Slashing Sugar Where I Can

I'm starting a new healthy eating challenge with my friend Rachael and her group. Feeling good about it.

Rach has taught me so much about eating well--not depriving myself, but cooking delicious food.

Anyway, I just made these supereasylittle cupfuls of Clementine Chocolate Lava Cake from food52.com:
https://food52.com/recipes/78429-clementine-chocolate-lava-cake

I reduced the sugar from 1/2 cup to 3 level tablespoons, and used one 4-ounce bar of Green & Black's 70 percent cacao organic dark chocolate. 

Sometimes, in addition to warm, spoonable, brownie-batter chocolate, it's the whole experience I crave. Tying on my pink floral apron with the flippy hemline. Buttering teacups, including a floral one that was my mother's. Whisking eggs, sugar, a pinch of salt and pure vanilla......folding in melted chocolate....transforming simple ingredients into a decadent dessert.

I used three old-fashioned china teacups [they were fine in the oven for 10 minutes] because I don't have four small ramekins.

Such a dark, divine treat.

I hope to make oatmeal bread tomorrow.

Good night to you.

TCOY

1. Latte from Joyist. Heavenly.
2. Support group at 9:30 a.m. Talked to friends.
3. Music.
4. Walked Sug around block.
5. Short nap.
6. Cleaning bedroom, tossing stuff, Marie Kondo style. Feels good and like taking care of myself.
7. Signed on for Rach's group.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Parking meter, 35 cents.
• Joyist, for my latte, two $5 packs of Java Love energy bites [one for older daughter and one for younger daughter], one Paleo Chocolate Haystack Cookie, $20.

DAILY TOTAL: $20.35.

Hello from Starbucks, Holiday Cup in Hand

Hi...it feels good to check in on my blog before I dig into a writing assignment. Have four articles due for ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME by Thursday night. Have my ducks in a row [most questions answered, queries met].

Punch had off from school today for Election Day....I don't think that's typical in our towns except maybe for presidential elections....? But I heard that with the current state of affairs [school shootings, terrible] that the thinking was it's not safe to have all those voters coming into the schools that serve as polling places....at least not when the classrooms are full of children.

Can you see me? By the window? Little Rose Gold laptop? Bad hair day, no makeup, grande decaf latte by my side? Let me swipe some lipstick on in case you catch a glimpse. There, that's better.

Punchy's friend came over 9 a.m. before her mom took the bus to work.....this is a tough week in Montclair for parents who work outside the home because the public schools are also closed this Thursday and Friday for annual NJ Teachers' Convention. It was pouring part of the time.....the girls made slime [they've started a business together, selling it], keeping Punchy's room pretty clean in the process. A couple of batches were very alluring: "Butter Slime," tinted butter yellow and scented with perfumed lotion; and some gold as-of-yet-unnamed love slime infused with little gold hearts.

It could have been a long 6 hours til Punchy's nice friend's sitter came to get her at 4, so thankfully, when the rain was pouring down, I remembered the $5 before 5 p.m. movies in Clifton at the Allwood Cinema and we went to see the 11:50 a.m. showing of "Smallfoot," a funny animated movie about a yeti--a whole civilization of them, from the Stone Age. It was really good. And it featured a leading female character with a scientific/analytical mind. Not just courage under a crown or gown, which is more predictable, but a brainy way about her.

This is the brilliant Meechee.

Anyway, that was my day, and when my sitter arrived at 3 p.m., I read and rested a little; drove to therapy appt. [code word Private Benjamin, just because, and it was very helpful]; went to vote; stopped at Le Salbuen on Walnut Street to buy two decadent-looking gluten-free chocolate desserts to drop off for my friend's GF mom, who was recuperating; drove here to work. Dan and I often have to extract ourselves from the house to focus and get our work done. It was my turn this evening.

Well, I guess, let's face it.....I love blogging and am procrastinating on my deadlines.....told Dan I would be home by 9 but now it might be later. Tomorrow, plan to get up early and walk straight into town to work after Punch steps onto the schoolbus by 8:45.....just called my friend/sitter Elaine and booked four hours for Thursday, from noon to 4......

