I’m doing a guest post today for my friend Anuradha and her blog Baker Street. We’ve become acquainted on Twitter and I was delighted when she asked me to do something for her blog. I love seeing her work through her baking adventures and I was most impressed with the wealth of information she put together recently on muffins!

An is from India (that’s her in the middle with Mdivani Monroe from LadiesWhoLunch and his partner Kieth) so you can imagine, we share cultural and generational differences but the one thing we have in common is that we both love to bake and have friends over to enjoy our efforts with us. As I’ve said in the post on her site, I was especially honored that she would invite someone with known high altitude issues (and no, not because I’m 6′ tall!) to do a guest post on her baking blog. That would be called a gamble!

Baking is therapy for An; a release from a very stressful job. She has never enrolled in a class or taken a course but loves exploring and playing with new flavors. The knowledge she shares has all come about through books, blogs and tv shows.  While her blog currently focuses a lot on desserts she hopes to eventually balance it with savory baked goods.

I’ve always loved pineapple upside down cake so find myself being drawn to other cakes made in the same manner. I love the combination of fruit with brown sugar and butter that results in a sticky sweet topping, so when I saw a recipe in a recent issue of Bon Appetit for an Blackberry Buttermilk Cake that was made in an upside down fashion, I was sold. Now please, go visit An’s site for the full post and the recipe…and be sure to tell her I said Hi!

This was a good week for baking. The past couple of weekends have seen me on the road to Snowmass and wrapping up the Goaterie challenge I did with La Fuji Mama at the same time so I absolutely craved something simple from my kitchen. No real deadline, no interviews, just bake something with my own twist on an Abby Dodge inspired cake. Sounds easy and fun, right? Think again!

View of the Rocky Mountains from my neighborhood. The start of the foothills are 30 minutes away.

Baking is never easy in Denver, the Mile High city. Although we are not really in the mountains, a gradual incline from the Colorado/Nebraska border sees us at the entrance to the Rocky Mountains, 5280′ up in the air. That altitude difference means that the magical combinations made by ‘flatlanders’ (yes, you folks living at sea level!) are subject to unique causes that affect our baking up here ‘in thin air.’

The problem is twofold. Air pressure decreases as the elevation increases so when baking, without the same amount of pressure, leavening agents work too quickly, the gases that make something rise have time to rise and escape and well, a fallen baked good is too often the result. Cookies are flatter and I’ve made many a cake that has been rescued with either a bit more icing or maybe some fruit like the Ricotta pound cake shown above which developed a surprise sinkhole (and desperately needs a new photo)!  Add to that, our dry air means that ingredients are drier, including flour, so we have to antidote with a bit more moisture. How much? Who knows?!! I include a primer on high altitude cooking on this site but nothing really makes quite the difference that experience does and even then, making a recipe the first time…well, there is definitely some finger crossing involved!

The Almond Cake with Preserves pictured above? That is the bottom; because the top fell so much in the center that splitting it actually left me with one whole layer and one donut layer; I think you can sort of tell that the center is sinking a bit; there simply is no cake in the center of the now bottom layer! But I got the shot and my guests enjoyed the cake, sinkhole and all!

I participate in a monthly event called #Baketogether, inspired by the lovely Abby Dodge. You can call it a challenge but it’s so without hard deadlines (I mean it…Abby will change the deadline if someone is running late with their contribution!) or firm adherence to someone else recipe so it’s really an opportunity to make something in conjunction with others, our pretending we all are actually baking together instead of in separate kitchens all over the globe. This month the challenge is all about summer fruits baked into a cake. I had considered making a cherry upside down cake, but I’ve done that before and besides that I had no cherries in the house. BUT…I did have strawberries which I’ve never, ever baked into a cake; preferring to always serve them as a fresh topping. Hmm, wonder if those would work?

Strawberry Cake photo used with permission from 'What's on My Plate'

So I did a Google search wondering if I was crazy to think about putting strawberries into a cake and found that one Martha Stewart had done it and several others bloggers (Smitten Kitchen, Two Peas and Their Pod and What’s On My Plate)  had as well, using her recipe so I was tempted…but I also appreciated the honesty of the author at What’s On My Plate who found the result it a bit lackluster. I decided to go for it, but knowing I would up the flavor profile in mine with some lemon and sour cream.

