This January, surrounded as I was by Sydney summer sun and my new niece's laughter, I thought I'd taken a year off. There sure wasn't much melancholy in Australia.
It's happening this week, instead. No good reason. There's just a bittersweet filter on my lens that is making me want to stay home and absorb those around me rather than make big energetic movements into the world. I want to listen and read more, take stock, drink lots of tea, catch up on our netflix queue and eat chocolate. I am using up my store of organic cocoa in the creation of hot chocolate and cakes.
I hope that Jesse and Gillen don't notice any blues, just the sweetness of more rich brown in the house. They are more energetic, productive and talkative than ever. It seems it's ok for me to slow down. This is my favorite chocolate cake to make. It is in a few of the Moosewood cook books and is called the six-minute cake. So easy, no dairy (if that is an issue for you - it isn't here but the cake is great regardless) and I just discovered that I can make it well with gluten-free flour. The glaze topping is just melted bittersweet chocolate (I use Ghiradelli or Belgian) mixed with some hot water and vanilla. I used coconut oil for the vegetable oil which means it is fighting off viruses as well as any blues.
I'm off to play chess and eat cake with Jesse. Bring on the endorphins.
16 comments:
mmmmmmmmmm!!! Now I can make a cake for us to eat together ♥
I was gonna ask about some gluten free recipes you'd like to see in our bakery case :) Feel free to direct me to what tastes good!
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Oh, and really big ((((((hugs))))))))
Thinking of you Madeline as I was just eating some chocolate...just told Broc on the phone (he's in Texas) that I was feeling a bit blue. February. Valentines Day can't even redeem it. The cake looks delicious!
Yes, January was definitely quiet, stay home, drink warm things, watch movies, etc. We have moved on to the out-and-about, but it would have been with heels dragging had I not had my good month of home-i-ness, soft clothes, and baked goods.
Ouch. I know the feeling all too well. But six minute cake has got to be good! Perhaps January is the reason other mammals hibernate. We should just sleep through our natural lulls rather than fighting them.
Thanks guys. Chocolate does work wonders. I am feeling much more energetic.
YES!! I said to Allen today I really needed something sweet. He suggested a Little Debbies honeybun from his secret stash, but I knew that would not satisfy my cravings. I was out of coccoa myself so no chocolate for me today. Any cake left??
Claudia
Claudia, I so love that you and I just wrote to each other with our sons' signatures. And yes, I do have cake left for you. :)
Madeline, you put the mood of our last month into words so beautifully. We have been doing so many of the same things to combat January (and now February, where we just had a high of 1 degree yesterday and stayed in the whole weekend). I can use the excuse of cold, but it's something more than that. Thank you for sharing your lows as well as your highs. I just love your posts.
I've almost always had a tough time with February. I've learned to embrace it - going inward is the natural rhythm of things, eventually we'll emerge again! The first time I felt understood was when I heard Dar Williams' "February".
http://tinyurl.com/2ajdpm
Chocolate *does* keep the dementors away!
I felt a bit like this yesterday. The weather couldn't decide if it was cold or hot... the sky was blue but there was smog on the horizon... it was melancholy-inducing.
So I opened the windows, made a foamy latte, and blasted The Smiths through the house. There's nothing like a little Morrissey and his "I wear black on the outside because black is how I feel on the inside" to give you the giggle-inducing, melancholy-defeating kick in the arse. ;)
Yum! Winter is starting to seem long. But I still enjoy it when we get a nice fresh coat of snow. I can do without the ice, and I'd like a bit more sun though.
Looks yummy! What kind of GF flour do you use? I am trying Domata Living flour. Works REALLY well for some things.
Chocolate does work wonders! I now keep really good dark chocolate on hand at all times. Makes me a much better mommy. :)
Hope things are looking brighter today.
Krystyn, I have a friend who loves Morrisey and now you. I will listen, soon.
Kelly, I am not sure what the flour is called as we just bought it at the health food store in bulk. I will find out. Thanks for your recommendation.
thanks for making me hot chocolate mommy.
ok, that last one was Jesse - I really wasn't thanking my deceased mother for hot cocoa. : )
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