Several years ago during a wander by the bakery aisle at one of the big West Coast grocery chains, I saw a slice of tuxedo cake that looked so different from the other cake slices in the case, was so attractive to someone who was hungry, had/has a sweet tooth and screamed “chocolate!” that I … More Tuxedo Cake from the Cakerie for my birthday
Having missed an opportunity to provide a friend with birthday goody, I asked what he’d like. Cake? Nah. Pie? Yes, please, real Southern Pecan Pie, dark and gooey, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. As much as I don’t like to make the crust, I did it anyway, making a single butter crust. There … More Southern Pecan Pie for a friend on my birthday, Crispy for me
Having discovered a neighbor’s taste for Mexican chocolate, I decided to surprise her on her birthday today, August 12th, with some fudgy brownies made with Ibarra chocolate, well-known to bakers. A little goes a long way, so the icing was a simple, plain fudge. She loved them. In honor of her birthday, in addition to … More Mexican Chocolate Brownies & garden art for a birthday girl
Just so happened that I had an appropriate ribbon for a tin with five types of my cookies inside on their merry way to somebody with a birthday tomorrow. I had no clue — when I baked a fresh batch this morning of Chewy Walnut & Fruit Bars and four Ginger Snicks with Molasses Caramel … More Cookies and Cats: A Love Story
My daughter was born in London’s Westminster Hospital while I was a candidate for an advanced degree and we both got very lucky. She was admitted to Bessborough Street Day Nursery in Victoria in her first year which meant she got world-class care and I could spend my days in the India Office Library doing … More Kissing The Old Year Goodbye
Ms Chef in Seattle 