Irene out
Saturday August 27th 2011, 11:26 pm
Filed under: Food

Baked four chocolate tortes and one lemon chiffon cake today. Got rescued by friends when I ran out of Trader Joe’s Pound Plus bars for the ganache. (Note to self: make sure you’re not buying the “with almonds” ones next time–duh), sent the friends home with tortes and thanks and went back to the oven. Made the lemon chiffon to have something dairy-free/Michelle-friendly as the third dishwasher load ran. Handwashed Don’s and Cliff’s pans again.

As if, knitting being too slow, I could somehow crank out enough chocolate goodness to comfort and feed all the people in the path of the storm back East. Y’all take care of yourselves out there for me.


14 Comments so far
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Yup, this is scary. “Hold on to your hat!” is what we say here in Sweden. I just had a conversation with an old friend from our Philly days. I hope that people come out of this without too much damage.

Comment by Monica 08.28.11 @ 12:01 am

It looks darn right scary our east, I mean a hurricane is bad enough , but to have tornadoes on top of this is bit much. Chocolate torte sounds good.

Comment by kristy phipps 08.28.11 @ 6:21 am

the flurry of kitchen activity sometimes feels so soothing — like we are all still practicing what our grandma’s used to say to us — “eat this, you’ll feel better”!

Comment by Bev 08.28.11 @ 9:42 am

Ah, the Hyde bakery is in full swing!

Comment on Bev’s comment: The Jewish version is simply “Eat!”

Comment by Don Meyer 08.28.11 @ 10:07 am

So far, so good where I am in Massachusetts, Alison. Miraculously, we still have power at the moment. I tempted fate and baked a big batch of oatmeal cookies with cranberries and walnuts. I’m juts doing my best not to pay TOO much attention to all those large, swaying trees outside my window. Will be knitting soon to take my mind off that!

I know you’re praying for everyone in Irene’s path; thank you. You are a powerful intercessor, my dear, and that is a great comfort and a blessing. (((((hugs)))))

Comment by Paula Warner 08.28.11 @ 10:58 am

For dairy-free, I have tried using vanilla-flavored almond milk and whatever you want, oil in my case, instead of butter (there are a couple of dairy-free margarine brands), and it works and tastes good in yellow or chocolate cake. Basically, flavors in which you will use vanilla anyway–I just short the vanilla a little bit. With the oil, fine for me with regular milk, the texture is a little soft, but it is an easy substitution and tastes good. Not as fancy and sinful as your tortes, but good for basic cakes.

Comment by Marian 08.28.11 @ 2:03 pm

We all have this need to do what we can. Dear one’s son’s death–> helpless feeling.

Comment by Sherry in Idaho 08.28.11 @ 3:29 pm

Our east coast daughters and nieces have come through the storm fine. Your wishes were welcome!

Comment by twinsetellen 08.28.11 @ 6:50 pm

In our neighborhood the only real problem has been a few trees being blown down. We still have power and we’ve told the neighbors without to come over whenever they need to. The kids in New Haven and Cambridge are all right too. We’re far enough inland. I feel bad for the people right on the coast, though.

Comment by LauraN 08.28.11 @ 7:37 pm

Oh how I wish I had been around to “help” you with all that baking. 🙂

Comment by Ruth 08.28.11 @ 8:50 pm

We’re all fine here in MD–the power was out from about 1AM to 9PM, but came back on just in time to give us AC and internet before sleep. Yay!

Comment by Lanafactrix 08.28.11 @ 8:58 pm

We did OK in northwestern Vermont, but there is terrible flooding all around us, and rivers still rising nearby as the river surges make their way to Lake Champlain. Also, my husband’s family homestead (140 years old, in the family for 125 years) flooded badly when the Mad River rose quickly yesterday afternoon, but his brother, sister, and 91-year-old mom made it out in time. He’s trying to get down there right now to help, but will have to turn around because there are too many roads washed out and bridges damaged or gone. Vermont has a tough time ahead, I think.

Comment by India 08.29.11 @ 6:33 am

Ok, I did miss the recipe for the chocolate ganache – the mention of the Trader Joe’s 2 lb chocolate got me thinking that maybe I need to make one of these, purely for research purposes, of course!

Comment by Renee 08.29.11 @ 9:24 am

Hit hard here in Vermont by Irene. Over 300 roads and bridges washed away. I’m safe…only one broken window. This week had double rainbow, hail, earthquake, hurricane and flooding….enough already.

Comment by Joansie 08.29.11 @ 3:54 pm



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