They Were Green

Today's conversation with a 6 year-old camper, which took place at the end of a REALLY awesome camp day. (Names have been changed to protect the identities of surly children.)

Me: What has been the best part of your day so far? 

Victoria (looking skeptical): When I ate breakfast.

Me: But was there a favorite part of your camp day? Your day here at camp. 

Victoria (eating her hair and fidgeting): No. I like breakfast.

Me: Oh, okay. What did you have for breakfast?

Victoria: Grapes.

Me: Did you have anything else?

Victoria: No. They were green.

Me: Are grapes your favorite breakfast?

Victoria: No.

Me: Okay. Thanks for the info. See you later!

It's Been This Kind Of Week

A Good Motto, A Fair System

Most Adorable Invention. Ever.

33

Well, friends, I bet you're wondering all about my birthday that happened this week, so I will ask you to wait no longer! Here is all the information you could need.

(Yes, the Bunny Hutch is amazing. Yes, you do have room for dessert. Yes, there is novelty golf at the Bunny Hutch, which is also amazing. Yes, the zoo has really clean glass on its exhibits. Yes, that man is a zoo chef! Yes, that's a beaver. Yes, those teeth were a present, and it was a watermelon mojito. Yes, they were good -- rosemary and parmesan. Yes, I finally organized my recipe box and purged old recipes that I never use! Yes, that's chocolate peanut butter fun cake way up there at the top. Yes, you may have the recipe.)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fun Cake
Adapted from Bon Appétit magazine, by way of Metropolis Coffee Company here in Chicago
Makes one 8"x 8"x 2" cake or 12 cupcakes


Chocolate Cake
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
1/2 cup finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate


Peanut Butter Buttercream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup egg whites (from about 2 large eggs)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts


Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°. Coat bottom and sides of 8x8x2" pan with nonstick spray and line bottom of pan with parchment paper OR place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Whisk flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil, vanilla, and 1 1/4 cups water; whisk until smooth. Fold in chopped chocolate. Spoon into pan or muffin pan. Bake until a tester comes out clean when inserted into center, 35–40 minutes for cake, much less (I think about 11 or 12 minutes, maybe?) for cupcakes. For cake, let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. For cupcakes, remove them from the pan whenever you want!


Make buttercream: 
Combine sugar and egg whites in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot to the touch, 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until cool and thick, 5–6 minutes. Mixture will be the consistency, color, taste, and texture of marshmallow sauce! Beat in vanilla, then peanut butter. With mixer running, add butter a few pieces at a time, beating to blend between additions. Let cool until thick enough to spread.


(For cake, run a thin knife around pan to release cake and invert onto a serving plate.) Spread peanut butter buttercream over top. Garnish with chopped chocolate and peanuts. 


Happy Birthday! There's your cake. I'm so glad you were born!

Today's The Day

Finally. The first strawberries of the season. Put them in your mouth as fast as you can!

(No, really, you must. These sweet little delicate things go from zero to rotten in approximately one minute.)

Or, you can relax your jaw and put them in this nice, seasonal jam -- and then allow yourself to consume the glorious fruit at, you know, a normal pace.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Refrigerator Jam

one pint (or more) strawberries

4-5 stalks rhubarb, trimmed and diced

1/4 C water

1/3 C sugar

Mix all ingredients in a big pot (I like to use a dutch oven, but anything with tall-ish sides should do). Cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb has broken down completely. Mash any strawberry pieces, if you want to -- or keep them whole. Taste. Add more sugar if necessary. (Sometimes I even add some rosemary, lavender or mint to the jam, and then pull it out once the flavor of the herb has seeped into the jam a bit.) That's it! This jam is foolproof. Let cool for an hour or so in the pot and then transfer to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in refrigerator for up to one month. Chances are, though, that it won't last quite that long. 

Serve on toast, or on yogurt. Go crazy, friends! Add some to your cocktail shaker with ice and vodka! 

Our sweet little summer has now been born.