eli-i think granola bars sound fine; i think you should bring whatever you want. i'm planning to make a whipped cream cake from 'rose's heavenly cakes'. i'm adding my own cranberry curd mousse along side the unfrosted bundt cake. i havent made the cake before.
for dinner, i'm planning on mac'n'cheese, a salad, and hot apple cider. anybody who wants can, of course, bring wine or beer. and bring an appetite, justjoan
(i've PM'd everyone. my internet connection right now is very intermittent, so please call me between now and monday with anything important, thanks)

Pie Lady wrote:Just dip an end in chocolate. Done!

I like the way you think! I'm not 100% set on the granola bars, but I am leaning that way.

Joan: Sounds great. I'm really glad these are getting going again; thanks for hosting!

i'm really looking forward to this. we are at 9 attendees right now, which seems like a good size. justjoan

hi all, i just wanted to add that i have a fair number of platters that we can use for your desserts. i know most, if not all, of you are coming from work, so the less you have to carry the better. i also have some cardboard boxes which you can use to pack up cakes, cookies, granola bars, etc. to take home. see you monday, justjoan

Hey all -- really looking forward to the sugar fest on Monday!

I think i'm set on doing a Butterscotch Layer Cake from the Goddess herself, Nigella Lawson.

Nothing like gilding the lily before the spring has sprung...

See you!

Shannon

earthlydesire wrote:
I think i'm set on doing a Butterscotch Layer Cake from the Goddess herself, Nigella Lawson.


Shannon

shannon: butterscotch layer cake sounds great. i wanted to ask if anyone can bring a digital camera to dinner tomorrow night? i don't take pictures, and it'd be great to post them for others so others can see what we've made. thanks, justjoan

I'm really sad to do this, but I need to bow out for tomorrow. I've been fighting off a sinus infection all weekend, and it's becoming clear that I won't be over it by tomorrow.

eli wrote:I'm really sad to do this, but I need to bow out for tomorrow. I've been fighting off a sinus infection all weekend, and it's becoming clear that I won't be over it by tomorrow.

Feel better. I've been fighting with a flu/cold tons of congestion. I just lived off of echinacea , huge quantities of Vitamin D3, & some ibuprofen, + a netti pot, & an occasional daytime cold medicine. I know exactly how you feel.

Take care.

eli, we'll miss you and your granola bars. sinus infections are miserable-feel better soon. justjoan

Hmmm,

Looks like folks are playing it close to the vest with what they are going to bring (myself included). Just wondering how much chocolate is coming to the event? Usually, sweets tend to be chocolate this & cocoa that. I tend to bring a non-chocolate item & I'm leaning that way for tomorrow.

Peace,

I'm just about to make the coconut mint cream cake, so come hell or high water or just plain shitty execution, that's what I'm bringing. There's no chocolate in this recipe.

PS Joan - did you send out your address yet? I remember you saying it was just off the Blue line.

Feel better Eli!

I decided on a completely different recipe than I was thinking about before... I'll bring two types of biscotti: honey lavender and apricot almond. Also, I can definitely take pics of all the food. See everyone tomorrow!

Laura

My cookie's are done. They look & smell fabulous. It's CI's Salty Thin & Crispy Oatmeal Cookies. I've always been a huge lover of chewy spiced & plump raisin cookies. These could be a new standard.

On a sad note: My friend won't make it. And she left her cake at home, so I can't grab it to bring tonight. See you all shortly.

I'm so full.

Butterscotch cake w/ bananas, cranberry mousse, honey lavender biscotti, turtles (they really looked like turtles), ginger cake w/ currants, chocolate cake w/ date,coconut mint cake (but the mint was hidden in a delicate sweet cake) pound cake (but not really pound cake b/c the baker hates pound cake), pate de fruit.

Did I mention there was mac & cheese w/ truffle salt & salad w/ market greens & raw beets.

So full.

Dear Joan- Thanks for hosting.

Great way to start the Fast

Thanks again to Joan for the kickass meal and hospitality and for everybody's lively company and dessert. I can't wait to get through the ritual of dinner so I can snarf some cake.

As for my dessert, I was right, it was from Bon Appetit. It was really easy, so if you want to make it:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... ake-243444

What a great time we had last night! Thanks to Joan and to everyone involved for such great conversation and delicious food.

I woke up still stuffed. I'm hoping to be able to nibble something sweet later on!

I had a wonderful time meeting everyone and I'm really looking forward to our next dessert extravaganza!

I had such a nice time last night and loved meeting everyone! All the food was delicious. And thanks to Joan for hosting. I will post the photos soon, hopefully tomorrow. I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Alrighty, not being a computer person, it took a few tries to get this right. Also, I think I missed photos of a few of the desserts. Here's what I have...



Food porn of delicious raspberry pates de fruits



Crispy sweet and salty oatmeal cookies - I thought these had the perfect texture of being crisp on the edges but soft in the middle



Chocolate cake with secret ingredient (pureed dates), whipped cream cake, mint coconut cream cake, butterscotch cake



Butterscotch cake - loved the addition of banana



Coconut mint cream cake - Definitely could taste the mint when I tried it again the next day



Whipped cream cake - Sorry I didn't get a photo of the great addition of cranberry mousse

Looks like I missed a great evening. I really wish I had been able to make it. Was there any talk about a host for the next exchange? I'm not able to host the April exchange as it falls on my wife's birthday, but I'd be happy to host the May exchange if it's not already spoken for.

thanks, laura, for the pictures. someday, maybe, i'll get a camera... eli, i'm sorry you missed the evening- i hope you're fully recovered. we forgot to talk about the next gathering- but why don't you plan on taking the first monday in may. who can host the april event???? joan

I might be able to do this one. Let me get back to you.

I would be up for hosting in April if Jenny isn't able to.

I can indeed host April, if no one minds it being on the 2nd Monday, the 12th. Usual start time of 6:30 still stands.

if no one objects, and jenny doesn't mind hosting for the second time, april 12th is ok with me. i wasn't one of the original organizers who picked the first monday of the month. maybe some of them can chime in, and give their seal of approval for the change to the second monday of april. and if eli hosts the may gathering, maybe laura, you can host for june? what do others think?? joan

I would love to attend 4-12-2010 is going on my calendar.

I don't mind hosting at some point in the future but it would probably be a Friday evening or Sat afternoon/evening (hosting on school nights is rough with me). I also have a dog (just don't tell her, she thinks it's just odd that her Ma & Pa have 2 legs instead of 4 ).

Oh, right! I guess I should mention I have a cat. Cute dog! Love that toasty hat, too.

Second week in April works for me. I can definitely host at a later date, although not in June because I'm taking a couple of trips right around that time and I think things will be a little hectic. I can't believe real Spring weather and April are coming up so fast!

Okie doke! I will post the April 12th shindig shortly.

I'm so glad warmer weather is almost here!! Although I predict snow around the 27th. After that it's smooth sailin'.