Kiss the Sweets Goodbye and Point Me Toward Tomorrow*

Note the side part with prized Goody barrette in my

fourth (third?) grade Saint Mary's School photo, circa 1971. 

Coaxed by my mother, I set my hair on pink sponge rollers the night before. 

The light blue, sparkly barrette matched the shiny silk dress 

(now faded in the photo), 

a hand-me-down from relatives in Connecticut.

Okay, enough. I've spent my life spinning fairy tales about sugar, and believing them. Sweets were special. They were magic. Enchanting. Not just euphoric, they added notes of beauty and style to a plain life, like that sparkly blue Goody barrette. It was from the grocery store, but it was a big deal to me. (As a mother, I took great pleasure on lunch breaks from Hearst browsing hair accessories for me or Figgy on Bergdorf Goodman's Beauty Level--I got her a slender black satin hairband with rhinestone bow. I would have done the same for Punch, but she is not a hair accessory type of girl.)

Spun-sugar stars in my youth included the Entenmann's chocolate chip loaf cake my New York City-born grandmother, Alice, got us at the Grand Union supermarket in Dumont. A gift. A Sunday, church-day treat. And the  soft Torrone nougat candies in little boxes that our Italian immigrant grandmother, Rose, sometimes brought us from the Bronx.

The treats were part of a better life, a privileged life. They were that one Christmas Eve with a glass plate of homemade cookies at Aunt Gloria's and Uncle Jim's down the block in Dumont, where my three pretty cousins (Annie, Cathy and Maria) lived. The magic of my Sweet Sixteen, a pink box-mix cake and pink icing made by my mother and shared with my friends at our dining room table with Quaker lace tablecloth. They were Stanley's Bake Shop in Bergenfield, a special 50th anniversary sheet cake with rich yellow buttercream roses and swags of frosting.  

I could go on and on and on. My fairy-tale cake walk. But that might fill a book.  

I.am.here.now. It is Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 3:24 p.m. and last night, at another lovely party held by our friends in Montclair, I consumed one sweet treat after another. Like Halloween tricks, they rose up and then vanished from my hands.

The clock ticked and I grew tired, having had a sad Friday night and a packed Saturday that began at 7:30 a.m. with cleaning (book group was coming), table setting, grocery shopping, coffee hour hosting, a meeting, flower getting, beauty salon, book group, phone interview for writing assignment, dishes and ending with the Halloween party. When I'm tired, I do reach for food to stay awake.

I think I have figured it out, at least for the moment. I love the hosts of these generous, spirited parties (themes include Super Bowl, summer garden, table games), the friends who attend, the chance to be out with Dan and sometimes even Punchy there. But so many love to bake (I do, too) and great bakeries abound. So first there is excellent food, often catered (last night, mac and cheese and pulled pork; excellent charcuterie boards; farmer's market focaccia). Even a bar, sometimes with bartender. And live jazz music!!!!

Last night I had:

• A Magnolia Bakery chocolate Halloween cupcake, dense and moist, thick yellow frosting cap.
• A serving from a dream-girl size glass bowl of peanut butter cream/Reese's/cake trifle.
• A big, soft ginger cookie.
• An Italian bakery double-decker cookie with jam sandwiched in between, chocolate dip, rainbow sprinkles (you know the ones).
• A small wedge of hostess J's homemade, tender olive oil citrus cake.
• And at the book group lunch here, since it was our Jeannie's bday, two slices of the flourless chocolate cake Karen made, with freshly whipped cream.

Hello? Yes, it's me. 

Am I out to kill myself? I am a sugar addict, and I can't seem to eat sweets in moderation. Yet the zero-tolerance approach may be too punitive? On New Year's Eve 2025, I planned not to eat the party desserts, told my hostess and looked away but by the time the ball dropped, a piece of the Smitten Kitchen chocolate cake found its way onto a plate in my hands.

I think that going forward, I will have to leave before the desserts come out. Physically remove myself, drive back home across town. Either that or get a big cup of coffee with cream and go in the pretty backyard? For many years, I filled my best crystal bowl with fresh red berries and brought a bowl of unsweetened whipped cream to these parties and to book group. (TBT, everyone loved that dessert.) But then I stopped.

