A Cake Over a Year in the Making

(I need to post about Grace's fabulous birthday so this is just a quick post...)

Over a year ago a, now former, coworker brought in some cupcakes.  She and I kept the office staff full with all of our desserts that we would bring in every few weeks. But this cupcake was by far the best cupcake I ever had.  So I asked her for the recipe and she sent me the link to her blog.  (She is now taking a break from blogging.)  When I saw the recipe, I couldn't beleive how many "bad-for-you" ingredients were in it and I just couldn't bring myself to make it.  Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not a very healthy eater but this just seemed over the top.  And I am not a good enough baker to know how to substitute or decrease certain ingredients to make it a little less unhealthy.

So Saturday, I embarked on the adventure.  I borrowed an extra cake pan from my neighbor so that I could make a three layer cake.  Grace helped me butter and flour the pans.  (The recipe said to use parchment paper but I never use that for cakes.)  We measured and mixed and poured the cake into the pans.  The cakes baked and then cooled.  And then the moment of truth - flipping the cakes to the cooling rack.  And that is when I realized I should have used the parchment.  All three cakes stuck in the pans!  This has never happened to me before!  I think it may have been because the cakes are so incredibly moist that they just really stick.  Needless to say I was NOT happy!  But I didn't cry (which has been known to happen when I mess up a recipe), I didn't give up.  I waited until Sunday, bought some parchment paper and began again.

The result was one of the moistest (thank you oil and sour cream), decadent, delicious cakes I have ever made.  I only made two layers and it didn't look very pretty but the taste, oh the taste.  If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you must put this on your "must bake someday" list!

Pictures of the Girls

I meant to post these closer to Christmas but I lost track.  So here are the girls Christmas pictures.  Grace at almost 7 years old and Abby at 2 years old.

An Elegant Evening

Last night we celebrated our friend Fannie's 40th birthday and, oh, what a celebration it was!  Her husband, Tim, started making the plans several months ago when he told us he was putting together a special dinner party for Fannie.

The evening started with close friends gathering at the bar of the Jefferson Hotel in Washington, DC. We were all a little early so that we could begin celebrating!  The bar was in a dark paneled room, quaint and quiet, and the group started mingling.  We then moved to the Book Room for champagne and hors d'oeuvres.  The champagne was chilled just right and it perfectly complemented the delicious appetizers that were being passed around the room - potato and leek vichyssoise, tuna tartare (which even I tried), and goat cheese beignets.

We then moved into the Private Cellar Room.  An absolutely stunning room with two walls of floor to ceiling wine displayed in glass cases.  The table was decorated beautifully with dark silver linens and two gorgeous flower arrangements that Tim had designed specifically for Fannie.  The lighting was perfect and the seating arrangements were thought out carefully so that everyone would enjoy the evening.

The dinner began with a lovely toast by Tim to Fannie and was followed by a couple of others who spoke so fondly of Fannie and how dear her friendship is to all of us.  And then the food was served. The first course was a warm salad of artichokes "barigoule" with goat cheese beignets, champagne vinegar and soft herbs.  I chose the tenderloin of prime dry aged beef with crushed herb potatoes, foie gras and a red wine and shallots confit.  Dessert was a warm molten chocolate cake with almond milk ice cream and candied almonds.  Tim did an amazing job selecting the menu and the wine.  It was an absolutely phenomenal meal!

Fannie's brother, Andrew, commented that it was a night he will never forget and I know we won't either.  He said the atmosphere was so intimate, the food was just amazing, the wine was perfect and it was a wonderful evening.  I know we all shared the same sentiments.

The evening ended back at the bar with a nightcap. I was thinking throughout the night of how I would describe this on my blog and I realize I have come up short on my adjectives to describe what a great night it was.  It was an elegant evening for a dear friend.  She was surrounded by friends and family and I hope she felt as special as we all did!
 
Thank you to Tim for organizing an evening we will never forget.  And to our friend Fannie... my toast last night did not do justice to the years of friendship we have accrued.  We have shared some wonderful celebrations, hugged each other through the occasional tears and enjoyed the comfort of what everyday life has brought us.  Our friendship has only strengthened with each year.  You are our dear friend and we wish you an amazing 40th birthday!

The love of books - and a great new read

I used to read books - all the time.  I used to talk to friends about books.  I used to exchange good books with friends.  Then I had two kids.  The days of sitting on the couch on a Saturday afternoon wrapped in a blanket reading a great book are long gone.  And that's ok - I love my Saturday afternoons helping Grace to read and develop the same love of books that I have.  And I love reading to Abigail as she tries to turn the pages faster than I can read the words. 

A few years ago, I ran into my college roommate, Ali Leotta, in DC at a restaurant.  We had lost touch after college and we didn't have Facebook or even emails back then to keep track of each other.  We were happy to see each other to reconnect and catch up.  We exchanged emails and Christmas cards.  This year I opened up my Christmas card from her and saw her two adorable boys.  Included was a bookmark announcing the release of a novel she had just published - Law of Attraction. I was so excited for her. 

I immediately went on-line and ordered the book.  Two days later I was sitting on my couch wrapped in a blanket, after the kids went to bed, totally absorbed into her novel.  It is a great book - lots of twists and turns.  I loved all the inside references to DC landmarks and local hangouts.  In record time, after some late nights, I finished the book just three days later.  I have already passed it on and plan to keep passing it around to friends and family.  I recommend it to anyone looking for an intriguing story about prosecutors and defense attorneys and a murder mystery.

She has already signed a book deal for two more sequels and I can't wait for the next one!  She is an accomplished career woman working for the U.S. Attorney's office, a mother to two boys, a wife to an equally accomplished husband.  I am so happy for her and proud of her for making this happen and doing it so successfully!