Allison Cafe

Today we are fortunate enough to have our first guest writer, my sister and talented baker Summer. Enjoy!:

Baking can be so rewarding when it goes well, or so frustrating when a slaved-over dish turns out to be anything less than scrumptious. I sometimes take the gamble of using baking as an outlet to manage stress. Today, it worked.

Carrot Cake Take Me a Away!

The last couple of weeks have been choc-full of new experiences and predicaments providing my husband and myself with loads of knowledge and memories. We recently adopted a stray dog we found wandering the streets. As if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, we took in another dog that circumstantially ended up in our home. They have been mauling each other around the clock. What looks like play quickly becomes fierce competition for these two. After days of breaking them up and hoping the novelty of brawling would wear off, I hit a point of desperation and quickly sought distraction. The tizzy of the unfamiliar led me to seek out structure, order and balance. I looked to one of my favorite muses, Martha Stewart. Seeking a quick fix of normal, I found myself elbow deep in flour & sugar, baking a batch of carrot cake cupcakes.

Distracting Myself From the Dogs Carrot Cake Cupcakes

I followed every tedious instruction and was quite pleased with the finished product. That Martha knows what she’s talking about. When I finally sat still for a moment to partake in the sampling of my work, I savored each bite and slowly reviewed, and then documented the lessons I learned today. Here are some truths I’ve added to my repertoire of baking tips:

• When in doubt, consult Martha.
• The temperature of your eggs & butter really do matter.
• Fine vanilla is worth every penny.
• Hand-grated carrots are tastier than what fancy food processors produce.
• Making & working with fondant is best left to the experienced cook.
• Not all frosting recipes are created equally. I will be open-minded and try several before determining my ‘go-to.’
• Higher quality bake-ware makes higher quality baked goods.
• The comforting aroma of tasty cupcakes lulls even the most energetic dogs into a calm, submissive state…at least for a little bit.

New Best Friends

Charlie and Bina

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