Birthday Cake & Spring Rolls and a Cedar House update…

Things are happening at Cedar House.  The Irishman’s childhood dream of having a Motorcycle shed, a place for motorcycles, motorcycle stuff and tinkering, is up and already has a motorcycle occupant along with the Irishman’s motorcycle stuff.   The joy that shed has already brought to the Irishman shines through on the phone, it’s marvelous.  The foundation for the extension is done, the walls and roof go up this week.

And then next week, as the Irishman has said, “the real fun begins.”  The interior walls on the main floor start to come down, all under the watchful eyes of the Irishman.   Kitchen appliances and flooring have been chosen.  The “colors’ for the kitchen have been decided upon as well, Cedar House is slowly but most assuredly coming alive and it is wonderful.

Back in San Francisco, I have been sorting thru the stuff that makes up our lives.  Making what has come to be the easy choice of what goes to Tullamore and what does not.   Not surprisingly I am not attached to as many things as I thought I would be, I was more concerned that the plants go to the right person, (found him!), than do I take that throw pillow with me.   Sorting thru one’s stuff is exhausting yet freeing at the same time. An unplanned trip down memory lane that is the so satisfying in the end as the boxes labeled stay and go fill up. And as George Carlin has said it best, it is just stuff.

My dear friend Eric, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, while he was ready and we had spent a beautiful day saying goodbye earlier, when the call came that he had passed, it stopped me in my tracks, time stood still for a while, tears flowed as the desire to gather with friends for comfort grew.  That night, we gathered, raised many a glass to Eric and we shared the grief that has enveloped all of us.  Tears turned into laughter as memories were shared deep into the night. 

Grief has a way of shrinking the world. For a few days, cooking simply wasn't part of mine. But life has a quiet habit of nudging us forward, sometimes with something as simple as keeping a promise to bake a birthday cake.

A German Chocolate Cake was requested so a dark chocolate cake was baked, along with dark chocolate frosting and sticky, rich coconut pecan filling all lovingly made from scratch. The smile on my friend's face when I arrived with the cake was all I needed to make my day and remind me that the simple gestures are usually the best.

Besides the cake, I did very little cooking last week, was just not feeling it, there was no desire to be creative.  I ate salads with various proteins and lots of watermelon. But I did finally give in to a “viral” thing that kept popping up on my feed, Rice Paper Spring Rolls. 

The spring rolls weren't ambitious. They weren't complicated. They were simply the first thing I had enjoyed making all week. Sometimes that's enough. Sometimes the way back into the kitchen isn't through an elaborate dinner, but through wrapping fresh vegetables in rice paper and remembering that creativity eventually returns when it's ready.

Bia maith leat. Bon Appetit. Spis godt.

Recipes...

German Chocolate Cake

Preheat oven to *350, prepare two 8" cake pans and set aside.

• 1 3/4 cups (219g) unbleached flour

• 3/4 cup (62g) cocoa powder

• 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) dark brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil

• 2 eggs

• 3/4 cup (180g) sour cream

• 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla ( I love Mexican Vanilla )

• 1/2 cup (120ml) hot coffee

  
  

Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder together in a bowl. Set aside. Whisk together the oil, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot coffee, and whisk until the batter is completely combined.

Divide batter evenly between 2 pans. Bake for 20- 30 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan.

Coconut Pecan Filling

• 4 oz ( 113g) unsalted butter

• 1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar

•  3 egg yolks

• 1 can evaporated milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups sweetened coconut flakes, toasted

• 1 cup (125g) chopped pecans, toasted

As the cakes cool, prepare the coconut pecan filling so it can cool and be ready at the same time. Toast the coconut and pecans in the oven, set aside. Combine butter, brown sugar, egg yolks, and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk occasionally as the mixture comes to a low boil. Once boiling, whisk constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, toasted pecans, salt and coconut. Allow to cool completely before layering in cake. It will thicken even more as it cools.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

• 16 oz chopped dark chocolate

• 8 oz heavy cream

Chop your baking chocolate into tiny, equal pieces. Place it in a heat-safe bowl. Heat the cream just till it simmers, do not let it boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then stir slowly till thick and glossy.

Place one cake layer on cake stand. Evenly cover the top with a layer of frosting and then 1/2 of the coconut pecan filling. Top with 2nd layer and evenly cover the top with more frosting and the remaining coconut pecan filling.

Miso Salmon Rice Paper Spring Rolls

This recipe is not specific as there is nothing to measure when it come to the rolls, use what you like and use what you have to fill the rolls.

• Rice Paper wrappers

• Lettuce

• Cucumbers

• Red Cabbage

• Carrots

• Cilantro

• Mint

• Miso Glazed Salmon (any protein will work beautifully)

Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Adjust to your own tastes , these measurements are just a guideline.

• 1/2 cup PB2 powder

• 1/2 cup warm water

• (if you use regular peanut butter use 3/4 cup peanut butter )

• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon rice vingear

• 1 tablespoon mirin

• Good squirt of shiracha

• Chopped peanuts to taste

• Splash of sesame oil