What do you think?

Not surprisingly, I was exhausted and sluggish today, sugar hangover.

Now it's 9:17 p.m. Since 3:24, I took a walk with Dan (nice leaves), cut down the dead cone flowers, made sure Punch's friends headed back to their apartment in the Bronx, did a work email, ate dinner, loaded the dishes, played and failed at Wordle, started Spelling Bee.

My plan as of now is to again sidestep sweets, one day at a time. Look at the roads I have taken when allowing them in.

Scenes from the Goody barrette legacy:

Our daughter Figgy in 9th grade at Montclair High. Bergdorf hair accessory.

Figgy's senior portrait. I also got that pretty "White Christmas" style hairband at BG.

I forgot! I put my pearl bracelet around our Punchy's bun for her First Holy Communion. Her friend Nikki did the bun.

*Adapted from "What I Did for Love," a song from the musical A Chorus Line with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban.

Vintage White Lace, Icing On a Cake

The Butterfield Skirt and matching cake,

PerennialSpring.com. Cake not available to order.

Designer Caily Herbert grew up down the block from us here in Montclair. Young Figgy received one of her girlhood dresses, a fancy hand-me-down, new with tags. Caily's been a baker, worked on a farm and in the book publishing world, involved with the (near) release of a very big book. She attended Bard College, in its magical perch overlooking the Hudson River.

But now, behold: Her dreamy, handmade clothing line fashioned from finite amounts of fabrics and trims that she found on her treasure hunts. Every garment is made-to-order.

From the PerennialSpring website: The Butterfield Skirt in eucalyptus green cotton, ever so slightly sheer. Order skirt with lining for ensured opacity. Garments pictured are unlined. Available in sizes XXS to 4X. (That's Caily modeling.)

I love this feminine circle skirt, made with vintage Schiffli lace trim that Caily says "looks like frosting on a cake." A long row of covered buttons at the side adds to the confectionery appeal. In one Instagram photo, Caily models the skirt while holding a blue frosted cake with careful swoops of white icing. "Correct accessory for the Butterfield Skirt," the caption says. If I get the skirt, it will be a splurge to wear as a feminine basic, with a black top and black capri leggings, since I am no longer twentysomething. A kitten heel would help, too. I love the color (my favorite), the cut, the swing, the buttons--and the cake lace. 👗👗🎂

This beautiful young woman can sew and bake...for her mom's milestone birthday party, she made a "Wedgwood" Cake modeled after the famous English china pattern dating to May 1759 and named for potter Josiah Wedgwood. Here's that iconic color scheme (BTW, the designer's mother, Kate, said both blue cakes tasted as good as they looked):

The 7-inch Magnolia Blossom vase from 2Modern.

Caily has a whole line of circle skating skirts with vintage ribbon trims. She styles them all with fun winter sweaters. You have to take a look.

Gilda Is Gone

My dear lifelong friend Lorraine's mother died Monday, at age 96. But she was absent for years, far away with dementia. She didn’t know Lorraine anymore.

The last time I saw her, at Lor’s 50th birthday party, she was already slipping away.

Mrs. Tedesco was raised in Italy. Her husband, Patsy, short for Pasquale, was a shoemaker. Gilda was a homemaker, and proud of it, though she was a seamstress as a younger woman.

I remember her walking all over Dumont--to Saint Mary's, the grocery store--briskly walking, her petite frame strong enough to carry her bags.

She never learned to drive.

Today, Moey and I met back in Dumont for the service at the funeral home and Mass at the church.

If you look closely, you may see her flying through the heavens tonight--homemade Italian cookies in her apron, big smile on her face.

Godspeed, Mrs. Tedesco. Thank you for being such a good mother to my friend. Our mothers mold us. And since mine died young, I guess I’ve placed high value on my friends’ mothers. How lucky my girlfriends were and are to have them.

I would like to write more but I am tired. Good night.