I have often zoomed to the Cape [with young Fig; Dad; Dan; my friend, Anne; Nikki; Punch; Sug [some or all of the above] on this November teacher's convention weekend, but the stars were not in their courses this time. Nikki doesn't have off these days, Punch has a long-planned play date and soccer this Saturday and I have this work deadline. Plus, I probably shouldn't spend extra money.....and my friend Meggy in Vermont has been saying for years that there is a big craft fair she loves every year on the weekend before Thanksgiving and wants me to go....I'm toying with driving up with Punch, who has never been to Vermont.

But I always embraced a four-day weekend from school to drive to the edge of the earth and see that powerful ocean, and all the Cape Cod trappings...

Well, I better sign off. Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Thank You, Emily Luchetti

The knife test marks will be masked with homemade whipped cream on each slice.
My crust is homely but will taste good. Besides, the irregularity is part of its charm; it's not crimped by
a machine. However, my friend Debby [Susan Deborah Goldsmith], who was
Associate Food Editor at Good Housekeeping for a long time,
can crimp a picture-perfect pie. Amazing.

I love Emily Luchetti's cookbook, Four-Star Desserts. I had forgotten how much I love it. It is incredible, and I just went back to her pie dough. It's rich and buttery and thick enough to crimp, but doesn't burn easily around the edges. Just made two batches, one for the pumpkin pie I'm toting to Punchy's Thanksgiving classroom feast tomorrow at 11:45.

Emily L. did desserts at famous Stars in San Francisco [landmark restaurant from 1984 to 1999]. I have read a lot about that place. But I have yet to indulge in the California foodie scene. The few times I have been to the Golden State, I:

• Drove along the coast with my girlfriends. It was so much fun. But I don't remember any special meals, just Chinatown once, I think. Do recall an incredible bakery in Carmel. I think we just window-shopped there.
• Went as a chaperone for the Seventeen Magazine music competition. This was fun; we young staffers went along to help supervise the talented kids. We had dinner on the Queen Elizabeth 2, though I cannot remember what it was. 
• Drove across the country for two weeks with H. in summer 1990. Remember steak and chile rellenos [a revelation to this Jersey girl] in Texas, but did not get into California foodie scene. By the time we got there, I had to fly back to work. H. drove back.
• Went with H. to San Diego area when he went for business. Do not recall any memorable meals.

Now, if I went to California, I would be tracking down Chez Panisse in Berkeley [hi, Nan!]; I have several of Alice Waters' cookbooks. On those prior trips, didn't have much extra money or such a treasure trove of cookbooks and knowledge.

Oh well, I have Emily L.'s wonderful legacy between two covers. But read HERE for what she says about limiting sugar. I really like it. Check this pointer: • Get pleasure out of things contradictory to desserts. Yes I like a warm juicy pie fresh from the oven but I also like not having a big butt. Life’s a trade-off and you can’t have everything all the time. It’s the same with food.

TCOY

1. H. got up early to drive Punch to 8:10 a.m. gymnastics and I relished sleeping later.
2. Had that healthy Cooking Light chili with kale for lunch.
3. Steamed butternut squash with dinner.

The Peach "Doughnuts" Apology

I made this recipe tonight. I always wondered what to do with the doughnut peaches that pop up at Kings every summer. Now I know, thanks to The New York Times. It took a lot of pots and bowls--and some time--to make the raspberry sauce, blanch and peel the peaches and sear the "doughnuts." But it was worth it. A very memorable and sweet dessert. And it's peaches, for goodness sake! Virtuous.

My tips:

• I made Figgy's vegan by searing hers separately in a skillet with hazelnut oil and serving with vegan vanilla bean ice cream. I wasn't very nice to her earlier today, so this, I guess, was a bit of an apology. She loved them.
• I used frozen raspberries [on sale, they were much cheaper than fresh], subbed a capful of orange extract for cassis, didn't have lime so skipped it, and didn't strain the sauce. It was still every drop delicious.

I hope you try it, too.

I have read about blanching fruit for years--pop peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, transfer to bowl of ice water, drain, slice, pit and peel--and now I've done it, with nice results.