I loved the results but look at the difference in these cakes! I spent no less than 15 minutes painstakingly cutting strawberries and arranging them in a beautiful starburst pattern that totally sunk out of sight! Can you see how my lines of strawberry created divisions in the finished result above; that was handy I guess? I made mine in a springform pan which I would do again but the next time will remember parchment paper to ease that effort.  Did it taste good? It did; the addition of the lemon and sour cream component was evident and I’m sure it boosted the flavor considerably. Would I make it again? Absolutely…the end result was sort of like having a cake layer on top of some fresh homemade strawberry jam with a lemony glaze on top of the cake; nothing wrong with that. I’m glad I had planned the lemon glaze, it was a big boost too. Next time I’ll use even less baking powder but I’m OK even if I get the same results. It was a totally perfect, light, summertime cake; ‘almost in the mountains’ style!

After I finished this article today I read a blog post about keeping it authenticate; sharing some of the mess of our lives, not trying to pretend like everything is perfect. That was my reality today but I always tend to share my successes and my disappointments. My thoughts show up on these pages as they spill from my head to my fingers and except for some typos and occasional reworking of grammar, what you get is just that…what I’m thinking at the time. I love to cook and I enjoy taking photos but the writing? Well, I never know what I’m going to say, ever, and if the occasional drama from my life filters in…it’s simply that the recipe, the experience, the memory…they all influence what is said on this blog.

I mentioned it to a friend the other day that I should share what it takes for me to get a photo for my blog posts. She urged me to do just that. I’ll wait for the right time but I assure you, the bum leg, the cane in one hand and having to carry everything else in the other, the dog jumping all over, well, it’s a story for sure but I’ll do as I always try to…put a positive and or a funny spin on it. Else I would cry…that’s my reality!

Here’s a list of the others who participated in this month’s #baketogether with me:

My previous efforts have included a Chocolate Hazelnut Pie with Frangelico for May and last month my most adventurous effort, a Trio of Sorbets which combined either wine or liqueur with herbs from my garden in sorbet form.

I bet that got your attention…but this is definitely a time to read more…

I was invited by Dana Berry, the Director of Public Relations for the Four Seasons Hotel Denver to attend a special lunch in their Edge Restaurant with others in the Denver area that blog about food and are active on Twitter. A Tweetup. An opportunity to get to know an establishment and tweet about it.

Inherent in that invitation I knew two things. The Four Seasons is a well known luxury hotel that had just recently opened in Denver and tweeting about our experience during the event would be a part of the mix. I’m not a restaurant critic (and even if I were, I would be more prone to look for the good; critics seem so…well, critical!) I’m a home cook who loves to prepare foods for my family and friends and share the end results of those efforts with readers through this blog. While this might appear to be a step outside of my normal comfort zone, I’ve done this before when I’ve enjoyed a food experience; I’ve just never been asked to come to a meal for that purpose. Wine yes, food no.

So can I be honest here…can I tell you the truth when my hosts were so gracious and generous? I hope so! I think if I suffer from a particular personality flaw, it’s that I tend to not filter my ‘honest’ thoughts enough, so rest assured that this post is in line with that reputation.

The first thing I noticed; before even meeting Dana was the lack of a pretentious aura upon arrival. I drove my 16 year old Ford Explorer up to valet parking and not one person smirked (frugal all across the board is me!). The two young women who were standing at the host station next to the main dining area were both friendly and knew to expect us, which was nice.

I was escorted to the restaurant’s private dining room where I met Dana. Friendly and outgoing, she made me feel instantly comfortable and my friends and children will be amazed to hear that I was the first there. Yes, it’s true. This was a fabulous room. Small enough to feel intimate but open to both the restaurant on one side and the ‘Oh my I’m in Heaven’ kitchen on the other through a soundproof glass wall. All the action without all the noise.