TCOY

1. Blowout for important appt. tomorrow.
2. Ice water.
3. I have to start counting day 1 again tomorrow off refined sugar road, because Lorraine's dad's cousin made a sponge cake, a humble, home-baked offering for the funeral table. It was lofty and tender and part of the family heritage, so I had a pillowy slice. Memorable. I followed it with two leaf-shaped butter cookies, one chocolate, one pink, and a piece of dark chocolate.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Gorgeous white orchid Moey and I bought to bring to the house. We split the price, so $20.
• Blowout for interview, $35.
• Small art piece bought from Punchy's friend, $5.
• Kings. I let Punch pick out lots of things she wanted--a rare treat lately--from Stacy's Pita Chips to frozen chocolate-chip pancakes. I'm too tired to write it all out, but $102.59. That included milk, oat milk, organic chicken tenders, Uncrustables, yogurts, vegan dinners, toaster corn cakes, etc. etc.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $162.59.

WILL crunch numbers soon.

Back to Day 1 Again/The Cakes Called My Name

I didn't post last night because I was so tired. It was our block's 45th annual party--the first was in 1974. I was a teenager living north of here in Dumont, where I didn't know of block parties. Dan and I bought our home 25 years ago, in November 1994. Figgy was born nine months later. Punchy came into the picture in 2007.

I've been running the bake-off for years, and people count on it. Since I've chosen to detour from the Sugar Road, we did pizza this year. (Party planner Heather's idea.) I also try to avoid that, but planned to indulge--you have got to see this stuff.

Nick finished his pizza on his backyard grill; Nate brought a prosciutto/fig jam/goat cheese/balsamic glaze wonder. We had Punch and Vaurie's Tropical Storm Dessert Pizza, a pineapple upside-down number that caught their eyes online; Beth's grilled veggie; Iam's two deep dish, one with meat, one with veggies; John's vegan [amazing]; Lee's veggie with pesto; young Sam's two, one with capers and olives; and Liliana's cauliflower crust with soy cheese and her adult-entry winner, Best of Montclair, a rectangular "grandma" pie with fresh mozzarella from Rosario's, sauce from Cucina 98 on Walnut Street, her husband Michael's homegrown basil, and dough from Whole Foods. 

Punch and Vaurie won for ages 13 and under and were proud. Their apple crisp didn't take the prize last year in our APPLE OF MY EYE contest.

Picture floral tablecloths, fresh garden flowers, shiny kitchen tool gifts for every entrant, cute pins made by neighborhood artist Maiko for four judges and me/George/Catherine. We three coordinated the event and our pins said UPPER CRUST. George tallies the numbers. Catherine cut the portions and brought a pitcher of ice water for the judges. Dan and I donated two $15 gift card prizes. Our neighbor, Peter, pitched in the great stainless-steel utensils for entrants. They were from his business and included kick-ass pizza cutters, spatulas, spoons, etc.

Our house is up the hill, so it's a lot of trips up and down with supplies, etc. Dan and Fig helped, but it was still tiring. And my friend Amalia made two trips up for me!

The bake-off is a highlight; kids and adults enter. But we also have an ancient tug-of-war rope that's been passed down, barricades to close the streets so kids can run free, pinatas, a bubble machine and music!  And this year, two nice new neighbors, a married couple--both young, handsome men--hired a bounce house. It was amazing.

Those two generous fellows, Mark and Derek (sp), also brought a chocolate layer cake with thick vanilla frosting in a white bakery box from Little Daisy Bake Shop. Meg brought a rich chocolate on chocolate layer cake with the words BLOCK PARTY on top. And someone baked an excellent rich yogurt pound cake. I decided on the spot that I would indulge and start my day count again today. I don't think I regret this decision--if it can remain an isolated incident.

It was the little girl in me, the one who helped her mother bake Duncan Hines cake--the one who had her own miniature cake pan. Cake was honored in our family, a treat when we had it.

Onward. That's over, as my friend Jane would say. It doesn't help that I saw a picture of myself. I hadn't taken time to do hair and makeup. I looked heavy--and doughy. Did not like that.

After the party, Punch always says, I think we should do this twice a year.

