J requested something chocolate for our dinner, so I consulted my stack of yet-to-be-tried magazine recipes for inspiration. We agreed upon a mocha-chocolate cake with chocolate marscapone frosting. It sounded amazing (and the pictures were even more mouthwatering!), so we ventured out to the store for some esoteric ingredients - marscapone and instant espresso powder - that don't usually grace our shelves.
Everything was going well, albeit a little hectic since I was making the cake and frosting simultaneously, until the cream that was coming to a boil on the stove did just that. It boiled, and boiled over before I could catch it! Needless to say, the cream was quickly removed from the heat, and I went about finishing the rest of the cake and frosting. I popped the thick, gooey cake layers in the oven and proceeded to the park with J and the dog to enjoy a little fresh air while the cake baked for 30 min. We got home just in time for the first timer to go off, and luckily the cakes needed a few more minutes so I took my damp coat and muddy shoes off and went back to the kitchen. At the second timer, the layers looked perfect and out they came, onto the stovetop. I thought nothing of it while I left them to cool, and sat down on the couch with my sweetheart. A few minutes later, though, he looked at me and said, something is burning. I could have sworn everything was turned off, but something was definitely charring, so I ran to the kitchen only to find that I had left the burner that had been heating the cream earlier on and it was now in the process of heating my cake layer!
I was horrified! J ran to my aid, and we attempted to rescue or salvage what we could of the burnt layer, but it was no use. The burnt aroma from the parchment paper/cake crumbs/pan had penetrated the entire thickness. No amount of cutting (or frosting) was going to make it better. The saving grace was that he was perfectly happy having a one-layer Valentine's Day cake instead, and the mocha marscapone frosting made up for the lack of a second layer. Here is to love (and chocolate) making all things better.
Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts
15 February 2010
26 May 2009
Moving in!
To say that I am excited about the prospect of moving is an understatement.
Given that I have moved every year since I got to Atlanta (and twice last year), not counting the fact that I had to move in and out of my college every year of undergrad, means that I have done my fair share of moving in the last 8 years.
All that pales now that I - we - are moving. Moving in. Together. Finally!
Honestly, having lived the last 9 months in a state of "no closet + 2 people + dog", I am jumping for joy at the prospect of having my own (well, shared) closet! This also means that I will be downsizing a fair amount. Not that this is a bad thing. I've realized upon reflection that I am much more like my mother than I thought. Not always a bad thing, but I'm more of a clutter-hoarder than I'd like to admit. But there the clutter lies in front of me and I can't really ignore it any more. And I'm not moving it either!
For those of you who are not in the loop, Jay and I are purchasing a 1br/1ba condo here in Atlanta. (Technically, his family is buying it as an investment) Either way, we are no longer renters. We can paint, put up pictures, change anything we want to change, and the best part is - we get all new appliances! The property is a foreclosure, so it's a steal, especially given the location and condition of the place, but it does not have any appliances, so we went out this past weekend and found a refrigerator, stove/oven, washer/dryer, and dishwasher! The place itself is in really great condition. It has beautiful red-tinted hardwood floors, nice light fixtures, and a washer-dryer hookup in the bedroom. The whole place was renovated in 2003, so there's not much that needs to be done. The only renovation in the works is the kitchen.
To be fair, it's not a bad kitchen. The cabinets are nice, but there are just not enough. If anyone doesn't know how much I love to cook and bake, I will post a picture later of the stacks of moving boxes of SOLELY kitchen stuff. :-) Multiply that by a factor of two (at least), since Jay and I both live in the kitchen, and you'll understand the dilemma. In comes IKEA. They have a (moderately) useful piece of software that allows you to design your own kitchen virtually, and the mock-up of the kitchen looks like it's a good option. Plus, I love their navy blue glass cabinet fronts! That may call for a separate post...more on that later.
Given that I have moved every year since I got to Atlanta (and twice last year), not counting the fact that I had to move in and out of my college every year of undergrad, means that I have done my fair share of moving in the last 8 years.
All that pales now that I - we - are moving. Moving in. Together. Finally!
Honestly, having lived the last 9 months in a state of "no closet + 2 people + dog", I am jumping for joy at the prospect of having my own (well, shared) closet! This also means that I will be downsizing a fair amount. Not that this is a bad thing. I've realized upon reflection that I am much more like my mother than I thought. Not always a bad thing, but I'm more of a clutter-hoarder than I'd like to admit. But there the clutter lies in front of me and I can't really ignore it any more. And I'm not moving it either!
For those of you who are not in the loop, Jay and I are purchasing a 1br/1ba condo here in Atlanta. (Technically, his family is buying it as an investment) Either way, we are no longer renters. We can paint, put up pictures, change anything we want to change, and the best part is - we get all new appliances! The property is a foreclosure, so it's a steal, especially given the location and condition of the place, but it does not have any appliances, so we went out this past weekend and found a refrigerator, stove/oven, washer/dryer, and dishwasher! The place itself is in really great condition. It has beautiful red-tinted hardwood floors, nice light fixtures, and a washer-dryer hookup in the bedroom. The whole place was renovated in 2003, so there's not much that needs to be done. The only renovation in the works is the kitchen.
To be fair, it's not a bad kitchen. The cabinets are nice, but there are just not enough. If anyone doesn't know how much I love to cook and bake, I will post a picture later of the stacks of moving boxes of SOLELY kitchen stuff. :-) Multiply that by a factor of two (at least), since Jay and I both live in the kitchen, and you'll understand the dilemma. In comes IKEA. They have a (moderately) useful piece of software that allows you to design your own kitchen virtually, and the mock-up of the kitchen looks like it's a good option. Plus, I love their navy blue glass cabinet fronts! That may call for a separate post...more on that later.
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