birthday cake

Le Marquis au Choclat - avec

• Biscuit au Chocolat
• Crème au Beurre à l'Anglaise
• Chocolat glace

This could be called either a labor of love - or - a good workout for a Kitchen Aid. Bright red -a stand mixer - I bought it years ago for my quinquennial Bŭche de Noel - Julia's recipe of course (with a bit of help from Martha).

The cake is for David - one of our oldest and dearest friends. We rented the third floor apartment in his and Katherine's rambling, Eastlake Victorian house; that was how we met.

Tom was already here and saw that apartment and met Katherine - this was all arranged by a realtor friend. I flew in from LA on Thanksgiving weekend to look for a place to live - or, rather review some of the places Tom had already checked out. Now, that apartment was always more Katherine's project than David's, and he was in charge of the second showing. Actually, I got the impression he was roped into that second showing - David was a bit grouchy, but he did his duty and played tour guide. I was impressed. Not only by the apartment, but most importanly by David himself - direct, smart, a bit sarcastic - I realized almost at once he was a New Englander and I could relate, for those were qualities I recognized in my mother.

We took that apartment, integrated our lives with those of Katherine, David and their various pets, and the rest is, of course, history. We moved around several times since then, as did Lynda and Roger who lived across the street, but we have all remained good friends - always ready for a hearty debate and lots of laughs. Tonight, the six of us celebrate David's birthay. As we so often do, Lynda, Katherine and I will share the cooking duties. The cake is my assignment.