Tuesday, April 27, 2010

I LOVE NY!!!

It's been said by many. It's been misunderstood by many. For instance, my mom was in town a couple of weekends ago to see the opera I was in and kept saying how she doesn't understand how I can live in NYC. She can only deal with the tall buildings and close surroundings for about 3 days.

There are just so many things I could say about NY. Today I shall just share one experience.

I was in my kitchen this past Sunday looking at my sifter and thinking about a line from the opera I was just in. It was in old English and the father said, "I shall go and sift her." I'm sure it means "I will go and set her straight" but I couldn't help but think about baking. lol
All of a sudden I heard tons of honking from the street below. I ran to the window where my beautiful cake was cooling.
I stopped to admire its beauty and thought how lovely the top of it would be for wall paper on a computer.

I was shaken out of my state of admiration with the noise of music. There was an accordion outside!!!
There was dancing outside!
On this dreary Sunday, the superintendent's family was celebrating and I had a bird's eye view. It was like the whole street was celebrating and the gray clouds were a thing of the past. Then the bride arrived and a even fresher breath of air flowed through the street. And wouldn't you know it! She started dancing too!
I forced myself from the mesmerizing scene to finish my dessert that I was bringing to a board game night I was attending in Brooklyn that evening. Yep! Another reason I love NY. One second a street dance party, the next Bananagrams!
Oh, and by the way...yes, the dessert I made WAS messy.
Peanut Bars (from my Mom's Best Recipes Book)
Sponge Cake:
2 eggs
1 C sugar
1/2 C milk
1 T butter
1 t vanilla
1 C flour (bread flour is good)
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
 
Frosting:
half and half
powdered sugar
unsalted peanuts
 
Cake:
In a small saucepan, scald milk, add butter. Beat eggs until light, add sugar and beat well. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt that have been sifted together. Stir in vanilla and milk mixture. Bake in greased pan (about 7 1/2 by 10 inches) for about 20 minutes at 325 degrees. Cool well. Cut in narrow bars.
 
Frosting:
Frost sides and bottom with frosting made with powdered sugar and thin cream (half & half). Roll in unsalted peanuts that have been ground in a food processor.
Bake well and prosper!

8 comments:

  1. Wow that is pretty neat.

    And that dessert!!!! YES PLEASE!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. How am I expected to steal a cake or pie cooling on your windowsill when you live so many stories above street level?

    I will have you know that I have ruined a bandanna and broom stick making my hobo-pie-swiping-disguise.

    Another blog post that triggered a Pavlovian response from my taste buds.

    I will leave you with this - yum....

    RJH

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those were strictly amazing! The soft cake center is a sweet surprise, as you think its going to be a 100 percent crunchy treat.

    You cheated at Bananagrams.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ahem. I did NOT cheat. I spelled a word wrong. I'm not a cheater....I'm just stupid. As opposed to YOU, Baker dear, who kept "peel"ing when you weren't supposed to. THAT'S cheating (and plain stupid.)
    Note to all: Bananagrams is a very intense game. LOL
    o:)

    ReplyDelete
  5. How cool is that? I should come and visit you. I can enjoy NY and eat little peanut butter goodies, how's that ;)
    *kisses* HH

    ReplyDelete
  6. man, your blog is such food porn. makes the healthy chicken i'm eating seem so lame...

    ReplyDelete
  7. That is surely the prettiest sifter ever... very amusing tales and great snaps! Don't you just love NYC!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking time to leave a message! xo - EB