 9N, I couldn't clearly see what was coming at me so I turned into the parking lot of the Kettle Restaurant and waited until things calmed down.  There were six cars there before me, doing the same thing.  It was the worst weather we've experienced here since Hurricane Irene made her presence known in September.  We never had one winter day this bad, this year.  Of course, the power was out when I got home, and Katie had made dinner (gas stove).  We settled in to a long night of waiting for power to be restored.  When I woke up at 5:30 this morning, ahead of my alarm, we were still without power, which we learned later wouldn't be back until mid-afternoon.  Well, I wanted to take a shower and wash my hair before work, so I packed up a bag and headed to the Skidmore gym to use the locker room shower.  When I checked in to the sports center, I was informed that the locker rooms were out of commission for an upgrade, and I was given the access code to the guest teams' locker room.  At first I was impressed - it looked like a great place for half-time motivation - until I turned on the shower.  The nozzle sprayed water in a half-spray, half-mist (freezing cold!) and in a 5-foot diameter circle.  No water seemed to fall within the radius of that circle.  So there I was, trying to get wet chasing the circumference of this icy waterfall, and then trying to get the shampoo out of my hair - not so easy.  I said "forget it" to the conditioner.  I had been looking forward to using the wall dryer for my hair, as I did in the "regular" locker room.  No dryer.  So, my  hair dried like the wild woman that I was this morning, and I arrived in the office with a somewhat different look than what my co-workers are used to!

The day got better, though.  This afternoon, I made it to Henry's graduation from his nursery school class (adorable ceremony) and when I got home, the power was indeed back on.  Little things seemed so significant.  I got out of the car and was drawn to Katie's peony bushes, and snapped a few photos.  Then I took a couple of pictures of the flowers that were my Mother's Day gift, now in a window box.  I had dinner with Henry and Pete while Katie ran an errand, gave them a bath, got them in their PJs, and settled them down with yet another Thomas movie before their mom returned.  Pete was snoring in the crook of my arm when Katie got home, and Henry was trying to convince us that "two more minutes" of Thomas was all he needed, as his eyes were trying to stay open.  It had been a very long day.

Henry's graduation today

The sound of the refrigerator, the whir of a fan, cold milk from the fridge, and light at the flick of a switch made me grateful for the power that keeps us going.

For a day that started out with no power, barely a shower, and wild and crazy hair, the evening was one of cozy comfort and appreciation for the littlest people, and things.

Pretty posies...

Memorial Day Weekend

First of all, it's important to remember what Memorial Day is all about - honoring those who've given their lives to protect our nation.  I am humbled by such sacrifice and do not take the freedoms we have for granted.  I am so happy that Saratoga Springs re-instated its Memorial Day Parade tomorrow, which had been cancelled due to lack of funds and interest.  A grass-roots reaction to that cancellation, through facebook, rallied supporters and the parade is back on.  Proud of our local citizens who stood up for what is right, especially when it comes to remembering those who deserve recognition for all they've given.

Like most people, I looked forward to this weekend with eager anticipation.  The thought of three days off from work was enticing enough.  Watching Katie and her family prepare for their first camping trip of the season was fun as Henry (who understands) and Peter (who doesn't) were jumping with excitement at all the goings-on.  They're up on an island in Lake George and she's posted a photo on facebook of Henry with his toes in the (60-degree!) water!

Henry the camper, Lake George this weekend!

Russ is here and we've been chick- and dog-sitting for the dozen newly-hatched adoptees from Henry's nursery school (don't ask about the other dozen who hatched but didn't make it).  They are thriving, so far, in their new home that Grandpa Richard Hofmann created for them.  Oden, the black lab, is happy as long as he can follow someone around, lay down by your feet, and eat.  Oh, and he likes to bark at every little sound, but that's Odie.

Chicks hanging out...

This afternoon, Russ and I are headed to Lake Placid and the Crown Plaza Hotel where he will be inducted into the "46ers" Club (not sure of the actual name) for those hearty souls who've climbed all 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks.  It's quite an accomplishment (I did half of one peak once, and that was it!).  I am, of course, very proud of him.  I'll take pictures tonight and post them soon.  We're staying with friends George and Suzanne, and as a thank-you, I've baked them a cinnamon-swirl coffee cake.  It's cooling now and it came out of the pan beautifully.  In a few minutes I'll add a nice, thick glaze to the top.   You'll see the finished product right here!

Hostess Gift for George and Suzanne 

I had more batter than I needed for my tube pan, so with that I made a mini-loaf cake, chocolate chip walnut.  That smells great as well!

Chocolate Chip Walnut Loaf

So, we're off to Lake Placid.  I hope you enjoy your long weekend, if you have one, and take time to remember just who made this weekend so significant.  God bless them, every one.

Creating a (Fondant) Family

This weekend's cake is for Jennifer.  She and Carlos are creating their own family, expecting their first baby on the 4th of July, and they have opted to not find out ahead of time whether it's a boy or a girl.  (I like that.)  Her sister Kim asked me to bake Jen a yellow cake with chocolate frosting (Hershey recipe!), and told me that the shower theme is old-fashioned toys.  Kim came by this morning to pick up the cake on her way to the shower.  Her three little girls, Spencer, 7, and twins Maggie and Jessie, 4, were in the car and very excited to be going to a baby shower!  Kim had provided a printed picture of some old Fisher Price people, the kind that kids in the 1970s and 80s had in their toy boxes (do they still make them?)... My daughter Tricia, when she was very little, loved all her "people" and used to gather all of them up (we had many) and kept them in a basket, which followed us everywhere we went!  Every now and then, the basket would tip and all the inhabitants would spill out all over the place.  Tricia would patiently scoop them back up and deposit them back in the basket, and we'd be on our way.

