Mainely Martha

While the boys were home this morning due to a snow delay, breakfast expectations for my youngest changed from that of the weekday menu to that of a holiday; cereal would have been such a disappointment. This reminded me of the skit that Bill Cosby used to do (prior to his fall from fame) when he explained his kids asking for cake for breakfast. His rationalizing this by looking at the ingredients…all good solid breakfast foods, so why not? That said, for those wondering, cake was not served for breakfast…today anyways.

And as most are making those resolutions to eat better, get in shape and shed some pounds; isn’t life to short to forgo the cake? I know, we just got over the holiday binge, but come on, it’s been weeks! There is such a warmth that the smell of a cake in the oven that can fill a home in the dredges of winter. Happiness is, in fact, knowing that there is a cake in the oven. It can be a coffee cake, a loaf or a delicious layer cake…we do not discriminate; cake is good.

Recently, I believe I finally accurately captured my mother’s rum cake recipe and wow, did the aroma and then the taste bring me back. YUM!!!  As it baked,  my oldest son appeared in the kitchen to inquire as to the “what smelled so good” and then anxiously awaited so he could have some. He had never had it before and I questioned if he would even like it; he did and slice by slice ate almost all it…which was great for me so that I didn’t. He like it so much that as I embarked to try a new recipe, a Kentucky Butter cake, he again appeared to inquire and subsequently hovered anticipating another cake to delve into. So many cakes, so little time.

I will always remember the days of walking into the house growing up and the aromas from the kitchen hitting you right when you opened the door; absolutely nothing can beat that in the dead of winter.

Count the memories, not the calories.