See, this is me without Punchy around. I have time for new recipes! H. loved the peaches, too, and I hope to make one day for Punch.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Boot camp in the park.
2. Walked Sug around block.
3. Support group--takes bravery to share there.
4. Nap.
5. Took Sug for long walk at night.

Something Borrowed: Superseed Peanut Butter Cups

Please follow this LINK.

I've long had a love affair with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups--though one I try to refrain from pursuing. My friend Irene gave me an eight-pack for my birthday once and I was thrilled! As an adult, I've joked with H. and Figgy that I'd love a RPBC as large as a round tabletop.

So when Figgy came home for a visit the other day, and I was hunting for a vegan treat to make her, I happily landed on this.

Thank you, Cassie Johnston and foodrepublic.com!! I put my ingredient notes in pink.

The copy I copied here: 

Healthy peanut butter cups? Yup! Not only do they exist, but you can make them at home in about 15 minutes. For the peanut butter filling, I like to mix in a combo of raw superseeds—not only do they up the nutritional profile of these candies by a ton, but they also add a really satisfying crunch!

Reprinted with permission from Chia, Quinoa, Kale, Oh My!

Servings:12 cups

Ingredients

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped [I use 3 sections of a 9.7 oz. bar Scharffen Berger Semisweet Dark Chocolate]

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/4 cup peanut butter, natural and unsweetened [Skippy Natural Super Chunk]

1 tablespoon honey [mine is from a jarful made by bees at the Iris Gardens in town]

1 tablespoon chia seeds [didn't use]

1 tablespoon hemp seeds [didn't use]

1 tablespoon flax seeds [I have a box of Carrington Farms Flax Paks of flax seeds; each weighs .4 oz. and I use one packet]

Directions:  

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, or in the top part of a double boiler over medium heat, place the dark chocolate and coconut oil. 
2. Heat the mixture in the microwave on high for about a minute, or in the double boiler, until melted and smooth. [Use microwave, just watch carefully so it doesn't burn.]
3. Pour about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate mixture into each of cup of a 12-cup mini muffin tin. 
4. Place the tin the freezer to solidify the chocolate, about 3 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, mix together the peanut butter, honey and seeds in a small bowl.
6. Remove the tin from the freezer and dollop about 1 teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture on top of the hardened chocolate in each cup, spreading with a spoon to flatten.
7. Top each cup with the remaining chocolate until the peanut butter is covered.
8. Return the tin to the freezer until the chocolate is solid, about 10 minutes.
9. Remove from the tin by placing a knife between the edge of the peanut butter cup and the edge of the tin until the peanut butter cup pops out.
10. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

TCOY

1. Boot camp in dome.
2. Hot bath with fizzy ball Figgy and my goddaughter, Florida Orange, gave me for my bday.
3. Caught up over lunch with my dear friend Pats.
4. Booked blow-dry for 7:15 tonight. Long overdue! And Montclair Moxie Blow Dry & Beauty Bar, open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. today, sells a pack of 5 for $100. Not as good as my beloved Vamp, but I figured I should try to save money.

Palm Sunday

Caught tail end of noon Palm Sunday Mass due to car key mixup for getting Punch to Mo 's Mad Science bday party....thankful that the friendly usher handed me some ripe green palm as I walked in, despite my tardiness...admired grape hyacinths and blue and yellow pansies...baked the Gateau Royale from an Emily Luchetti cookbook for my friend Anne's birthday...it was simple and elegant and gluten-free for the birthday girl...it was like a melty brownie baked in a springform pan in a water bath...topped with shiny chocolate glaze and a pale pink hyacinth from the front garden. Good night, with thoughts of my cousins Linda and Judi.

TCOY

1. Did get to church for a bit of quiet contemplation.
2. Good dental care.

Exception

Well, the sugar train has caught me again. But not for long. Decided to bake for H's book signing party tomorrow. The train stops soon. Good night.

TCOY

1. Boot camp in the snow! Pretty.

Cognac

Figgy and friend made Baked Alaska today. His dad makes it every Christmas. I made it once in high school. It is a show stopper.  He also gave me a little glass of the cognac you pour over it to ignite it. I shall be sinking off to sleep now, Good night.