TCOY for yesterday and today; Monday is new Day 1 off Sugar Road 

1. Mass.
2. Oats with fruit before bake-off. Probably filled me up a bit but not enuf to crowd out cake!
3. Water. If I drank alcohol at party, would have been even more off course.
4. Asked for help--from Dan, Fig, Punch, Amalia, Catherine, others. And requested clean-up help ahead of time on neighborhood list serve and Facebook group. Many people pitched in.
5. Biked to and from bank Monday.
6. Cleaned up my act. Fresh peach; Greek salad; chicken cutlets; artichokes.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Sunday, Kings, fresh pineapple and maraschino cherries for girls' Tropical Storm Dessert Pizza; dog treats; and paper plates for bake-off. $19.19.
• Monday, Kings, freshly breaded chicken cutlets, Greek salad, Palmolive dish soap, dog food x2, 1/2 pint heavy cream and 1/2 gallon whole milk [dairy products not organic, since only had $20.50 on me]. $19.91.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND Sunday: $19.19.
TOTAL DAILY SPEND Monday: $19.91. 
RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF SEPTEMBER 23: $1,714.86.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND SO FAR: $74.56.

Compare to last month:

TOTAL SPEND FOR MONTH OF AUGUST: $2,895.06. ⬆️

AUGUST AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $93.39.  ⬆️

Big-ticket 🎟🎟 September spends:

🎟 Citarella at Hudson Yards, NYC, dinner; plus fresh fruit, etc. to bring home, $35.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including present for Fig and big yellow mum plant, $84.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including salmon for dinner and an iced coffee from the barista, $63.

🎟 ShopRite, groceries, laundry detergent etc., $50.

🎟 Sky Zone [worth it, Punchy went with her nice friends], $25.

🎟 Joyist, $29.

🎟 Kings, groceries, $46.

🎟 Piazza della Sole, comfy, high-end shoes, half-price, $90.
🎟 Gasoline, twice, $52.
🎟 Chinese lunch with Sis, $33.
🎟 Grocery shopping in Connecticut w Sis, $48.
🎟 CPAP dr. co-pay, specialist, $50.
🎟 Whole Foods again, including 3-pack soy candles, pound smoked salmon and Hydro Flask for Punch, $166.
🎟  Jackie's Grillette treat, casual dinner and soft drinks for three, plus tip, about $45.
🎟 Salon 212 blowout plus tips for job hunting Friday, $45.
🎟 Kings, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella for women's group platter, $58.
🎟 CVS, melatonin gummies, milk, Listerine, $30.
🎟 Kings, 1/2 gallon organic milk, 1/2 gallon oat milk, yellow baby potatoes, teriyaki sauce, Cabot shredded cheese, fresh black figs, 1.38 lb flank steak, etc, $48.
🎟 Kings again, groceries, $39.
🎟 Chez Josephine dinner with Candy and Allegra, $60.
🎟 Duane Reade, emergency makeup in Port Authority, $25.
🎟 Prize donation for pizza bake-off, 2 gift cards, total $30.
🎟 ShopRite, bake-off ingredients for girls plus a lot of groceries, $84.
🎟 Healthy Friday afternoon Joyist for Punch, Figgy and me, plus metal straw with cleaning brush, $33.
🎟 Kings, coffee beans x 2 plus other groceries, $34.

Birthday Apple Cake on Friday the 13th

I've been making the same apple cake for Dan since 1990--not every year, but often. Back then, he was 33 and I was 29. The tradition has been interrupted with a very deflated lemon meringue pie and small French apple tarts with homemade butter dough. 

The cake contains toasted walnuts, chopped apples, oil, flour, pure vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, some other basic ingredients--and very little sugar. I doubled the recipe this time and used Cup4Cup gluten-free flour [our friend Anne is GF] and The Neat Egg powdered egg substitute [for vegan Figgy]. It turned out delicious. We all liked it except Punch, who focused on the mango sorbet. I think the key to success is that the crisp fall apples and earthy walnuts still ride front and center, pure, unadulterated and packed with flavor. I will post the recipe soon. Too tired and busy tonight.

TCOY, Day 14 off Sugar Road. Made planned exception for this very low-sugar bday cake.