While waiting for the others to arrive, I ordered a pear iced tea which was served with a simple syrup for sweetening. I especially loved that the ice cubes were frozen pear; the drink got better as the ‘ice’ melted! The waiter who kept the glasses and ice cubes filled was extremely pleasant. Life is good.

The Business Quickie

We were soon joined by Anne Marie Nichols and Jim Guttau, bread was put on the table and our lunches were served in short order. We were all presented with a lunchtime ‘Business Quickie’ (I know…cute huh?). Four small portions of lunch time offerings on the same plate. It was reminiscent of a Bento Box. A beautifully presented and upscale Bento Box. The plate included:

Summer Halibut Ceviche I promised honesty so will probably embarrass myself when I admit that I had never had ceviche. I will never forget someone I knew preparing it many, many years ago and it just never seemed right…that somehow raw fish could be transformed through the use of acid. I’ve since been educated and while understanding the science it was just never something I was interested in trying. That was a mistake. This was perfect. The halibut was fresh and tender with a slight citrus tang from the dressing but not unbearably tart. It was cool and refreshing and the perfect start to my meal.

Sesame Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing and Crisp Wontons What I noticed was how perfectly cooked the chicken was in this dish. I’m fond of using chicken breast meat in dishes but know that it takes the perfect touch to get this meat cooked correctly as it can go from done to overdone in a heartbeat. The meat was tender, the dressing flavorful and the wontons were the perfect crunch for this salad.

Heirloom Tomato & Mozzarella Salad with Torn Basil, Olive Oil and Aged Balsamic Vinegar I knew this would be a favorite from the moment I saw it appear; this is so reminiscent of the appetizers I love to prepare for guests to my home. Simple yet outstanding ingredients melded into one fabulous dish. The heirloom tomatoes are so beautiful and flavorful but it was the buffalo mozzarella that was the star of this dish for me. So smooth and creamy, if it weren’t mozzarella I would almost say it was ‘like buttah!’

Petit Steak Frites with House Cut Fries and Peppercorn Sauce I don’t eat a lot of steak so there is nothing I appreciate more than one that is prepared to this level of satisfaction. A New York Strip Steak that was perfectly rare and beyond perfectly tender; it seemed to melt in my mouth. Served with a fabulous peppercorn sauce and house cut fries with thin cut onion ring slices for garnish; this was my favorite, my ‘save the best for last’ dish. Loved.

They were not done. They decided to grace our table with a special dessert assortment; a duo of  small bites. Organic Chamomile Panna Cotta with Lemon Oat Crumble and Sweet Roasted Apricots in a small square shot-glass alongside an adorable mini Meyer Lemon Tart with Candied Kumpqats on top of Passion Fruit Gelee. I did not get a photo…I meant to; I really did. But I failed…I think I was so taken in by the adorable little desserts I simply forgot. By this point I was in that place of higher expectations and everything was on point; the size, the presentation and the outstanding flavors.

During the meal we had met both the Executive Chef and the Pastry Chef and afterwards we were escorted into the kitchen. I apologize for this terrible photo…it most certainly must have been the result of elevated endorphins that had me think this blurry picture looked fine. But these two adorable gentlemen are Christopher Jordan, Pastry Chef on the left and on the right, Simon Purvis, the Executive Chef. Chef Purvis hails from Portsmouth, England and could teach Gordon Ramsey a thing or two about grace. Both chefs were gracious and friendly and it was very special to be allowed into their domain. I would love to come back again in the heat of dinner prep and have that same birds-eye view from the private dining area; it would be a sight to behold I’m sure.

I will be the first to admit that I don’t often travel into downtown Denver for lunch. Where to go is one thing but where to park is my single biggest obstacle. With easy valet parking, I will most certainly make this a lunch destination. And you should too. I was dumbfounded to learn that the four selection Business Quickie was $18; an excellent value for such an outstanding lunch. The courses for the Business Quickie are set by the Chef and listed on the lunch menu and we did have some special treatment. However, I’m anxious to come back and enjoy it again with the Kobe Beef Slider!