1. Walled Puff.

2. Private Benjamin.

Clockwork Orange

I decided today to give up sugar [the substance, not the fluffy white pet].

I went to the store and bought oranges. My friend told me she has a pink grapefruit before bed every night and loves it. And she is beautiful and wise, inside and out.

If you know me, you know this will take a Herculean effort. I have spent a lifetime glorifying sweets. And writing about them for top women's magazines [I was really good at describing Christmas cookies and Oreo cake], reading about them, making them, drooling over them in bakeries and sweet shops in every mecca from Madison Avenue to Vienna, splurging on them in upscale boutiques, giving them as rich homemade presents at Christmas, devouring them in public at parties and in private [standing up, in a frenzy], even selling my key lime and Parisian chocolate tarts for a few months. I own dozens of decadent chocolate cookbooks, have many cookie cutters, and jars of pretty colored sprinkles are lined up on the windowsill over my kitchen sink, like fashion accessories.

But in the end, these sweets aren't sweet. They are killing me softly...via mood, outlook, weight, heart, overall health risk. Plus energy level and inner and outer beauty.

I plan to give my poor body and mind a break. 

I remember my brother-in-law Pat's former girlfriend Paula, who ate no sugar and drank no alcohol. She said both could have the same effects. That was mystifying to me all those summers ago in Maine. Now I understand.

I will report back. So far, I had an orange for a bedtime snack here at Sis's in Connecticut. That said, I also behaved like a vicious addict, cursing at two people in my family earlier today. With that comes shame. This road won't be easy for me or those who travel closely by my side, but I hope it will lead to a peaceful, healthier place for all of us.

And I trust I can still be a sweet person without eating my drug of choice.

TCOY

1. Support group. Talked to some kindred spirits and my friend S. inspired me.

2. Yoga class. Though cursing is so not yoga-peaceful.

3. That bedtime orange.

Sweet Surrender

Offset spatula image found on pioneerwoman.com.

Sitting in my sun room office writing about icing spatulas, whisks, pretty pale-blue prep bowls....I finally understand why I need an offset spatula. That's the one where the blade is bent near the handle, instead of being one straight flat surface. It's kind of like a step down near the neck, with the blade/spreading surface below. It keeps your hands/wrists out of the frosting and is great for coating mousse cakes and Sacher tortes with rich, warm, glossy chocolate glazes. You have more leverage and height than with a straight spatula. The offset is also supposed to do a sweet job of spreading cake batters.

On that useful note, good night.

TCOY

1. Walked Puff around block.
2. Ate spinach.
3. Bubble bath! Even if the locksmith did ring the bell near the end of it and I had to rush out, wriggle into bra and denim skirt, throw shirt on inside-out. 
4. Anne and Nikki came over for [very simple] dinner by candlelight.

Of Lemon Cakes & Laundry

Made buttermilk lemon cakes for book group--because our book this time was The Great Gatsby, and when Nick invites Daisy to tea after Gatsby begs him to, the sweets served are lemon cakes from the delicatessen. The only lemon cakes I thought I could get from a deli around here would be Tastykake lemon cupcakes, and I couldn't bear to stoop that low.

Also caught up with laundry. Still hoping and praying, praying and a hoping. H. and I used to sing that to Figgy when she was in my belly. May things unfold as they should, and may we all stay safe and sound.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Slept late.
2. Pored over my cookbooks, like I used to, to find my best lemon cake recipe.
3. Walked to grocery store and back on this pretty day.
4. Book group with friends! Laughter, compassion, wisdom.

Mark It in Blue: Big Berry Bake-Off, Sunday, July 28!!!

This sweet story about blueberry picking was one of Figgy's favorites.

If you live in or anywhere around Montclair--or are visiting--enter the 2nd Annual Summer Berry Bake-Off fundraiser for Toni's Kitchen, the soup kitchen in town. Includes categories for kids and adults, and great prizes, from Williams-Sonoma gift cards to kitchen accessories. All proceeds go directly to Toni's Kitchen, which also provides other support services for guests--even art and memoir writing classes after hot lunch is served on Saturdays.

