My Week In Words

I can still feel how good it felt to write one of my first blog posts. It was about Hadley’s lack of napping, and I was so frustrated because I couldn’t get her to sleep more than 45 minutes. I sat down to write about it, and in my writing, I dug up something humorous in my voice. It was therapeutic to craft something that I thought would only be sad and frustrating, but turned out to be more than that. This might be why I can’t stand blog posts that start with, “This is the hardest thing to write.” Just write the hard and see what happens. Make the old lady scream, and all that. No matter how long it takes.

No creativity until there’s boredom.  Amen.

This week I learned what lexicography is, and I made a little compilation of words project for my students to work on throughout the year.  They’re going to love it.

I’d say probably.

I’m about to step into fall with the fresh residue of summer all over me next week.  Teacher in-service begins, and what will feel like five minutes later, I will meet a new set of students. I’m equal parts nervous and excited for what’s to come.

Also, are you reading Kinfolk?  It’s one of the best magazines out there. You’ll read it, and you’ll find an abundant amount of reasons to enjoy life. Also, writers, read it with a pen in hand. There are lots of ideas for stories waiting in those pages.

How about baking a cake? My sister-in-law, Mallory, makes the best white cake with fruit scattered throughout it that I’ve ever had in my life.  Let me tell you a secret: I’m not a cake person.  Pie’s my jam. But this cake turned my world around, and Mallory, who is an assistant pastry chef extraordinaire at Nantucket Baking Co, was nice enough to share her recipe with the fine readers of Notes by Callie.  Here it is:

 

Homemade Vanilla Cake Recipe:
Yield: One 2-layer, 8-inch round cake
5 large egg whites (150 g), at room temperature
1 whole egg
1 cup whole milk (237 ml), at room temperature
1-1/4 teaspoons (12 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups (345 g) cake flour, sifted
2 cups (400 g) sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (17 g) baking powder
3/4 teaspoon (5 g) salt
12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 24 even pieces
And then for the inside of the cake I used a Chantilly Cream which I made using 2 cups of heavy cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whip up the cream and add the sugar and vanilla towards the end. After a layer of cake and Chantilly Cream I then plopped down a bunch of fresh berries.
The Frosting I used was Italian Meringue Buttercream. (maybe a bit more on the advanced side of the frosting spectrum)
Ingredients and Directions for that are as follows: (kitchen scale needed)

1 lb sugar
4 oz water
8 oz egg whites
14 oz butter, soft and cut into small pieces.
1 tsp vanilla extract.

In a medium sauce pan, add 1 lb sugar and 4 oz of water. Heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils. Boil until the mixture reaches 243 degrees F or 117 C on a candy thermometer. While the syrup is cooking, beat 8 oz egg whites in a stand mixer with whisk attachment until they reach soft peaks. With the mixer running, VERY slowly beat in the heated sugar/water syrup. Continue beating until the meringue is cool and forms firm peaks. When that is ready, little by little, add the soft butter one piece at a time. When all the fat has been incorporated whip in vanilla extract. Whip until the buttercream is smooth. (The mixture will appear curdled at first but keep whipping and it will become smooth.)