Anyway, I took out my big block of snow-white fondant and began coloring portions of it with tiny amounts of paste food colorings to get the colors I needed.  I did a pinkish-yellow for the family's heads, a tan for the dog and the cat, yellow for the baby's body and the mom's hair, black for the dog's body and ears, and blue and green for the parents' bodies.  I used a paintbrush to apply color to the cat and add the dad's hair.  I used a toothpick dipped in black food coloring to draw facial features on each figure.  This was one fun cake to put together, and Kim's reaction when she came to pick up the cake proved that the two hours I spent this morning "creating" the fondant family was well worth the effort!

Here's a series of photos of how Jennifer's cake came together:

Inspiration picture...

Taking shape...

Flowers under construction...

Cute little family, hanging out in the corner...

The finished product!  Cute if I do say so myself!!!

Oh What a Beautiful Muffin...Lemon Poppyseed!!!

Here's a recipe for Lemon Poppyseed muffins.  I love the tangy citrus flavor and the crunch of the poppyseeds.  This is a dense muffin with a high rise.  It bakes quickly at 400 degrees, and the contrast of the bright yellow flesh with the toasty outside crust is just beautiful.

LEMON POPPYSEED MUFFINS
400 degrees F, 17 minutes

Stir together dry ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons poppyseeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat:
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
Add, mixing slowly:
2 eggs, one at a time
1 cup sour cream
freshly-grated rind of one large lemon (just the yellow part, don't dig into the white)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until all dry particles are absorbed.  Do not overmix.

Spray muffin tins with cooking spray, or line with muffin papers.

Using ice cream scoop, fill muffin cups half-to-3/4 full (depending on how the batter evens out - I start with half full and then add more to each cup if I have it). 

Let filled muffin tins sit out for about 15 minutes to let the baking soda and powder start to work.  This ensures a nice, high crown to your muffins.  Then bake for about 17 minutes or until muffins have begun to take on a nice golden crust and the tops are dry in the middle and bounce back when lightly pressed.  Check at 16 minutes and see how they look.  Add more time, a minute at a time, until they are just right.

Remove from oven and cool in tin on wire rack for 5 minutes.  Remove muffins from tin and allow to cool completely on rack.

So Much Baking Going On...

My kitchen needs a vacation.  Did I write that out loud?  Well, my kitchen does need a break, and so do I!  It's the middle of May and I have reached an exhaustion level that hits every year around this time. It's self-imposed, and I am not whining.  I ask for this, it seems.  People ask me to make cakes for their parties, and I usually say "Sure" (though lately, I have had to say "Can't do it" a few times).  I'm not a professional baker, and most of the cakes I make are as favors to friends and family (and there are many!).  Often, people have one of my cakes at a party and ask "Can I have a card?" to which I respond, "I don't have a card.  I'm not a business."  No, believe it or not, pretty much all the cakes on this blog's slideshow are baked for celebrations of people I know well and love.  Since I work full-time and am "Granny-Nanny" much of the rest of the time, I don't have the time, means, or luxury of becoming a baking business.  I do sometimes dream of the possibility.  I even wrote a business plan for a bakery as part of my masters thesis.  I have all the ideas percolating in my head about what it could be, and where, what it would look like, how it would feel, and how it would operate.  I imagine large glass containers filled with assorted home-style cookies atop a gleaming display case of simple cakes and pastries, in a Broadway (Saratoga) store front with old-fashioned charm and a black-and-white checkered floor.  It would be simple and unassuming, like one of those 1950s soda shops where children spin on stools along a long, cool counter.  It would have beverages for young and older customers, and home-baked biscuits for their dogs.  Then I think, "Who's getting up at 3 a.m. to do that baking?"  and "Who's going to be there at midnight swabbing the deck?" and "Who's going to be making those night deposits?" and even "Who's going to work 7 days a week and never take a vacation?"  Well, as much as I can envision all the pretty pictures of my own beautiful if not imaginary bakery, I cannot fathom being (at age 58 and advancing) the person responsible for all the blood, sweat, and tears that would surely be required to be successful at such an endeavor.

So, I continue to bake "for the love of it" though sometimes the demands exceed my energy reserves.  Tonight I have two cakes in the oven.  One is for my friend Kim's sister who's expecting a baby in July.  The other is for a friend of mine who works in an academic department at Skidmore, where I also work.  She wanted to surprise her graduating seniors with a special cake, and I am very happy to do that.

May and June are always busy cake months.  In addition, there are always coffee cakes, cinnamon rolls, muffins, and scones (some pictured above) on the to-do list.  When I am not baking, I think about what I will be baking when I am baking again (how grammatically incorrect is all of that sentence?).  It must be some kind of obsession.  I can't stay away long.  It reminds me of when I was younger, and I was a painter.  I loved painting, and I'd finish one and think, "I'm going to take a break for a while" and then the next painting started to take shape in my mind. I gave them all away!!! It's the same with cakes.  I always think of what I can do to make it better, next time.

I think it's time to buy a canvas and dust off the oils and acrylics....  Now, if I can just find that beach-house studio loft with morning light.  Time to go to bed and dream some more!