I'm on the bake-off committee, so please spread this sweet rumor. We'll also raffle off nice homemade desserts [so you can take them home intact] and have a homespun bake sale. You don't want to miss this day. Bring on your best baked berry recipes--from muffins to scones, cupcakes to pie. Shortcakes, cheesecakes, layer cakes, bars...we want them all.

Another juicy detail...the judges! Our panel is composed of experts from five treasured Montclair bake shops: Gina's; Montclair Bread Company; The Little Daisy Bake Shop; Le Baker's Dozen; and Cupcakes by Carousel. If you've been to those bakeries, you know you want in on July 28.

See you that Sunday!!!!! Please check the link above for entry details. Then mark your calendar with blueberry-blue or raspberry-red ink so you don't forget the date. :)

TCOY

1. Walked Puff around the block.
2. Enjoyed strawberry jam on toasted oatmeal bread, fresh cherries, and roasted veggies today.
3. Reviewed our budget with quiet time I had while H. went to New Hampshire to get Figgy. Saw some areas where we can be more frugal.

Thanks, Aunt Tara

I owe Figgy's friend Christy Rose's Aunt Tara big time for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats recipe I've been making often lately. She once brought a batch to the Roses for a gathering. Christy brought some to us. Please, get me that recipe, I begged. I wrote on top that I snagged the hand-written recipe on a sheet of notebook paper on 3/2/03. I can't believe Figgy and Christy were only 7 then!

Tomorrow is Teacher Appreciation Day at Montclair High, and parents are asked to bring in baked goods en masse by 8 A.M. I made two large panfuls. Please let me know if I should post Aunt Tara's recipe.

Thank you, Tara--and thank you to my friend Jean, Christy's mom, because I'm pretty sure she jotted it down for me.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Important reading.
2. Lots of ice water.
3. Lit pretty candle on mantel on this dreary rainy day.
4. Bought baby oil and bubble bath for future skin pampering.

Nightcap: World's Best Cannoli

Rode the F train to West 4th Street, to meet everyone @ old-time Trattoria Spaghetto, an Italian restaurant we love on Bleecker Street in the West Village. But H. and Fig were late driving in from NJ and Floridians Mary Jane, Tony and Marissa got lost taking the subway downtown, so I had a half hour to kill. I walked over to the next block...Downing Street, to my delight.

As I've written before, that's where Dad was born...where his young Italian immigrant parents had their three boys, Anthony, Aldo and John.....I walked over and looked at their building [the lobby is refurbished], at the place where Dad's cousin had his plumbing company [beautifully renovated into another business now] and of course, to the former horse stable with the magestic stone horse's head. Al, look, Dad said. The horse's head!***

I stood in the dark looking up at the horse's head near 7 P.M. as people returned from work, talked on their cells, put the garbage out, walked their dogs, strolled arm in arm, hurried to meet their friends. I looked up into the windows of the apartment building, thinking about my grandparents. Then I called my cousin Linda and Sis, to talk to them about where I was. I didn't have my cousin Judi's number, so I asked Sis to text her....

Dinner at Spaghetto was so fine....I had chicken parmigiana; came with a side of ziti....my meal was better than ever. Mary Jane always wants to go to Rocco's Pastry Shop right up Bleecker for espresso and cannoli after dinner. Tonight, the cannolis were exceptional. The filling was so fresh, creamy, luscious and abundant.....omigosh, so good. H. and I split a small one. Figgy had one with a chocolate-dipped shell. And we had a few pignoli cookies, H.'s favorite.

Good night.

***According to forgotten-ny.com, "on this 1909 Bromley atlas plate of Downing Street notice several dwellings lining the street that are marked with X’s. In the legend, an X means a stable or garage. Thus we can determine that Downing Street once served in large part as a place to stable horses. Carmine Street, one block north, is quite wide and Downing Street likely served the businesses and homes there."

TCOY

1. Boot camp in the soccer dome. Lots of jogging and jumping.
2. Walked around the city [and up and down subway stairs].
3. Saw my friend Celia.
4. Good amount of ice water.
5. I liked getting in touch with Mom's and Dad's history--hers at the library, his on Downing Street.

Vanilla Sky

My new purchase, on sale @ Anthropologie.