As if we hadn’t been spoiled enough…Chef Jordan made us a take home package. A ‘Death by Chocolate’ cupcake. Words can not describe it so I won’t try. Here it is. Note the EDIBLE Twitter icons…I mean these guys know how to do it right!

Just a few things to note if you’re local to Denver. If you’re on Twitter, follow the Four Seasons Denver at @FSDenver. If you’re a Foursquare user, the first time you visit the Edge or if you’re the Mayor on Foursquare, login via Foursquare and your first cocktail is free (I may be rethinking Foursquare!). Dana shared some fun things they do for families so although a luxury hotel, it is very family centric so if you have out of town guests coming and want them to stay someplace very special; this is perfect. Spa, pool…the works. If I didn’t live in Denver I would go stay there. In fact, I’ve asked if I could live there.

This might redefine the notion of a ‘Business Quickie’ but I think it’s even better. There is no guilt…well maybe other than the fact that I had that cupcake for a snack later in the day after that fabulous lunch. Really…who can blame me?

Though invited by the management of ‘The Edge’ to visit them for lunch, I paid special attention to the details of our visit so that this review would be an honest one. I know that the staff certainly catered to making this a special experience but this is a high caliber restaurant and I would expect the same level of service if a paying customer.

This is a very short post today; I’ve got so much on my plate to get done for my Monday post (stay tuned for a most unique challenge) and besides…haven’t you ever just made something, enjoyed it and wanted to share but there really wasn’t a story of significance involved. Not the same as writer’s block…because there really isn’t anything to write. I saw a cake. I made the cake. I loved the cake and I want to share the cake. That’s it!

That’s me today. And I did love this cake! After my post for Sugar and Spice Popcorn for the Secret Recipe Club last week, I visited several of the other blogs that had participated. When I came to this post…I just knew I would be making this cake. I had fresh lemons, ginger, blueberries and raspberries and as importantly…a block of cream cheese in the fridge, so it seemed to be calling my name. That I had guests coming for dinner meant it was in the oven as soon as I pulled the ingredients together…definitely an ‘all systems go’ moment.

The recipe that I discovered on the blog at Cairns Manor is from the book ‘Cake Keeper Cakes‘ by Lauren Chattman. I made a couple of revisions as I am seemingly not capable of NOT doing that (I have a reputation you know and if there is a chance an adult beverage could be added…well, I will!). I love Limoncello and it seemed the perfect choice for this dessert. I also must say, it was devoured and everyone begged for a slice to take home!

This was one of those moments when all I had to do was see the photo and I was hooked. Line and sinker. Well, the name didn’t hurt. I love cakes made with brown sugar, what’s NOT to love about chocolate chips in a pound cake and then…the pièce de résistance. Maple Espresso Glaze. Done and done.

I had a conversation this past week with a fellow food blogger and client and it was interesting to hear about blogging from a writer’s perspective. The need to blog but nothing really comes to mind…the hated ‘writers block.’ I honestly never feel that block and wonder if the difference for me is that I blog from a cook’s perspective. I love to cook. I love to share what I make with family and friends and for over fifteen years I’ve been putting my recipes online as the easiest way to do that sharing. For most of those years it was simply a recipe; nothing more; just ingredients and instructions. My website was my own virtual version of a recipe box and it served that purpose well. With friends and family scattered all over the country, no longer did I need to type up something for one person, I simply put it online. Nothing surprised me more than when I started to hear from people I did not know who had found my site and enjoyed a dish!

My foray into blogging really was incidental. I needed to know the ins and outs of this ‘thing’ called WordPress. I’ve mentioned before that I own Kinetic Webs, a web development company. I started my web business 16 years ago after a  short stint in the Internet division of a major cable company where the question du jour was, ‘Think we should consider trying to deliver the Internet via cable?’ and no, I’m not kidding!