1. Met my friend Rach for healthy lunch from Marcel--hadn't seen her in a while. We walked to Anderson Park and ate outside. I had the roasted veg special over hummus....so yummy. Rich, with that hummus bed--couldn't finish it all.
2. Salmon and baked potato.
3. Half banana.
4. Grape-Nuts.
5. Hair blowout by Christina!
6. Applied makeup.
7. Job hunted.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Salon 212, blowout, $35 plus tip for stylist and shampoo person, $45.
• Sandwich Theory, iced coffee plus 50 cents tip, $2.75.
• Sun Graphics, color copies of two recent magazine articles and 2 copies of resume, about $5.
• Marcel Bakery & Kitchen, lunch with Rach and later, 2 mini cheese pastries so I could sit and work on laptop. With tip, $15 + $3.20, $18.20.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $70.95.

RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF SEPTEMBER 13: $1,129.50.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $86.88.

Big-ticket 🎟🎟 September spends:

🎟 Citarella at Hudson Yards, dinner; plus fresh fruit, etc. to bring home, $35.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including present for Fig and big yellow mum plant, $84.

🎟 Whole Foods, groceries, including salmon for dinner and an iced coffee from the barista, $63.

🎟 ShopRite, groceries, laundry detergent etc., $50.

🎟 Sky Zone [worth it, Punchy went with her nice friends], $25.

🎟 Joyist, $29.

🎟 Kings, groceries, $46.

🎟 Piazza della Sole, comfy, high-end shoes, half-price, $90.
🎟 Gasoline, twice, $52.
🎟 Chinese lunch with Sis, $33.
🎟 Grocery shopping in Connecticut w Sis, $48.
🎟 CPAP dr. co-pay, specialist, $50.
🎟 Whole Foods again, including 3-pack soy candles, pound smoked salmon and Hydro Flask for Punch, $166.
🎟  Jackie's Grillette, casual dinner and soft drinks for three, plus tip, about $45.
🎟 Salon 212 blowout plus tips for job hunting Friday, $45.

Under the Sea

This frozen baby octopus is from shop.fultonfishmarket.com.
The children did not buy baby octopus, but
this picture will give you an idea.

Second day off, 4-day MLK weekend. Back to school tomorrow.

Punchy loves her friends, V. and F., very nice twins, and they came over to our house when their mom went to work at 9. They stayed til about 2:45, when their sitter came. My Elaine came at 3. Sis was also in the house, and we enjoyed seeing her. She dropped off her dog, Buttercup, a spunky little pal we will happily watch for 10 days while Sis travels to California. Sis also brought a pizza.

Here is how we spent the day with V., a girl, and F., a boy--both fifth graders, like Punchy.

• Baked a chocolate cake layer from good [Namaste] mix.
• After texting the twins' mom to be sure I could send them all to town without me, they walked in the brisk cold to Kings to get butter and pure vanilla extract, to make snickerdoodles. I gave them $20, because the price of vanilla extract has gone sky-high. I hoped they could get a small McCormick bottle. They planned to go door-to-door selling these treats.
• They came home with pink, frost-nipped cheeks, having spent my $20 plus a few dollars Punch had in her purse--on 1/2 pound butter, a big frozen octopus thingy and 3 mochi [pastel, dough-wrapped Japanese ice cream balls].
• Made a Joy of Cooking silky chocolate sauce to pour over the layer. Nice glaze. I wanted them to do the mocha sauce, but the twins don't drink coffee. 
• Steamed the octopus; it was kind of creepy, with suction cups and all. But all three ate it, I think?, and made some video about it, using my phone.
• Accidentally dropped the tray of chocolate cake slices on the block.
• Came back and ate some cake.
• Made snickerdoodles dough. Then, since they were out ringing doorbells to sell, I rolled the dough into balls, dunked them in cinnamon-sugar, popped on cookie sheets and baked.
• They made $13.25 selling the goodies. I kept $5. Sis had to bring me a brand-new bottle of vanilla from her Connecticut cabinet. Fortunately, she had it, since I could not use the $12.99 octopus in cookies.
• I did a lot of dishes--bowls, measuring cups etc. 

