Manna from Heaven

This inviting image is from youvegottoseethis.myhomeideas.com.

They're up there in Heaven, I just know it, those lovely angels with soft ringlets and fluttery white wings. They don't flap the wings to fly, but they have them. [Have to admit it would scare the bejesus out of me to see feathered wings on a full-size female figure, not a Christmas card angel.]

They have long, flowing robes and rope belts woven from glittery gold threads. And when they turn their heads, dainty, swinging diamond chandelier earrings catch the light. Their lips are pale pink, pretty natural, a kind color you know you can trust. [You wouldn't trust an angel wearing crimson lipstick, would you?]

And they eat Angel Food Cake.

It's 12:30 A.M., and I have one in the oven right now. I love how tall and lofty it is; I love the way 12 humble egg whites and some cream of tartar and sugar get whipped into a froth, rise up into a beautiful, proud batter that is fragile yet strong enough to support the less ethereal flour that must be folded in. The sweet peaks must absorb it. Then the pure fluff must be spooned [not poured] into the silvery tube pan that waits.

Block Party Bake-off
Tomorrow is our annual block party for Nassau, Macopin and Patton streets. It's a tradition that has been going on for decades, and every year, the baton [and the planning] gets passed on to another two neighbors on the block. For the last many years, I have been running the Bake-off for it. So much fun! One neighbor, Terry, dreamt it up the year she was running the party, and it's been a welcome tradition ever since.

I generally don't enter, because just in case I did win, I would be handing myself the prize I went and bought for the winner [with funds collected for the party]. We have separate kids' and adults' categories, and you should see the amazing things these people bring out of their kitchens, from chocolate-dipped peanut-butter cheesecake pops to warm-from-the-oven English apple crisp, chocolate chip cookies with fleur de sel to moist and tender carrot cake. The kids make outrageous pies, cakes and concoctions, too.

We get a panel of judges every year--a mix of kids and adults. I give them ballots to rate each dessert from 1 to 10 in a categories like looks and taste. This year's prizes:
Adults, 1st prize, $25 Williams-Sonoma gift card; 2nd prize, cute plant in pumpkin pot
Kids, 1st prize, $25 AMC movie theater gift card; 2nd prize, cute plant in pumpkin pot

This year, I have Figgy on the tasting panel. Other years, she has entered some mighty good things--her buttery, marmalade-filled lemon cookies won a prize once. And a new neighbor, Liliana, found some ribbons for the judges to wear!

Here's the link to the cake I'm making tonight: http://www.cookscountry.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=5576&bdc=66912. It has to cool three hours upside-down over a bottle neck, so I plan to drizzle it with some nice bittersweet chocolate glaze in the morning.

I'm not entering it, but putting it on the regular food table.

I invite anyone with [or without] wings to come by and have a slice.