Having this business required that I stay on top of technology and despite my years of NT servitude I was ready to make the ‘open source’ plunge. To that end I started this blog almost two years ago, entirely with the notion of transferring a couple of recipes from the ‘old girl’ at www.creative-culinary.com and using the blog primarily as a vehicle to market my Vino Luci gift products (that’s right, three different businesses; I do keep out of trouble, promise). The rest is, as they say, history. The comments starting coming; I started to develop client relationships and my company has helped develop or customize over 50 blogs since then. I find myself thoroughly immersed in the world of food blogging where it is a big part of my professional work and also a big part of my personal experience; cooking, photographs and blogging about it are a regular weekend activity.

Which brings me back to this notion of what it is exactly that I am doing. I get complimented on my writing though I don’t think of myself as a writer…it’s just me putting down the words I’m thinking at the time; my own ‘virtual’ stream of consciousness. In real life I probably talk too fast and too much and I like to think I’m sarcastic funny (as opposed to sarcastic mean!) and I don’t take this effort so seriously that I don’t want to have fun in the process (despite my threats of wrist slashing after ANOTHER Foodgawker rejection!).

While I must admit that I’ve been in creative writing classes since I was in 6th grade, honors English writing classes in high school and college (where I majored in English on the road to becoming a teacher that never happened!), I can’t say I ever really enjoyed it all that much. It’s true! But I’ve had an epiphany…maybe I do enjoy it when it’s on my own terms. When the subject is one that I decide upon. I still remember that first paper in college, ‘Describe the Word Yellow’ when the professor didn’t agree with my take on cowardice. What? Critique my style if you must…but my thoughts??? That was a bitter pill to swallow and put a damper on the whole process for an entire semester!

So, really, this post is just about a cake. A picture I saw that looked yummy (YES, YUMMY) and I wanted to make it. No family tradition, no trip, no snafu to make the story work…nothing really but a  desire to make a dessert to take to a friend’s house for Easter. I hope that’s OK because I will have those days; when against all that is true about me, I will have little to say but still want to share the foods that I make here with you, my virtual friends and at my table with those in real life.

One heads up for those still reading. Hopefully by June 1, this blog will revert back to Creative Culinary. I am considering the sale of Vino Luci in the near term, I never meant for this blog to grow like it has and I just very simply want to reclaim the name I’ve associated with my recipes since 1995. I’m developing an entirely new look and am very excited about this change…and about not having to explain, ever again, that no, I am not a wine blogger (though I do love the grape); I am a food blogger and proud of it!

Recipe slightly revised from Bon Appetit magazine

I’ve included this recipe in the Easter Cake Bake at A Slice of Cherry Pie. While not pastel or just for the kids…it sure was a hit for OUR Easter dinner.

St Patrick’s Day will be here soon and I’ve got enough Irish in me to start thinking about a celebration. Not a big party but an opportunity to pay homage to a part of my ancestry (My Dad’s parents were German and Swiss; my Mom’s English and Irish). I’ll usually make corned beef for dinner, some sort of Irish dessert and occasionally meet some friends for a green beer (and I don’t even like beer!) but this year I’ve got another idea for how to spend my time and my money and it’s all for a worthy cause.

Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant in Denver (1735 19th St. downtown) celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with a full week of festivities. In addition to the annual celebration on the day of the Denver Parade and on St. Patrick’s Day, Fadó is hosting a charity event on Friday, March 11, organized by St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

Nearly 300 people (click to see participants) will have their heads shaved by stylists from Salon on the Boulevard in honor of children with cancer and to raise awareness and funding. Over 35 teams have signed up and over $65,000 now almost $100,000 has been raised to date. Their goal is $200,000. In support of the event Fadó Irish Pub will donate 20 percent of all food sales during the event to the cause.

St. Baldrick’s Foundation is the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising event for childhood cancer research. Those getting their heads shaved will be enthusiastically cheered on by crowds of friends, family, doctors, nurses, children and others who have been touched by cancer in hopes to further awareness that pediatric cancer, the number one disease killer of children, is terribly under-funded.

So I’m calling on you to get involved. Either shave your head, volunteer, eat or donate, but give hope to infants, children, teens and young adults fighting childhood cancers. Visit St. Baldrick’s website to learn how to be a shavee, support a team or donate in general. If you’re not local and want to help,  make an online donation to this very worthy cause; kids deserve the very best from us to kick this deadly disease!

