Friday, April 12, 2013

18 eggs


While Sylvan napped Ivory cut the butter into pieces and dropped them into the mixer.



















Yup - she is making the icing for Adam's birthday cake in a velvety unitard.  It is An Almond Torte.  A ridiculous cake really - 18 eggs, a pound of butter, cocoa, espresso, chocolate covered coffee beans.  We creamed yolks, whipped egg whites and baked the tree layers early, early in the morning.  (I tried to get up early enough to do it alone, but instead I had two enthusiastic helpers for the whole process.)


Adam's other gifts: a Stag Horn Fern and an Orchid
I miss Adam....  and creating an elaborate cake is one way to make the missing him fun.  I can't get away with making a cake as elaborate as this when he is walking in and out of our kitchen, opening the fridge, and snooping around.  How often do I get to make an entire dinner that states it is better if made a day ahead?  The day before he comes home - that's when - and it happens to be his birthday. 

Ivory put the finishing touch on the fire pit.  And then we waited..  or rather she waited, Sylvan napped and I folded the laundry and washed the dishes. 


After Adam walked through the door Ivory allowed him just enough time to take a shower, and me just enough time to make pot of coffee (decaf of course, there is enough espresso in the icing) and then came the long awaited moment: 


Happy Birthday!!


4 comments:

  1. Love the picture of the three of them.
    Seems like Ivory is decked out in some beautiful, special outfit in all her pictures. Or maybe she just makes everything she wears beautiful and special.
    Tell Adam "happy birthday". Sounds like you made it a very special day for him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivory put on her "new pretty dress" just for Papa. It was pretty cute. He was gentleman enough to notice and tell her she looked beautiful!

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  2. Adam must be impressed with all of the special cooking you do for him! Please tell him happy birthday from us. The cake surely must be delicious!!!

    In the first photos, Ivory is wearing silver shoes? Very cute!

    Love,
    Grandma

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She is wearing silver shoes. She has a pair of silver shoes and a pair of pink sparkle shoes she constantly wears around the house. Sometimes she is wearing one of each. I accidentally took her to the library in miss matched shoes on thursday. I didn't notice until we got there.
      The cake is a bit rich for me. A very small slice goes a very long way1

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