I already own this book, and love it.

So today I met Amy--one of my editors--for lunch @ Raymond's on Church Street. We brainstormed, caught up, went through story ideas. And had a delicious meal! It was good to see her. Then, since I was over on Church Street, I popped into Anthropologie, with its nice sale room on the second floor.

And what to my wondering eyes should appear but Pure Vanilla, a beautiful cookbook of vanilla recipes by Shauna Sever [author of Marshmallow Madness!, which I don't own but would like to, and blogger @ Piece of Cake]. The gorgeous photos are by Leigh Beisch. [Cover price $22.95 but marked down to $14.95, then the sales associate took off another 20 percent b/c for some reason, the ingredient list for Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding recipe is half blanked out. And rice pudding is one of H.'s favorites. So my price was $11.96.]

I have folded over SO MANY pages of recipes I want to make, especially Tuxedo Crème Cookie Sandwiches; Vanilla Cream Pie; and Vanilla Cloud Cake [a lofty angel food cake with a frosting made of cream cheese, melted white chocolate, whipped cream and two kinds of vanilla]; and Big Mama Vanilla Cheesecake. One of my latest plans is, once again, to return mostly to baking for others--parties, events, etc. And there's a big fundraiser March 22 for Montclair High School Project Graduation. It's a New Orleans theme, so I've volunteered to make a New Orleans recipe for Lemon Icebox Pie [it's really good, from a cookbook called Dam Good Sweet] in small tart sizes, and now I think I'll do some Vanilla Cream Pies in smaller, pick-up sizes, too. I love little pies. So comforting to look at...and to eat.

Tonight I'm making the author's Slow-Cooked Vanilla Spice Oatmeal with steel-cut Irish oats.. a little brown sugar and nutmeg...it cooks overnight...should be nice to wake up to in the morning.....unfortunately, I don't have a vanilla bean, which I'm sure would make it fabulous...those were out of my budget tonight....but I have everything else. And it should be yum with a splash of half and half, sprinkle of sea salt and toasted pecans.

Let's all drift off to sleep on a vanilla marshmallow pillow, like fairies must do. Good night.

P.S. Yes, others may emerge from Anthropologie with a soft vanilla-white sweater, but me, I come out with a vanilla cookbook. 

TCOY

1. Boot camp in the dome.
2. Faced music after poor food choices. Logged in, moved on best I could.
3. Walked Fluff around the block.
4. Made nice tomato sauce for supper, with ground turkey for me and Figgy.

A Bar with a View

Our wedding anniversary. We went to the bar area @ the Highlawn Pavilion at 9:15 and perched on comfy stools with a glittery diamond view of the New York skyline, complete with red, white and blue-lit Empire State Building.

H. ordered a frisee salad, a bar pizza with mushrooms and a martini with three olives; I, who had an early dinner and glass of Pinot with Sis and Don in Greenwich, went for glasses of ice water and, to toast, a decaf Viennese coffee with Frangelico and brandy. I won't lie, my coffee was only okay. But the service and the view? Millionaire-perfect. [If you know where I can get an excellent Irish, Viennese or Mexican coffee, preferably with a cap of whipped cream, please clue me in.]

I'm doing a sweet day per week but this week it will be 1 1/2, b/c we shared a divine chocolate fudge sundae tonight at the Highlawn [the women on both sides of us were pretty excited about the sight of it, and said so] and am heading to Cape Cod with Anne Mernin & Co. tomorrow for a few days and have planned one sweet day there, to sample at the Hot Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans and the Candy Manor in Chatham.

But martini and skyline aside, our life is not without its wrinkles--or deep creases. What can I say. Good night.

TCOY

1. Support group. Felt good to be in its embrace.
2. Sug and I drove to Greenwich to see Sis and Don. I took a nap on the couch and then Sug, Sis and I walked @ Greenwich Point--saw shells, lobster trap washed ashore, bridges in stages of rebuilding after Sandy damage. Dogs allowed until end of March I think.
3. We then went to tony Greenwich Avenue for dinner--while Don held a table at The Ginger Man, Sis and I took a quick swoop into the Tory Burch store......it was after 5:30 and it was closing at 6. No budget to buy now, but loved drinking in the colors, textures, designs....saw some really cute sandals, belts and dresses. I can't believe all of the great stores on Greenwich Avenue: J. Crew, Lacoste, Tiffany & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, Anne Fontaine and more.

