One Big Apple

Active imaginations and eavesdroppers, New York is the place for you. New York City is just so wonderfully perfect in my opinion. It might not be a place for the faint of heart, but who really needs personal space anyway?

We went into the weekend with my must go here list, and now the list has grown a bit longer. The taste of Jack's Stir Brew Macchiato is enough to make my heart skip a beat, and the Americano from Café Gitane won Stephen's best of vote for the weekend. I do not need to tell you how caffeinated we were, and yet eavesdropping on 3 thousand conversations while you walk 300 hundred miles, makes you sleep like a baby. a really good baby.

We wandered the Met, and tasted our way through the rest of the weekend. By Sunday, the city had crept its way into the 'I heart NY' spot in Stephen's heart. He completely embraced the bustle. Something so hugely mysterious and yet wide open, takes a minute to appreciate, but once you do, it sticks. The bustling crowded sidewalks are inviting not aggravating, and the lines for a table at Balthazar show us that a lot of folks know a good thing when they taste it. Really. The crowds are a testament to greatness.

Sunday morning we  met our friend Leah for brunch at Public. She and I were neighbors many moons ago, and for a moment, in the middle of Manhattan, it was as if we were neighbors again. Really, that was quite nice. She is a metalsmith, and she and Stephen designed our wedding rings. Now she is about to be famous, I am sure of it, and when she is I will tell you all about it.

Do you remember my dream about driving to New York City with my mom just for dinner at Bukhara? Well, Stephen and I went to Bukhara Sunday night. Of course it was also perfect. We ordered Vindaloo and the smirking waiter said, "Aaah. You like spicy." Three bites in, I was crying. Literally crying. Stephen's forehead started beading with sweat as the waiter asked if it was spicy enough for us. Oh yes. It is just fine, Thanks. 

Then the waiters gave me a piece of vanilla cake with a sparkler for the candle. Five Indian men singing happy birthday while a sparkler danced in a piece of vanilla cake is a mental image I will not soon forget.

Now we are back. Home. but I still taste the Apple.

I bought this one lovely Mutzu apple from Union Square Farmer's Market and carried it all the way home. I must confess that I have been holding out on you about something pretty wonderful. A few months ago I  threw a few things in a bowl and out came my new favorite apple cake. I of course wanted to tell you all about it right away, but there have been so many delicious things to tell you about that it has been on the back burner.  In honor of my favorite Big Apple, I wish you all a hunk of apple cake.

Apple Spice Cake
This cake goes well with afternoon tea and also is lovely at brunch. The apples make it even more moist the second day, and so it would be perfect to make a day ahead. You must use the lemon juice on the apples in order to activate the baking soda. I forgot this step once and the cake was quite dense. Other than that, the cake is pretty much foolproof. A great recipe for the kids to help you make.

2 large mutzu, gala, or fuji apples, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup canola or safflower oil
1/2 cup applesauce

1. Heat oven to 350. Sprinkle lemon juice over apples.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the brown sugar, egg, oil and applesauce briskly until fluffy (about 30 seconds). If you have a hand held mixer, mix on high for 30 seconds.
3. In a separate bowl combine flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold in apple pieces. The batter is thick and looks like peanut butter wrapped around apple pieces.

4. Grease a 9 inch circle cake pan. Spread batter evenly in pan and bake for 1 hour. Test with a toothpick. The top develops a lovely brown crumble type crust, and the inside stays super moist. enjoy.

Comments

[riley]

What a wonderful trip. If this posts I ad more.

[riley]

Loved your photos. Stephen does look 'spicey'. We have copied a few of your recipes and will be making a couple this weekend.

[L*Joy]

a wonderful trip it was!
Please let me know how you like the bacon cornbread muffins... and I think I am equally excited to hear you say you will be taking a relaxing weekend at home!
love you
L*Joy

[Megan Powell]

This apple cake is delicious! The kids and I have made this a few times and it is easy to make and YUMMY! It is so moist and tasty!