Budino di Fata: August 2010

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Progress?...

Welp, yesterday (actually sunday, being it's now technically tuesday) wrapped up my paltry attempt at a week of no sugar. To be quite honest, I was doomed to fail from the beginning (how can you resist this face??). It's August, and since living in NYC, a good third of my diet in the summer is frozen, sweetened dairy.
On top of that guy was one of my roomie's birthday weekends, and yours truly was anointed as cake baker. The surprisingly moist (used a new recipe with cocoa powder instead of melted bittersweet chocolate) mocha cake with toasted coconut butter cream frosting (with some chocolate/coconut icing for "decoration") was inspired by one of my favorite blogs. And, well, it lived up to its name in a way I did not expect. But I totally messed with its psyche in the first place, dubbing it a "Wreck" and all.

My inner dialogue throughout the week -- "yea, I'll make it a wreck, but like, on purpose. It'll be the most repulsive looking composition of confectionery edibles but still remain the best cake she's ever eaten, cuz...well...I'm awesome at baking. New recipe, but who cares! I'll whip it up lickety split. No effort, just all the praise. heh heh..."

Right.

The cake batter resembled chocolate cottage cheese. Baked it anyway to see what would happen...and because I had no other choice. Frosting, good, but face-melting sweet. It was edible, only because the not-so-sweet cake mellowed it out a bit. And as for "wrecking" the decorations, well, they couldn't not be "wrecked" as the cake was still too warm to withstand even the most legit of frosting methods; after about 5 minutes, there was a glacial drift of butter cream all around my ghetto-fab cake platter (cookie sheet).
O and it broke when I flipped the cake onto the cooling rack. Aaaand no candles.
Just tea lights.

Not my best work, to say the least, but a helluva lotta fun to make.
I have pictures to come.

So a sugar addict deprived of sugar for a week. It's rigorous. There's an extreme sport in there somewhere...

Again, not easy when there's, there's the resounding melody of sugary delight echoing on what seems like every corner. It's become the new anthem of my city life, complete with a 30-second duration of winter months starting at the 50sec mark. Bravo. Bra-vo.
Ahhh, Mr. Softee, never to be confused with this sad ghetto fleet of competitors.

So remember the true face of summer, kids: this. Not this.

And as the last few weeks of this blessed summer are spent on roof tops and beaches, keep Mr. Softee in mind when throwing your dance parties.

Over kill, but couldn't resist...

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Ode to Watermelon

A plump web just barely containing the sparkly juice within - the rose colored flesh collapses with a snappy burst of nectar as I bite down. Sweet and ice-cold, the swishing sound it makes in my cheeks sings a clear note of summer days. With the sun's 98-degree blaze beating down, I am cooled by the steady stream of liquid running down my forearms, forming pools at my elbows. Now readily supplied with its slippery ammo, I stalk my brother - totally aloof. A single shot right to the chin!
This means war.

the crash-and-burn

Well, I told myself this past sunday I would go one week without any sugar.

Now, this is a huge undertaking for someone who loses her train of thought every time Mr. Softee drives by; I told myself "it's all in your head! Look beyond the swirly cone with a happy-face (coy little devil).

So sunday, being a fresh start, went by no problem, believe it or not. Again - HUGE success for one who's been accused of surviving on a diet of sugar and plastic (gummy bears). Then yesterday, not too shabby; at work the whole day flew by without me even missing it...thanks to 4 pieces of (sugarless) melon Trident.

Then today, coffee. First few sips. Meh, I never minded coffee with no sugar.

Imaginary gummy bear on shoulder "Yea, sure, it's drinkable. But think how much better would it be with whipped cream on it, eh? eh? Come ooon, that can is just sitting in the fridge being delicious all alone. Make it party."

Damn him. FOILED ON MY THIRD DAY!!

That's ok, Mr. Bear, you may have tricked me this day, but tomorrow I'll win.

I do give myself some credit though - I went grocery shopping and bought not one sugary delight! Just dried fruit. But that doesn't count, because it's no sugar...added. I haven't made up my mind about honey just yet. I'll sleep on it.

Monday, August 23, 2010

The Daily Grind

I've been blessed to have a Job where if nothing's going on, I am simply doing my job by sitting up straight with lipstick on. I'm a concierge/receptionist for a fashion designer who's name rhymes with Shmom Shmord; when there's lulls in the day or it's a slow time of year (like now), I'll peruse fun and interestings on these internets - mostly food articles and the like - basically anything other than fashion news. I've been going down the list of articles on the Aussie's website. They leave me with ab cramps from laughing so hard. Sometimes I am forced to pick up my ringing phone while in the middle of an article leaving the client (or executive, or pretentious douche) hearing nothing but silence from my end, since I'm shaking and thrown into convulsions trying to hold in the laughter. Some may say it happens too often, but no matter. I'm wearing the lipstick.

*UPDATE: before, the link "this Aussie's website" was some obscure scrape-mending website. It's NOW fixed to the proper website - leading to the man behind the brilliance of the "Lost Cat" email string in the post below...enjoy!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

I've Struck Gold

Well alright, noooow I promise this is a new beginning. Going forth, I shall maintain consistent and regular bloggery. And I am starting with this... Ok, below you are about to experience the MOST hilarious thing I have EVER read on these internets. Read on. Oh, and you're welcome...