As a mother, I have been at home and in the workplace. I would have to say this 5.5 hours was kind of tiring, though I did listen to some good music in the kitchen. And that tiring was even with the kids out for groceries [15 min. walk each way, plus time in store] and for peddling. But the thing is, when Punch has a schoolday off, we have to have a play date, activity, project or class planned or she will be apt to sit on electronics.

Saying good night to you early. Out working for a while and hope to continue at home.

TCOY

1. Made a meatloaf using half ground beef and half ground turkey. Should be good for sandwiches.
2. Private Benjamin. My therapist helps me.
3. Having mushroom barley soup. Veggies, one point for me.

$MSOOP

• $20 for octopus plus.
• $9.06 plus $1 for tip jar at Marcel, for soup and iced coffee. $10.06.
• 2 mini boureka pastries, one with spinach and one with cheese, and 2 oz. bag salt and vinegar potato chips, $6.16 plus $1 for tip jar.  $7.16.

TOTAL: $37.22

An Autumn Love Letter to New York

Walking up Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village to meet Donna.

Here she is. We met when Donna became Lifstyle Director
at Good Housekeeping and I reported to her as a writer. She is a
magazine/publishing maven--
grew up in California, drove East with her love [now her husband], attended Brown.
Her career has spanned Women's Wear Daily,
Self, InStyle, The Wall Street Journal, more. She is kickass. Then she got her master’s in narrative medicine from Columbia University! 

Donna chose this great restaurant, Kubeh, and you read your future in the Turkish coffee grounds.

Well, I wanted to write last night but the evening turned ugly when Punch stalked off after soccer practice at the park, not wanting to go to Tuesday evening Open Tumbling [gymnastics]. I almost dialed 911 or phoned in an amber alert. I was worried; it was 6:15 and dark. Turns out she walked all the way home from Anderson Park, about 20 minutes. But I didn't know that, and I stopped in the poke noodle shop, peeked in the toy store, looked in Dunkin' Donuts and stopped in Kings supermarket. Once home, she walked down the block to her friend's. Good thing she left her blue jacket on her bed first, so I could detect that she had been home.

She knows how wrong this is. Dan and I talked to Punch sternly and seriously about it, and took away all access to our phones and laptops until Sunday. It was either that or lose play date today and/or Boogie Bash at school Friday evening.

Have to hop on my bike soon and pedal to a dr. appt. in Montclair, then get down to brass tacks and work on my deadlines.

But I have to blog about yesterday! A list:

• Energy and sun. It felt so good to be in the city. The zest, independence, purpose. The beautiful weather. Fall. The style sightings. A young woman in sheer black stockings and pretty boots. A man in a bespoke suit. People smiling, just because.
• Donna! Great to see my friend/editor again; it's been a couple years. We reminisced about good times and our colleagues and talked about the changing magazine business. Shrinking. We chatted about writing, about hunting down story sources--we covered common ground. Now, on top of writing and editing for creme de le creme publications, Donna edits theintima.org. I guess you can tell I admire her.
• The lunch. Oh, New York City is a food lover's playground, for sure. Kubeh had the most delectable soft, fresh, puffy pita bread.....and fabulous lamb balls with mint in savory broth....I didn't know when I ordered the tiny cup of dark Turkish coffee that it would come with a green card that says Your Future in a Cup of Coffee. It instructs you to sip, swirl, wait, flip the cup and look for images in the grounds. Our charming Albanian waiter, Zog [sp?], said his Mom is an ace at this. But all Donna and I could see in my grounds was, eventually, a monkey, which signifies curiosity.
• The best of everything. Including natural essential oils at a little treasure-trove shop Donna showed me [she uses the orange blossom water, so I bought a bottle to spray on my face]; a pink snowball* at Empire Cake, across from the Google offices; H&H Bagels, famous for being the finest [I brought 3 home for the family].

I have to pack up this laptop and go! Happy Wednesday to us all.

*My grandma Alice bought me a twin pack of pink Hostess Sno Ball cupcakes in Dumont once. It was a big treat. So when I saw Empire Cake's take on these, I allowed my inner child to get one. It was truly delicious.

