First Blog Birthday

There is something about french food and the way it's prepared that makes it seem so appropriate when you want to celebrate something special, maybe because the recipes are tedious and each dish strives for perfection. I always picture a chef in a giant industrial kitchen with their white coat and wordless french music blasting while they are bent over the counter meticulously preparing dish after dish. (Yea, I've probably seen one too many Lifetime movies, or read one too many Nora Roberts books - so what!?)

Lately, in my kitchen you will hear my "school yard" mix playing while I sing terribly to the tunes of my teenage years. (Nothing but the classics: Britney, Backstreet boys and Destiny's child, etc.) Far from the french vision. This time I was making something french and tedious and beautiful. A strawberry fraisier cake - recipe here - in celebration of my blog's first birthday!

A year ago today I decided on a whim to start a food blog. I have come a long way from that first post. I've learned so much, and it's been such a fun journey so far. When I thought about how I wanted to "celebrate" I immediately went back to the FIRST food blog post I ever read. It was for this cake. My parents had just gotten back from a trip to Colorado for a friend's wedding and my mom would not stop talking about this cake she had eaten. Since her birthday was coming up I figured why not make this cake she's been  raving about!? I scoured the internet and this was the ONLY recipe I could find that was detailed enough and actually made me think I could pull it off. It took me two days.

So, this time around I thought I could make it even better. First you make the cake - let it cool, and cut it in half. While it's baking - you make this custard complete with almost three sticks of butter and whole milk - I love french cooking. Line the strawberries around the outside of the spring form pan.

Then you fill it with custard... the thick rich delicious FRENCH style custard.

Then you fill that with cut up strawberries... so beautiful, right??

More custard on top...

Then you put the other half of the cake on top of all of that. Add MORE custard, then decorate with pretty strawberries.

Then... and this is the MOST important part - your refrigerate the whole thing for at LEAST 20 minutes. I was caught up singing a song that I won't name and didn't even think about it. I snapped open the spring form pan to take a picture of the beautiful piece of ART I had just made. (Notice that the cake has completely fallen apart on one side)

Baking can be VERY humbling sometimes.

I then flopped it into a normal 9 inch round pan and then went for a two mile run out of frustration. Strawberry fraisier slop anyone?? Just for the record - it is still fantastic. I am not one to waste custard. :-)

Happy blog birthday to me, even if it was a big fat flop. Happy Tuesday to all of you!