Go West--Key West

It's late and I'm tired, but want to jot some notes before I forget.

• Key Lime Pie Bar--a small slice of heaven dipped in chocolate, put on a stick and frozen. OMG. I have heard about these up North. So good. I got one while H. and Fig went snorkeling on a boat out of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. I chose to stay behind, wade among the coral a little and lie on the beach. I snorkeled on our honeymoon in Hawaii, almost 22 years ago, but even then I was afraid I couldn't breathe with that mouthpiece on. They both loved it.
• Key Lime Freeze. After this, I promise to stop talking about key lime--for tonight at least. But we went to the original Mrs. Mac's Kitchen [est. 1976] on Overseas Highway in Key Largo. Our friend Celia--whom we met for lunch with her family in Florida Wednesday--told us she had read raves about a key lime milkshake. Well, there was the Key Lime Freeze on the menu--an impossibly delicious milkshake served in that tall silver cup. We shared it three ways. It was SOOOOOOOO good. I didn't like the dinner food nearly as much--the lobster bites appetizer was $14.95, greasy and not very lobstery. But H. said his crab cakes and baked potato were good.
• Charlotte's Story by Charlotte Arpin Niedhauk. I bought this at the Pennekamp Gift Shop b/c I didn't have any good books to read. It is Charlotte's story of living on an isolated Florida Key [no electricity, running water, etc.] with her husband in the mid 1930s, until the Labor Day hurricane of 1935.
• Duval Street in Key West. We arrived here around 9 o'clock tonight. H.'s brother Michael had sent us a manila envelope before Christmas that said MERRY CHRISTMAS! and a great new year!! Do not open until you are on Duval Street Key West. So we did. Inside were three sealed plastic envelopes, each with a nice $10 bill inside. H.'s said Have one on me.... Mine said Alice....Must use immediately and Figgy's said Get a big tattoo!!! Michael is so creative and thoughtful. H. tried reaching him up in Maine to thank him, but he was out for weekly poker night. So H. texted him and sent a photo of the street sign.

TCOY

1. Rested and read on beach. Felt good.
2. Stocked up on bottled waters [at the 24-hour Walgreens on Duval Street] to put in mini fridge.

Sweet Memories

My friend Elly scoped this out, and we went Sunday pre-Appalachian Trail.

With limited internet access near the Appalachian Trail, I'm late blogging about the Pocono Cupcake Challenge that Karen, Elly and I swooped in on before arriving @ the AMC LODGE. It was a fundraiser for the United Way of Monroe County, and it was packed, as packed as a dozen and a half cupcakes nestled in a Tupperware CAKE TAKER [which, btw, is $49 in Chickadee Yellow/Snow White]. 

Such a sweet and frenzied scene. They say you never forget your first kiss. Well, I won't forget my first cupcake there: Sweet Potato Casserole [with melty mini marshmallows on top] by baker known as Blondies. That little gem was perfectly moist and dense, autumn in a pleated paper skirt.

After that, omigosh, it was overwhelming. I had a Bacon Maple Syrup cupcake by Kelly Malis and a chocolate funnel cake cupcake with chipotle in the batter, a swirly cream cap and a hot red chili pepper draped across the top. My favorites visually were by Dana Cantillo--Peas & Carrots shaped from icing on carrot cake and Mashed Potatoes, a mound of creamy white frosting with mock butter pat and sweet "gravy" on butter cake.

My favorite by flavor happened to be vegan. It was simply rich and delicious, topped with almondy Biscoff frosting fashioned from BISCOFF SPREAD--the icing whipped up by Diana from Once a Upon a Cupcake in Pocono Mountains, PA. You can email her at onceuponacupcake@gmail.com. What did you use instead of eggs? my friend Karen asked Diana, a beautiful blonde mom. Oil and vinegar, Diana said. Brilliant.