Reese’s Cupcake

Edit

I did indulge in some Hershey Park treats--kettle-cooked potato slices made right before our eyes, mostly just the chocolate coat on a soft-serve vanilla cone--and an excellent cupcake w peaks of thick, rich peanut butter frosting and mini Reese’s cups on top. The hand-dipped, dark chocolate covered bacon strips looked good but I resisted--the big, warm s’mores ($9 each), with square marshmallows oven-toasting to a golden brown while you watch, ditto. The giant milkshakes in mason jars beckoned. And the idea of chocolate-dipped cheesecake? Yum. The treat world was hard to navigate but I did okay. It felt like a rare moment to be there and I decided by midday that I would get a treat. One led to two, the cone and the cupcake.

Good nite. School and work tomorrow. Punchy made her own big chocolate bar and designed the label. Xo

My Sister on Her Birthday

Drove to Connecticut and went as Sis’s guest to a Stamford Senior Center cocktail party/fundraiser at the Sheraton. She and several other women and men were honored for their volunteer Med Assist work, helping seniors with health care/Medicare questions. I admire her; she has a good, true heart./She also requested a homemade lemon cake w frosting, so I baked her one. Good night. I’m sleeping over tonite!

Punchy Turns 11 Tomorrow!

I’ve got the brownie base and the ice cream dome chilling in the freezer for the bday cake Punch requested starting last year—Baked Alaska. Florida Orange slipped and called it Baked Alexa, so we stuck w that! Punchy wanted me to use Haagen-Dazs green tea flavor, her favorite, but I said most people wouldn’t like that. So it’s a pretty mix of scooped green chocolate chip mint and purply-pink raspberry chocolate chip. [I got her a separate pint of green tea for good measure. [Tomorrow I just have to umnold the dome, put it on brownie base, cover with fluffy whipped meringue and broil until peaks turn brown. Kind of like a giant marshmallow. ] Gnite. Xo.

P.S. Here is the Smitten Kitchen Baked Alaska recipe. Please note, as the recipe notes, it is VERY HARD to slice through a layer of meringue, ice cream and a FROZEN brownie base, even with a serrated knife. So I just decided to let the brownie base thaw in the fridge now and use it cold, not FROZEN.

TCOY

1. Biked to support group.
2. Baked yam and baby spinach.

Work Crowds Out Blogging/Candle Burns Low/Cakes Walk In

I have a lot of pots boiling/simmering at once. But I really want to blog! Especially about these three fabulous forms of entertainment:

1. The movie "The Post."
2. The Amazon series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."
3. The network TV show "This Is Us."

But it has to wait.

Also saddened by news story that broke today about parents in California who were holding their 13 kids captive, starved, chained, etc. So very heartbreaking. 

TCOY

1. Asked Dan to get candles at grocery store. Two tapers burning next to me as I write. Love the soft flickering flames; of course, need electric light, too.
2. That carrot cauliflower soup again, yum.
3. Ezekiel bread with smoked salmon.
4. Joke. So this little girl walks in with two cakes. After healthy dinner, complete with spinach salad, I looked at Dan in our kitchen as he gleefully reached for a cold orange, which he finds delicious. "I wish someone would walk in here right now with a three-layer chocolate fudge cake," I said. "I'm going to have some cake for my birthday Sunday." An hour later, Punchy walks in after her very nice MLK play date with her friend and his Mom, toting a bakery cheesecake and homemade sweet potato cake roll. Dan and I did have some. Excellent. Don't plan to have more, but Punchy can.

Baked Alexa

 

H. put the treat on a pedestal.

 

The meringue topping was good. But I went through two batches made with liquid egg whites that did not fluff up. I plan to call the company and get my $ back. Fortunately, my calm, can-do friend Anne [shown in this photo] came and saved me by separating 3 real eggs by hand. [My egg separator is missing, that's why I bought the carton of liquid whites in the first place.]

 

Florida Orange and Fig.

 

I could only get this goofy sisters' pic: Punch and Fig with birthday candles.

 

H., Punchy and Sug--today was the furball's 13th bday.

We decided to call it Baked Alexa instead of Baked Alaska--Punchy's new birthday tradition. Our niece Florida Orange slipped when she was eating it and called it that!

