use real butter

Recipe: chocolate stout cake

If you were a child of the 70s and experienced your teen years in the 80s, then you will likely have (painful) recollections of that song from whence the title of this post is ripped. I was never a fan of Survivor (a generic 80s pop band for gen Xers – not the reality show, okay), but that song ran around my head when I took a taste of this chocolate cake. My search is indeed over for the perfect chocolate bundt cake, thanks (once again) to Deb.

But before we get to talking about chocolate cake, I hope everyone had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. If you don’t observe Memorial Day, then I hope you had a grand weekend anyway. No barbecues or picnics here. We had some deliciously cool, overcast, and at times, rainy weather. We trail ran, hiked, and mountain biked in our local mountains this weekend – call it high-altitude training. Now it hurts to walk, but in the good way.

kaweah soaks up the last rays of sun on friday

boulder flatirons in clouds

the mountain lakes are thawing

pussy willows

flowers are starting to pop up in our yard

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: strawberry chiffon and buttercream cake

My interview with the Times Online went live today. Go check it out, then come back for some strawberry chiffon and buttercream caaaaaaaake.

It’s official. The ski rack is off the car. We haven’t put the bike rack on yet because I have this fear of driving into the garage and killing my new ride.

We upgraded my mountain bike this weekend! I tend to think of it as a belated equivalent of the ten-year diamond anniversary ring, since my engagement mountain bike is 13 years old. Jeremy and I are pleased as punch that I never fell prey to the diamond industry’s marketing campaign: that somehow I *need* a diamond ring. Pshaw. The only thing I can think of using a diamond ring for is better served by a set of brass knuckles.

I accept that spring has come to the mountains and summer will be hot on her heels. Our pattern of afternoon thunderstorms is setting up. The slush on the trails will eventually give way to mud which will give way to wildflowers and endless miles of beautiful hikes, bikes, and runs. Kaweah has her inaugural spring eye infection right now, most likely from rubbing her face in all manner of melting junk on the trail. Hurrah!

checking on the pasque flower’s progress

Ever since I learned to make chiffon cake and swiss meringue buttercream frosting, I have made this ensemble each spring – before it’s too hot to even *think* about baking or Swiss meringue buttercreaming. For me, it is Eating Spring. I never blogged the recipe properly, so I decided to get off my bum and post it for dear Meeta’s Monthly Mingle at What’s For Lunch Honey.

it’s all about strawberries

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: triple layer lemon cake

I like spring. I do. I do. Love the sound of birds singing in the early morning. Love seeing the foxes traipse through our yard at dusk. The light is different outside and in the house. The sun is bright and high, but not yet oppressive as it will be in summer. This alternates with chilly, overcast, drizzly days that hover around freezing. The air is just cool enough that you need a jacket, but warm enough that you take the jacket off after hiking for an hour. Yesterday: sunny and warm (70°F, which borders on hot for me). Kaweah engaged in her seasonal brain-baking on the deck and then staggered into the office to cool down. Friday will be rainy/snowy and cold again – and Kaweah will stand at the deck door, making little grunting sounds, asking to be let out… because she thinks it’s always nice and sunny on the deck.

where could we take this?

No one fruit represents sunshine to me more than the lemon. It’s not just the vibrant yellow, but the liveliness of the juice and the scent of the freshly grated zest. It wakes me up, keeps me interested. I was recently asked to post a couple of links back to the website of a certain national magazine. But you know, I can’t endorse something I haven’t tried and to be honest, I have never tried any of their recipes before. I agreed to test-drive one of their desserts. [UPDATE: 5/28/09] Because those brilliant people can’t hold up their end of a simple agreement, I’ve removed the links. Food bloggers – I recommend not having anything to do with Better Homes and Gardens.

grating some lemon zest

**Jump for more butter**