Afternoon Cake

One of my writer colleagues in the Global Niche workshop I am taking, mentioned a blog called Sassy Radish the other day and I went and checked it out.  I found a recipe that was totally to my liking.

I decided to make it on the spot.

My 'afternoon cake' inspired by the Sassy Radish

It appealed to the time-starved/mom/domestic goddess in me. The link to this lovely recipe is here and I suggest not only that you make the cake but also that you stay a while on Olga's blog and check out the rest of her savvy. 

Pomegranates & Grapes


I took the Sassy Radish on her word when she said the recipe was easy. It was. I sighed relief when she said substitutions were allowed. I even believed her when she said no baking soda or powder, because as luck would have it I had neither. I also had no berries or nuts. I did have grapes and pomegranates and
I added coconut oil when I discovered I only had 3/4 of a stick of butter left 

Lemon zest in everything

My mom and I say 'the Bosnian way' - which pretty much means vague measurements. I'm sure its common throughout cooking history in every culture on the planet. Passed down through generations from elders with their busy hands to granddaughters with their busy eyes. 

Once out of the oven this cake was moist and dense, almost cookie like. I feel the butter might not have been cool enough when I stirred it in the flour so it seemed a bit gloopy at first. (which the SR specifically addresses...) None of which mattered at 2am in the morning when I ate a piece. Or at 8am in the morning when I had another piece, at which point it had solidified a bit and was nice and chewy.

Ok. It was good at 4 in the afternoon too, when I had to share some with The Girl who was fresh home from school.

As a writer who often writes about food and a home cook myself, I am so appreciative of the many dedicated and talented food bloggers who take time and love in the kitchen to bring warmth and goodness to our homes and families. 

In an ironic twist, this is probably the best chocolate chip
cookie I will ever make...

Ciao ciao

Easter at the Lake

                              Easter lunch at the Queens' house on the Lake.

Just the family, small and intimate - my Girl helped make the decorations and No.1 Son filled the empty eggshells with sponge cake to make little eggcakes.

We started off with an Antipasto plate: Prosciutto San Daniele, Mortadella and some Speck. There is always an element of Italian in all our holidays, either bread or sauce or antipasti, I like to be reminded of where we come from and where we can go back to, especially in the sensual experience of sharing food and memories.

Uncle brought some Argentinian rose  in the spirit of celebrating holiday and Spring at once.

Since I never think there is enough food for everyone, I couldn't resist making just a little bit of 'primo' and so un asaggio di Gnocchi with creamy Pesto Sauce found it's way to the table for an interim course.
.
I'm crazy for Lamb but we decided to keep it light this year and so I created an Asparagus feast instead...

 

Asparagus

with Parmiggiano and EVOO

and more Asparagus with Farm Fresh Eggs from Uncle's next door neighbor The Guy with Chickens.

In between the cooking, serving, talking, laughing...I had myself a little dirty martini in this pretty glass that I received as a gift long ago 

...and for dessert we all ate homemade sponge cake with strawberries and almond laced whipped cream.

After

we drank strong coffee and peered into our cups

 Uncle revealed a spontaneous vision of me moving down to Santa Fe to tell fortunes from a  colorful caravan...which we all thought was pretty amusing, each in our own secret way.....

Soon it was over - a beautiful, rainy Easter Sunday came and went, intimate and unusual in it's harmony and simplicity. Here's to more of these kind of days.