Success is Mine

I fear Wednesday's post may have left you with questions. Is she manic? Merely flighty? A little ADD?

I personally feel none of the above apply. Rather, I believe I've mastered the art of multi-tasking. Alright, yes, I do occasionally take it to dizzying heights of madness.

Anyway. I am working on two books at the same time.

I was diligently plugging away on my cookbook, Teatime at the Lily Pond, and had decided to position it as one tearoom owners of the 1920's tearoom craze would have pounced upon. But then the universe stepped in to steer my course.

Several events coincided. I caught the interest of a member of the Ann Arbor Culinary History Society. With a few shifts, Teatime at the Lily Pond could become a more authentic 1920's teatime cookbook. And then Kenny, immediately after a piece of cake as chance would have it, suggested that a compilation of my own work would be a quicker book to take to print.

As I'm not one the universe generally needs to pound upon the door for, I decided to switch gears. I began tweaking and pulling articles from my archives (a more organized place than my recipe files) and recipes from the cookbook. Steep: The Wanderings and Delights of a Tea Adventurer was born.

There you have it. It sounds so reasonable when you know the story, doesn't it?

FYI, Wednesday's cake effort was a success even though, as you can plainly see from the picture of my Torie Montana, I did meet with some resistance.

Below is the recipe in case you're in the mood for a little testing. I'll try it one more time just to be sure it turns out the same. I think a powdered sugar and lemon glaze is also in order, perhaps with a little reserved cherry juice added:
  

Cherry Pound Cake 

1 cup butter

13/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon rind

4 ounces sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 package Cherry Jello (not sugar free)

1/2 cup Three Olives Cherry Vodka

1 can sour cherries

3 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda 

Strain cherries, pressing them well but not until completely dry. Set aside. Cream the butter before adding the sugar and lemon. With the mixer on low add eggs (room temperature) one at a time. Add sour cream and the almond extract and vanilla paste. Add cherries - they will break apart. In a separate bowl mix flour, jello, baking soda and baking powder. Alternately add the flour mixture and the vodka. Do not over mix. Bake at 300 degrees in a greased and floured 10" tube pan for 75 minutes. 

I know, I thought maraschino cherries would be a better option, too, but ever since I heard the liquid they sit in is similar to formaldehyde I can't make myself eat one.

Before we part ways today, here's one of my favorite blogs - The Old Foodie at www.theoldfoodie.com. Full of food history and historical recipes and menus, it's an on-line gem where you can spend hours.