Martha Stewart Unplugged

The truth of it all is, I love to bake and am what people now refer to as "self taught." Trust me, if you saw the picture of the cake in my cookbook, and compare it to my final product, you would know the definition of "self taught". A whole lot of fun,planning,dreams about a fantastic centerpiece on my Mom's table to celebrate my Auntie Diane's visit -- vision vision vision. A great time on a Saturday morning, knowing someone will like a nice slice of yummy cake. Here's the reality: Oopsie #1: Forgot oil for cakemix. Oopsie #2: Always re-grease cake pan after pouring batter in/out in/out after oil mishap. Oopsie #3: When those cake people tell me to use a flat metal spatula, a flat metal flipper isn't synonymous with the metal spatula. Real vision: Mumbling under one's breath about why the recipe doesn't give more specifics to the depth of chocolate squiggles or the specific piping tips required for that depth, that chocolate chips cannot be substituted for melting wafers in the instances of making chocolate collars, that the circumference of the parchment paper has to be exact otherwise your bavarian topping spills out everywhere becuase there's nothing to hold it in (sin) OR you waste nice yummy Bernard Callebaut chocolate (an even greater sin). When I put the "still pliable" (according to recipe) collar around the cake, the pliability was taken to a whole new level as the collar became a cake topper. Yes, it's amazing what 12 bamboo skewers can do to hold up an overly pliable, semi-wet and sticky chocolate collar.
You know, Auntie Diane loved that cake. And together we named the cake, instead of "Rasberry Bavarian," the "Wholely Elliptoid Leaning Tower of Pisa" Cake. And seeing a family member enjoy an aesthetically displearurable culinary delight was worth every oopsie.
PS: School is great... I love my Grade 4's.
Love Amanda