Diana designed a bag to fit my new laptop, and I am ecstatic. It’s gorgeous and it fits it just so. Thank you, Diana! We are planning a trip to Coupa Cafe with it to celebrate, and anybody who wants the pattern, now you know where to find it. (Coupa Cafe’s hot chocolate: there is nothing anywhere quite like it.)
Speaking of chocolate. Our local dairy specialty place stopped carrying manufacturing cream a few months ago. But. But. How was I supposed to make my signature dessert now? Nineteen years I’ve been making that, and at church potlucks and on the block party list they always make a point of having the H’s be on the dessert assignment. There was a tradition to be upheld, didn’t they know it?
That lack of that cream is why I didn’t make my chocolate torte for the neighbors for Labor Day–it wouldn’t have been the same without that 40% butterfat, and I didn’t want to bring an inferior version, so I brought those mini cupcakes–here, let the raspberries distract them.
So. Michelle and I went to The Milk Pail today, and lo and behold, there was a sign from the owner saying that serious foodies knew about his manufacturing cream, yadda yadda. As if it had never (shhh!) been gone.
I guess I’m not the only one who pleaded.
They don’t sell it in small bottles anymore.
My dairy-allergic daughter looked at that half gallon and went, So that means you’re going to make a double batch (ie, four tortes) and put them in the freezer?
Yes, at least that many.
Then you have to make a coconut milk one too. You can’t torture me like that.
Sounds good to me.
So we have some serious bittersweet chocolate buying to do. And why yes, I was feeling better, can you tell?
(An aside to my old friend Kelly: it was wonderful to run into you there and catch up on your family. It’s hard to believe your toddler is in her senior year of college.
And yes, we had an inquisitive, fearless baby black squirrel exploring the patio today who seemed to be on its first campus tour of the outside world as it checked out everything in sight. It had its big-hair tail fluffed up for the big day as it dined out at the Sunflower Cafe al fresco.
I briefly pictured knitting up a matching big for it to haul its leftovers home in. But no, squirrels being cheeky little things, it can manage doggybagging it itself.)
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40% butterfat? Did I tell you I’m trying to gain weight? And I believe I mentioned that World Market has the (?) schallenbarger chocolate. I don’t even know if that’s the right word, but you know what I mean.
Fun:
How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?
SHOW OFF: A child who is more talented than yours.
If athletes get athlete’s foot,, do astronauts get mistletoe?
The doctor told me I had to watch my weight, so every morning I step on the scale and watch it go up.
My wife and I had words, but I didn’t get to use mine.
Comment by Don Meyer 09.15.09 @ 8:19 pmAnd as I hit publish on this post, I heard this “Let’s go!” behind me. I am typing this at Coupa Cafe.
Comment by AlisonH 09.15.09 @ 8:35 pmGlad to hear you’re feeling so much better. Please make a habit of it…
Cute black squirrel. My folks live in an area where they have white squirrels.
Comment by wunx~ 09.15.09 @ 9:06 pmI’m so glad that you’re feeling better! Have a big piece of torte for me….YUM!
Comment by TripletMom 09.15.09 @ 10:04 pmYeah for finding your cream again! Glad you’re feeling more ‘in the pink’.
Comment by Ruth 09.15.09 @ 10:19 pmHurray!!! It looks great1 I was worried about the length of the straps, but it worked out perfectly! (Thanks be!)Nothing outshines that smile though, the photo makes me smile right back at you :-}
And I have the strongest urge to photoshop the portrait of the squirrel with his own bag :-}
Comment by Diana Troldahl 09.16.09 @ 4:15 amChocolate dessert prevails, and all is well in the world.
(After the damage they did to our last house, there IS no such thing as a cute squirrel!)
Comment by Barbara-Kay 09.16.09 @ 5:11 ama black squirrel? do you think he wants to grow up to be a sheriff?
Comment by Tola 09.16.09 @ 5:53 amI saw my first black squirrel when I was in DC the other day–so exciting for a transplanted northwesterner. Funny, there don’t seem to be many squirrels in my neighborhood at all. Maybe they prefer city life?
Comment by Lanafactrix 09.16.09 @ 9:25 amHow long do you think that adolescent squirril spent fluffing his or her tail for this first trip to your patio?
Comment by LauraN 09.16.09 @ 9:27 amCute bag! Perfect for going out for hot cocoa.
Glad to hear your feeling well, baking up a storm, and that the cream is still available 😉 That was a pretty stressful ordeal. You can tell your daughter that I’ll eat her piece, no problem 😉
Hahahha those silly chipmunks have their own pockets in their cheeks. I’m always amazed by how much they can pack in there!
Comment by Alicia 09.16.09 @ 10:39 amThe eponymous bag is so beautiful and functional! Great photo of bag and model!
Comment by LynnM 09.16.09 @ 11:10 amI am glad you are feeling better. Great bag! Use it in good health. and most importantly, yey for the cream. Good ingredients are hard to come by, keep the good ones around!
Comment by Vicki 09.16.09 @ 1:17 pmWoah! I didn’t know there were black squirrels. Cute. Glad you’re feeling better.
Comment by Heather 09.17.09 @ 7:23 amHa! Campus tour! Was he ignoring his mother, trailing behind with her check book?
Comment by Laura 09.19.09 @ 11:20 pmAnother source for manufacturing cream is the Sunnyvale Smart & Final. They carry the Berkeley Farms brand in half-gallon cartons that cost only about a dollar more than a quart of heavy cream. I’m all about the Milk Pail, but it’s good to have a back-up!
Comment by Virginia 10.07.09 @ 9:37 amLeave a comment
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