A few of the kids being honored by the event:

Preston has Stage 3A Hodgkin’s Lymphoma with cancer in his neck, top left clavicle, liver and spleen. He was treated at The Children’s Hospital and is currently in remission. He is eight years old and a hero and warrior.

Bella was one year old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). She was treated at The Children’s Hospital and is currently in remission. Her treatment ends March 11, 2011. Now three years old she remains strong and is an inspiration to everyone.

The mission of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation is to raise awareness and funds to cure kids’ cancer by supporting cancer research and fellowships.

I admit, I am not getting my head shaved but here is what I will do. For everyone who leaves a comment I’ll donate a dollar to this cause; just leave a comment before 10pm on 4/13/11 and I’ll make a donation that night for each one.  That’s right…spread the word, tell your friends and get them to come here and say hello. My hope is that everyone will read this article, feel compelled as well and go make a donation! Help give kids a chance to live a cancer free life at the very least.

And so that you can celebrate in MY style…here’s the recipe for Irish Coffee Cake. To be certain of what you’re getting into, this is not Irish ‘Coffee Cake’ – nope it’s ‘Irish Coffee’ Cake. A cake made with coffee and Irish Whiskey and Irish Whiskey whipped cream on top to mimic an Irish Coffee!

Irish Coffee itself, in its original form, is quite wonderful. But I understand the need to incorporate something so wonderful into desserts of all kinds. One of the most successful of these is Irish Coffee Cake, which first started turning up in Irish cookbooks in the 1960′s and ’70′s.

The cake itself is simple: a delicate one-layer sponge with an intense coffee flavor. But the real kick in this cake comes with the syrup that saturates the cake — more coffee, naturally with whiskey in it — and then topped with whipping cream flavored with…yes, more whiskey! To finish sprinkle with that best-loved of Irish native nuts, the hazelnut. I toasted the hazelnuts and can’t imagine it without…and be warned; this cake is amazing. Thankful today is Fat Tuesday…that does mean I have to finish it today right?

Recipe: Irish Coffee Cake

Summary: A rich cake made with traditional Irish Coffee ingredients including coffee, Irish Whiskey and Whipped Cream 

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2/3 cup butter – I used Kerrygold Irish Butter; I mean really, how could I not?
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 3 teaspoons instant espresso
• 2 Tbsp hot water
• 2 large eggs, beaten
  Coffee Syrup
• 2 Tbsp hot water
• 3/4 cup strong coffee (I made mine with instant espresso)
• 3/4 cup  granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons Irish whiskey

Whipped Topping

• 4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey
• 1/2 pint heavy cream, whipped
• 4 Tbsp chopped, toasted hazelnuts for garnish

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter an 8-inch cake pan, then flour it lightly.
2. Cream the butter and sugar well until light and fluffy: then add the eggs one at a time and continue beating after each until the whole mixture becomes very light.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt; then at low speed with the mixer, or by hand if you prefer, fold two thirds of the dry mixture into the creamed butter, sugar and eggs.
4. Dissolve the instant coffee in the water and add it to the batter; then fold in the remaining 1/3 of the flour.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan, and smooth the top of the batter, leveling it out. Then bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cake is just starting to pull away from the sides of the cake pan. Carefully turn the pan out onto a rack to cool. When it’s out, wash the cake pan or springform pan and dry carefully. You’ll need it again shortly.
6. For the syrup: Heat the strong coffee and sugar together gently until the sugar has dissolved then boil rapidly for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the whiskey.
7. Return the cooled cake to the pan and pour the syrup over it; leave it to soak for 2-3 hours. NOTE: I did that and the cake did not want to easily come out of the pan, so I recommend you cover the bottom of the pan with a piece of waxed paper so it will flip out easier and you can just peel the paper off once it’s removed.
8. For the topping: Whip the heavy cream, blending the powdered sugar and whiskey into it when the whipping is done. Turn the cake out onto a serving plate and decorate with the whipped cream; sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts. Chill well before serving.

Attributed to European Cuisines