While surfing the web, I can across this fantastic (and slightly bizarre) blog by Gary Vaynerchuk at WineLibraryTV. For the wine novice like me, his information is invaluable. There is nothing worse than being at a liquor store before a party and not knowing what wine to buy. I start wandering the aisles looking at all the pretty labels. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think you're suppose to pick a good wine by its pretty label. Anyway, hopefully this will help you (and me) to choose the right wine for your next party.
Elizabeth
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
The Most Perfect Lemony Lemon Cake - Ever!!
As I’ve stated previously, I don’t particularly like baking. People think I’m good at it because I have just a few really good (and easy) recipes. This is one of them. This is the most perfect Lemon Cake, ever. It is very lemony and really light (not in calories). The thing about this cake is, you really need to beat it. I know, it goes against the grain of baking philosophy. So put the mixer on and walk away and do something else. I beat usually about 5 minutes or more between adding ingredients.
2 lemons
8 tablespoons (1 stick), salted butter
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons sugar, for lemon syrup topping
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line an 8 inch loaf pan with parchment or wax paper.
Grate the lemon rinds and set aside. Combine the juice of 1 lemon with 3 tablespoons sugar in a bowl and set in a warm place until the sugar dissolves and forms syrup with the juice. (This makes it seem more complicated that it is. I just combine the sugar and lemon juice and put the bowl on top of the stove. The heat from the oven does the rest)
Cream the butter and the rest of the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the grated lemon rid and flour; beat again thoroughly (the longer you beat, the softer the cake). Add the milk and beat again.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour; the cake should spring back when pressed gently in the center. Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven, prick the top with a long-tined fork (I make rows of holes so the syrup really gets into the cake) and pour the lemon juice/sugar syrup all over the top until completely covered. Cool in the pan to allow the syrup to be soaked up and create a moist tangy cake.
When you are ready to serve, sprinkle powdered sugar on top. I like to decorate the top with fresh berries.
Hope it helps,
Elizabeth
2 lemons
8 tablespoons (1 stick), salted butter
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons sugar, for lemon syrup topping
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line an 8 inch loaf pan with parchment or wax paper.
Grate the lemon rinds and set aside. Combine the juice of 1 lemon with 3 tablespoons sugar in a bowl and set in a warm place until the sugar dissolves and forms syrup with the juice. (This makes it seem more complicated that it is. I just combine the sugar and lemon juice and put the bowl on top of the stove. The heat from the oven does the rest)
Cream the butter and the rest of the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the grated lemon rid and flour; beat again thoroughly (the longer you beat, the softer the cake). Add the milk and beat again.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour; the cake should spring back when pressed gently in the center. Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven, prick the top with a long-tined fork (I make rows of holes so the syrup really gets into the cake) and pour the lemon juice/sugar syrup all over the top until completely covered. Cool in the pan to allow the syrup to be soaked up and create a moist tangy cake.
When you are ready to serve, sprinkle powdered sugar on top. I like to decorate the top with fresh berries.
Hope it helps,
Elizabeth
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