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Fresh Apple Spice Cake

Fresh Apple Cake

This is the best Fresh Apple Spice Cake I’ve had. The raisins wake up, growing big and fat in a soaking of warm rum, the huge pile of orange zest is the background spark of flavor and the traditional spices of apple season bring the comfort.

“There were three kinds, yellow, red and green.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Its recipe destiny when you find an Ina recipe that has 17 ingredients and you already have all 17 of them. It started with three apples. Three lonely apples that needed to be used. Noble goals of a healthy snack got pushed to the back of the refrigerator. We had reached the end of our relationship. Ignored, forgotten and taking up real estate that was needed for newer more exciting groceries, these apples needed a recipe. The raisins were hiding behind the candied ginger and sesame seeds. Dreams of oatmeal raisin cookies faded as I searched for the other 15 ingredients. BTW, Ina serves the Fresh Apple Spice Cake with ice cream and caramel sauce, is that 19 ingredients? READ MORE . . .

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Orange Scented Olive Oil Cake

Orange Scented Olive Oil Cake

Seasonal Baking in Winter

“It ballooned in great dark rolls above, and beneath it drew a long trailing skirt of rain, and as they looked the cloud rumbled and flashed fire. Borne on the wind, the cloudburst drummed hollowly on the fat wet hills across the valley and moved out over the flat lands.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

It’s been raining, raining and raining, just what the central coast of California needs. So much rain that the drought is almost over. We had a break filled with sunshine and cold mornings but it will rain again. This is the winter we have wanted for the last three years and now that it is here we can breathe again. California will be fine. READ MORE . . .

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Individual Rhubarb Crumbles

Rhubarb Crumble

Signs of Spring

“At three o’clock in the afternoon Lee was sitting at his desk, turning over the pages of a seed catalog.The pictures of sweet peas were in color. Now these would look nice on the back fence. They’d screen off the slough. I wonder if there is enough sun.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I am a hap-hazard gardener. Happy to try new plants and ideas every spring and falling into the trap of over-planting and failing to give the plants everything they need. It’s a hazard. Last spring we bought a rhubarb plant. I was optimistic, but wondered if the plant would survive the winter. We planted it next to garage near the lemon verbena and sage. To my amazement, it flourished, and last fall I was ready to harvest. Thankfully I investigated how to harvest rhubarb before I tore into the plant. Rhubarb needs a year to get established before the first harvest. It’s healthier for the plant if the stalks are gently tugged from the outside edges of the plant, rather than cutting them. The rhubarb was beginning to outgrow its spot (the leaves are huge) and when the outer stalks began to lay on the ground and pull away from the center of the plant I began dreaming about fresh rhubarb. It was a sure sign of spring on the central coast. READ MORE . . .

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Fresh Orange Cake with Blood Oranges

Fresh Orange Cake with Blood Orange

All the Citrus

“The whole country’s changing, Adam said. People aren’t going to live the way they used to. Do you know where the biggest market for oranges in the winter is?”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Sweet and savory lemon recipes are always part of my baking and cooking. Other citrus recipes need prompting. I almost missed the season for blood oranges this year. Instead we have cake! In my stash of want-to-make recipes I found Fresh Orange Cake with Orange Butter Cream Frosting from Family Circle, March 1971. I gave it a try with blood oranges. READ MORE . . .

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Swedish Limpa Bread

Swedish Limpa Bread

A Tiny Commitment

“It was no quick thing Adam contemplated, to be finished and ready in a hurry. His men worked deliberately and slowly. It was a long job. Adam wanted it well done.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Making a loaf of bread is a commitment. Time and faith. Time to mix the dough long enough to develop the gluten in the flour. Time to check back to gauge the rising time and then the baking time. Being engaged with the process means time spent at home, without rushing. Making bread is that way. There is only so much that can be done to speed up the process without compromising the outcome. Faith that the yeast will activate. That the dough will rise from a lump into a light and gorgeous loaf. It’s a thing of joy, a finished loaf of bread. A reward for a tiny commitment of time and faith. READ MORE . . .