Tabby

This fall I couldn't talk anyone from my house into going apple picking! Luckily my friend Tabby loves me enough to invite me along with her. She had the same problem with her house. So we went together and found lots of tasty apples. Unfortunately I mistakenly picked THE best (ie most expensive!) eating apples instead of the cooking apples I was actually after. Oh well. Pies, crumbles and applesauces this year were a little on the decadent side and we'll be more careful next year!

It was Tabby's daughter's bday shortly after mine and way back in June she'd had a rough time at school. Tabby is a healthy eater and doesn't have much dessert at her house. (how she puts up with my extravagant dessert lifestyle, I'll never know!) She made the mistake of showing her daughter the pool cake I made for the girls' bday party this year, and her daughter was bemoaning to me how lucky my kids were that I made stuff like that for them. I told her I'd fix her up this year for her birthday and marked the date on my calendar. Little did I know at the time how tricky that was going to be! When I looked at the week's line up when it appeared on the calendar, my heart fell. Her birthday ended up being during the weekend that I was going to Banff! How was I going to deliver on that promise!??!? I had to get the house in order for my departure, I had clients waiting for their proofs, I wanted to get meals and desserts in the freezer so it'd be easier for Murray while I was gone. How was I going to prepare and deliver a cake while I was halfway across the country?!?!?

Then I remembered I could freeze the cake! She was really excited about the Kit Kat candy cake idea I'd sent her so I decided to stick with that and keep it simple. No fancy icing manoeuvres required! I baked the cakes and put it all together, tied it with a ribbon in her favourite colour and boxed it up and delivered it Wednesday morning and then flew out that night. It was a big hit at her birthday and thawed out just fine. I know it wasn't fresh but nobody cared and she felt special and enjoyed the spoiling so that was the important thing. Her brother's eyes almost popped out of his head and I think I'm going to have to even things up for his birthday or I'll be in trouble with him!

Project Candy, Complete!

Honey had a presentation to do and the topic was Christmas traditions. Honey chose to speak on how we make candy together! Her first choice was the candle light service at church on Christmas Eve but since her sisters were going to talk about that with their classes, she wanted to do something different.

In order to properly prepare for the presentation, we needed to do some research of course! They were allowed to bring in a prop for their story so I suggested that she make a batch to take and share with her class. She printed out the recipe on a card to give to her teacher and we made enough photocopies to give out to her classmates.

Last night after supper she got out the stool and set to work at the stove. I helped her measure some of the ingredients and she added everything in and did almost all the stirring and closely monitored the candy thermometer. Every once in awhile she needed a break when her arm got too tired or hot.

We didn't include the pecans since it was going to school and I had to use different chocolate to avoid problems with nut allergies. Other than that, her candy turned out just like it usually does!

Her presentation went well and one of the students told her that it was the best one that day! (and other people had edible samples too!) She was pleased that it went so well and many students said they were going home to make their own that night :)))