We all enjoyed it. I wasn't too impressed with the cake layer and have read about using a fudge brownie layer--though it's hard to cut frozen brownie--or some nice cake round with ground nuts, but Punch is a purist. No nuts in her brownies. HERE IS A GOOD SMITTEN KITCHEN RECIPE LINK.

But it's a showstopper dessert and not very hard to make, just requires freezing in steps ahead of time.

God bless Punchy Elizabeth and her good heart.

Good night.

Happy Birthday, Dear Punchy

Hard to believe Punchy is 10 today! I hope to write more tomorrow. She requested Baked Alaska for Sunday birthday dinner. Haven't made one since International Chefs' Club at Dumont High. Oh, and Figgy's guy friend made one here once.

Short brunette taskmaster saw one with chocolate cake base in some science book [of all things]. Guess it is like a science fair miracle, baking ice cream with meringue on top.

Thank you, smittenkitchen.com for recipe. Made the cake layer tonite and freezing it. Sweet dreams.

Sunday, Sunday

Can you smell it, cooling on the rack in the breakfast nook, by the kitchen window? I placed the hot layer cake pan there so the scent of orange rind and freshly squeezed lemon juice and brown butter in the Almond Polenta Cake* would waft out through the screen and comfort the neighborhood, please the children as they drift off to sleep.

Our child isn't home yet. H. drove with four vintage typewriters to a repair shop down the Turnpike and then he was going to scoop Punchy, who had an overnight visit w her Mom last night. It's late, nearly 9:30; maybe Sunday night shore traffic. I hope they get back soon. Punch needs her rest. We all do.

Time to release the cake from the pan. I hope to have Punchy write DAN or DAD'S DAY on top in melted chocolate, so she feels like she was in on it.

I enjoyed the beater whirring, blending the soft butter and sugar; cupping and squeezing the orange and lemon halves to release the juice; and scraping the batter into the buttered and floured pan. I worked hard today in the garden, pruning and weeding and raking; I left the cake for last, as a surprise for H. and Punchy and a pleasant task for me.

Good night to you.

TCOY

1. We were able to sleep late!

2. Took a bath w Lavender Bubble Bear soap and bergamot essential oil**.I just learned that bergamot, per dictionary, is: a pear-shaped orange of a Mediterranean tree (Citrus aurantium bergamia) having a rind that yields an essential oil used especially in perfume.

3. Watched some vintage TV: "I Love Lucy" and "Columbo."

4. H. and I went to Plum on Park Street for delicious brunch and iced coffee. They gave him plum jam for his rye toast.

5. Short but lovely nap.

I bought this at the Belfast Co-op but here is an internet LINK.

*I'm like a dog with a bone when I get a new cookbook I like. Yesterday I made the Summer Squash Casserole from Julia Reed's South and tonight I made her cake. The recipe makes 2 layers, but I halved it to make one. Forgot to halve the 1/2 cup of corn flour and 1/2 cup of cornmeal, though. Used those full amounts but came out great. The almond meal flour makes an impossibly tender cake. It truly is delicious. Also, I didn't have corn flour, so substituted garbanzo bean flour for that. And I had cornmeal on hand from a farm!
**A press contact sent me samples of Puritan's Pride essential oils a while back along with the pitch about their secret uses for household cleaning chores. Here's what Staci said, below. I stuck to using the oil in the bath, but these are worth considering, and I think I will. It's nice to be natural.

Washing Machine: Add your favorite essential oil (about 10-20 drops) into your washing machine to make each load smell springy fresh. [It seems counter-intutive to me to add oil to a wash load, because wouldn't it get greasy? But a friend of mine mentioned this also.]

Freshen up the Refrigerator: To freshen the fridge or freezer when cleaning, add a few drops of grapefruit or bergamot essential oil to the rinsing water.

Get Rid of Old Shoe Smell:  Add a couple drops of tea tree oil or lemon oil to freshen shoes up.

Eliminate Mold:  Add a few drops of tea tree oil to diffuser to get rid of mold in the air.

Kill Nasty Pests:  Mix orange essential oil and clove oil together and spray on pests to kill on contact.