Friday, September 12, 2008

Birthday Planning With Julia

First, a quick Hurrah for libraries. I'm 34 in a couple days and I still can't get over how cool it is that you can go into a library, peruse hundreds of books and then TAKE THEM HOME WITH YOU FOR FREE! I love this.

Today, I stopped by the library and got Breaking Dawn, Julia Child's The Way To Cook, and Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything. I thought for my birthday I would read the long-awaited finale to the Twilight series (although I have heard many bad reviews) and then make something fancy for dessert.

I'm looking through the Julia book, and I have to say.... hm. All these recipes sounded so good when I was reading her biography and autobiography, but now that I'm seeing the glossy photographs, they look so... well, (and I hate to say it) old-fashioned and outdated. How is it possible for a dessert to be frumpy? I'm seeing things like Giant Cream Puff, Floating Islands, and something called Caramel Apple Mountain. Um.

Well, there are a few contenders. I've always wanted to have Tarte Tatin, and the Reine de Saba cake looks pretty good.

However, what I'm thinking about is making my ultra-amazing full-on yeast-raised cinnamon sticky buns.

Actually, I think that Tarte Tatin doesn't look too difficult to make, and since the cinnamon rolls have lots of down time while they're raising and baking, maybe I could make BOTH.

Yet again, I am thankful that my coworkers are endlessly ravenous. Although I'm not sure Terri would let me take any cinnamon-sticky buns away from home.

Thoughts? Favorite fancy desserts? Maybe just Lara's fail-proof Black Magic cake, always delicious, perfect for a birthday?

Here's my list of ideas so far:

* Reine de Saba (rich, dense, chocolate cake)
* Tarte Tatin (caramel-y baked apple dessert)
* Sticky buns
* Black Magic chocolate cake with sour-cream chocolate frosting
* Sacher Torte
* ... dare I try a souffle?

The Julia book has her newest, final version of the baguette recipe, which I will have to photocopy before I return the book to the library. That will be a project for a chilly fall weekend.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I vote Tarte Tatin. There's actually a recipe in this month's Bon Ap for an apple/pomegranate Tarte Tatin that looks soooo good!

Happy Almost Birthday!

-Lara

Daphne said...

I even have that issue -- just haven't flipped through it yet. Hmm...

Ana S. said...

I know just what you mean about libraries. I can't get over it either.

PS: Gorgeous header!

D'Arcy said...

Here's how you know Tarte Tatin isn't that difficult - I make it, and I make it well. Ryan says it's the best dessert I've ever made. My cousin said it's one of the best desserts she's ever eaten. I was thinking of making it last weekend but got busy, and now I think Ryan will lose it if I make it the day he leaves for a week :) We have a pear tree in our backyard that suddenly decided to give fruit this year, so now I'm thinking of trying an apple-pear Tarte Tatin.

Daphne said...

Well, I made the Tarte, and I put the pomegranate in it, and it's good, but I think I could make it better. D'Arc, send me your recipe!!