The (Almost) Daily Vignette: Trouble on the Road

"Where are we anyway?"

"Colorado, I think."

"Oh jeezze Jan I knew I shouldn't let you navigate. Colorado you think? Colorado is like the size of Germany." Loren sounded quite dismayed as she pulled out a map out of the van's glove compartment. "Why did you leave the interstate anyway?"

Jan pouted just a little bit. "I was navigating by instinct and my instinct told me to exit. And anyway you had to nap and it's only the size of Italy."

"Oh would this be the same instinct that tells you that when fighting vampires skin tight leather pants are the right thing to wear?"

He looked really hurt, "That was a good theory. Less material less for them to grab onto. And I wasn't going to wear spandex, not enough protection."

"Oh pleazze. It was like walking around saying, 'Come and get it boys.' Now what exit did you take?"

"I don't exactly remember..." Jan said meekly.

"What?!"

Rob sat up blearily, "What's up?"

"We're lost because of Mr. Following His Instincts," said Laren.

"Hey, at least we're still moving away from the Hellmouth." At that moment there was a loud clunk and the van drifted to a halt beside the narrow highway.

Loren and Rob both glared at him and she gave voice to their mutual opinion, "You just had to say it didn't you?"

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Unitarian Jihad Fad

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Howitzer of Moderation.

Get yours.

Birthday Cake

I'm baking a cake. I think I may also take a bottle of wine to the party because I want to drink.

2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 pound medium carrots (6 to 7 carrots), peeled
2 cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
½ tablespoon molasses (aprox.)
4 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F or 175°C. Prepare your 9x13 sheet pan with a dime sized spot of oil rubbed all over the inside surface. I recommend using your fingers.

Sift the flour, whisk with the other dry ingredients, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. In Denver or similar altitude reduce baking powder by ¼ for high altitude. I use fresh spices, three cloves equals about ⅛ teaspoon. I crunch them up then grind in my mortar as much as I can and then I use the salt to get it to grind properly.

I use my food processor to grate up the carrots, it makes 3 to 4 cups. Then I clean the processor out and use it to beat the eggs two at a time with half the sugar and the molasses. Then I add half the vegetable oil in a slow stream while mixing until well emulsified and light in color.

I add one cup raisins and the carrots in a large bowl with the wet ingredients. Fold in the dry ingredients and immediately pour into the pan and put in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Check using a toothpick to see if it come out clean.

Let cool two hours on a wire rack if you want to turn it out. I don't bother. I also don't frost my cakes because I don't like frosting that much. I might brush it with hard sauce sometimes.