It is another sunny, gorgeous day here in East Texas, and, while inarguably hot and humid, it is far short of insufferable. I can't be certain, but I may have detected the faintest nuance of a breeze on my morning walk.
My sister is in town for a visit, and she brought a friend along for the 4th. Since I knew they were coming, well...I baked a cake. Namely, a blueberry lemon cake, one I've made before with ease.
So of course, buoyed by my previous success, and with an expectant audience on the way, Murphy's Law was enacted full force: the blueberries migrated south into a goopy lump, and, upon unmolding, a good third of the cake exerted a tenacious grip on the pan. I scooped out what I could and mushed it into place. Behold:
May this serve as testament against any misguided notions of my cooking perfection (ha!). My sister decided the result looked like some sort of pyrotechnic cake explosion--a very fitting dessert for the Fourth despite all.
In far more photogenic news, I received two heaping bagfuls of fresh figs from a friend's tree:
Stan, one of of my M-W-F 6am step class regulars, and his wife, Paula, rolled up midmorning with the bounty.
The figs are absolutely ripe, lush, fragrant and sweet--we all ate our fill at lunchtime and throughout the afternoon.
But I need to act fast today to use them up--perhaps some freezer jam, and heaven knows what for dinner. Possibly a partnership with goat cheese? Honey? Greens? My sister is thrilled at the prospects; Kevin looks wary. I'll photo-document the results and share tomorrow. Savor the weekend, everyone!
9 comments:
I am sure the cake tastes delicious. I am jealous of those beautiful figs! I don't think any stores in NJ even have that many in one store. Enjoy!
I love your muffin recipe from the 30th,perfect for my husbands breakfast routine(but a bit healthier) and now blueberry cake...I am in heaven(well mid willamette valley in Oregon) where I can walk outside and pick strawberries,raspberries,queen ann cherries and the blueberries have just started..yes I am lucky!!!!
ps about the figs, sugar laws had a nice idea
http://www.sugarlaws.com/fig-canapes-revisisted/
and I am looking forward to see what you came up with!!!!!
Oh, I wish I'd gotten to chat with you before I left -- but I have email, if you want to write!
Pasadena is beautiful, like a movie set.
We went to Whole Foods the other day & bought a big bag of crystallized ginger & thought of you (omg, it's so cheap! 3/4 lb. for $3.60!!). I also thought of you when we ate at Roy's last night -- wasn't it just about a year ago when we went to Austin? And went to Whole Foods (mecca!) & had dinner at Roy's? And then that cricket jumped up my pant leg? . . . good times.
I didn't notice anything goopy about the cake in the picture, it looks really delish and blueberryish :). Hope you had a great 4th :D.
I love the 4th of July cake, too funny! It looks good anyway!
Oh those figs look to die for. I was just thinking I wanted to get some figs so I could make some goodies with them! Have fun!
Hi Lisa!
It's crazy, but they don;t sell the figs in the stores here, either--even though there are so many fig trees all around. I just had to let friends and neighbors know that I was interested (otherwise, they often end in the garbage--it's almost criminal! :)!
Hi Marianne!
Yay, so glad you and your husbnad enjoyed the recipe for the muffins! And , oh my goodness, do I envy your fruit bounty--yum!
Those fig canapes do sound heavenly--yum! Will try them with my next round of figs!
Hi Mercy!
So glad you enjoyed Pasadena--that's where my grandparents lived when I was growing up (did I already say that??? sorry). Yeehaw, glad you stocked up at Whole Foods! Let's talk when you're back :)
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