Antidote to sugar rush: Yesterday, Elly and I took a long hike by waterfalls. It was a mighty incline on the way back up. But such a nice way to spend an afternoon, walking side by side with a friend in nature for more than two hours. I had Dad's fleece jacket tied around my waist and found an ebony acorn on the trail. I've never seen a black acorn before. Exotic. I put it in the pocket of Dad's jacket for safekeeping. Near dusk, we saw deer dining in the woods.

Good night, sweet dreams.

Retro metal sign from kennyssignstore.ecrater.com.

TCOY

1. Short walk by lake with Karen & Elly.
2. Went into Nature's Harvest health food store on Main Street in Blairstown...fun. 
3. Private Benjamin alone and family-style.

Head for the Hills

School is closed tomorrow for Columbus Day, and my friend Elly cooked up an overnight getaway to an Appalachian Mountain Club [AMC] lodge in Blairstown, NJ, Delaware Water Gap area. It's a brief girls' trip, the price is right, and Elly even had us all sign on for meals for the two days, since there's a kitchen.

In my ongoing effort to take the Private Benjamin advice to bake dinners, not sweets, I made a cookinglight.com recipe for spinach quiche with smoked Gouda, and used whole-grain pastry flour in the crust. As I sauteed the greens, I thought--it does feel pretty good to be making something nutritious rather than giant chocolate-chip cookies, even though they might be loaded with toasted coconut, the finest dark chocolate chunks and sweet butter, and filling my heart with joy. I am a dessert writer and baker from way back when, and this fetish/hobby/love/passion is not going to retreat gracefully and without a fight. I will have to work at it, baby step by baby step.

Maybe change really is possible, and healthy foods can be the norm comin' from my oven, sweets the exception. I secretly hope this change will show up in clearer skin and bouncier hair, not to mention a better body and longer life.

Right now I have to find my sleeping bag and throw some hiking clothes into my backpack.

Yesterday was a rough ride with sugar consumption, and as I often do when I go away, I've packed my journal and good intentions to contemplate how I can improve my life and my health and my work. Removing oneself from one's environment allows for perspective [if one can resist just using the free time to nap and read a novel].

Two friends are coming back tomorrow, the other three of us Tuesday morning. Short but sweet.

I'm assuming I can blog from there.

Happy Sunday.

TCOY

1. Made that quiche.

9th Annual Block Party Bake-off

My Applesauce Cake with Caramel Frosting and garden dahlias.

Cookie Monster Cupcakes made by a young girl, who won a $25 movie gift card.

I know how to rotate photos, but when someone takes them on their phone and they're sideways, even if I rotate them, they end up sideways. So forgive me that my heart cake is tilted. Aren't those Cookie Monster Cupcakes adorable? The children on the block really ate them up.

It's been a busy weekend, and I'm tired. And...looks like this was our last bake-off for the time being. RIP, pastry bags, rolling pins and cake pedestals. Sweet memories of Amy's chocolate chip cookies with fleur de sel, Terry's beautiful cakes, Deb's organic fruit crisp. [This is PC Montclair, after all.]

We only had four entries total and in the past, we have had up to 10 or more. Life goes on. One girl who always entered has left for college--her sweet sister, one year younger, liked to enter, too, but wouldn't you know this was parents' weekend on campus. Many of the amazing--and I do mean amazing, stellar, Paige's chocolate-dunked-cheesecake-pops-caliber-talented--bakers on our block are tired of entering every year, and I don't blame them, even if they do win the $25 Williams-Sonoma gift card. So George [my neighbor/friend who tallies the votes with me] and I have proposed a chili cook-off for next year, which will also get more men involved. [Once, a man entered our bake-off and swept away the prize with a glorious fruit tart, but I think he was perhaps the only man who ever entered. And btw, once Figgy entered a winning soft lemon cookie with apricot jam filling.]

I usually bake a dessert but just put it on the food table, b/c it's odd to run the bake-off and then possibly win [even though I never judge, coordinating a panel of adults and kids every year]. But with only three other entries, I had to step up to the plate.

This year, happy to say that Sally won with fast-disappearing chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter filling. Disappeared so fast that I didn't get to try one....

Good night.

TCOY

1. Biked to church.
2. Spiritual food [see 1., above].