Sort of a mixed bag this year. The day was on hold until my Dad got back from work at lunch time. Despite this, Mum still managed to scuttle about the house arranging top secret things while I quietly did the household chores. Turns out she'd been attempting to turn our dining room into birthday central - garlands, cake et al. Unfortunately the balloons she found to use were well past their use by date and a far few exploded in her face. Thus, the balloon quota suffered almost as much as mum's nerves. Dad was intersected at the back door and instructed to go out and find some more to make up the numbers. After more confusion, an hour and a half later we were in business!
BEFORE AFTER
This year I requested that Mum take on a raw cake from a very New Agey cookbook I picked up in Boston a few summers back. She was a bit put out, (massive gingerbread houses/ dinosaur shaped things are more her style), and despite a running commentary of how "awful" it looked as she was making it, even she had to admit this was a pretty damn fine cake. I ate it breakfast lunch and diner the following day. In fact, dear readers, it is simply too good not to share. Here's the fairly straight forward recipe (get ready to work that blender hard):
CAROB-HAZELNUT TORTE
Serves 8 to 12
2 cups seeded, soaked dates, drained
3 cups soaked hazelnuts, drained
1 cup raw carob powder
1/2 cup dried shredded coconut
2 table spoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups Nut Creme*
1 cup Carob Sauce **
As many berries as you like, to garnish
Mint leave, to garnish
A decent blender!
* To make Nut Creme - place 5 seeded dates in a small bowl, cover with water, and soak for about 1 hour, or until soft. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Place the dates, reserved liquid and 1 cup soaked nuts (cashews, almonds or hazelnuts - drained), in a blender or blender cup, and grind until smooth.
** For the Carob Sauce - put 4 seeded, soaked dates, drained, 1/4 cup raw carob powder and 2 tbsp of olive oil in a blender or blender cup and blend the hell out of it!
Using a homogenizing juicer, (or a strong blender), homogenize the dates and hazelnuts and place in a large bowl. Mix in the carob power and the coconut. Add the Vanilla and stir. Using wet hands. roll the mixture into a ball. On a serving plate, press the ball into a flat circle, aprox 1 inch thick. Top with nut creme followed by the carob sauce. Make that it look more attractive with the berries and mint. Eat! (Be wayward and serve with normal, non-raw vanilla ice cream.)
I was given some really generous gifts from family and friends and many thank you cards have gone out since. The biggest thank you is reserved for Mum who bit a rather expensive bullet and bought me the complete collection of The Wire on DVD. I am still basking in its greatness. We are watching it in back to back installments right now. Omar! At my beckoned command!
After lunch we joined the weekend masses at our local multiplex. We wanted to see The Wrestler and almost turned back upon seeing the endless line and pandemonium in the lobby as kids ran riot, breaking popcorn into the carpet. Luckily, the hordes of mouthy teens were there to drool over Twilight and the screaming kids were waiting for some movie about a talking Beverly Hills chihuahua that goes soul searching in Mexico.
I was disappointed by The Wrestler. It had nicely observed details of things like the camaraderie in the changing room, his lonely trailer, but apart from what was animated by Micky's charisma, this is a pretty poor movie. Often contrived and with reliable over-acting from Madam Angst herself, Evan Rachel Wood.
Obviously everyone is falling over themselves to gush about the film, as it's Micky's "come back" but I managed to find a less glowing review that totally nails its short-comings for me. That said, I was probably better than the chihauhua movie.
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