As many of you may know, my very favorite author is David McCullough. I've read many of his books, my favorite being his biography of John Adams. Later this month, his new book "The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris" comes out. What could be better than this?!? Not only is it exciting to finally have a new McCullough book to add to my collection, but it's about Paris! More specifically, from a product description on amazon.com, "The Greater Journey is the enthralling, inspiring—and until now, untold—story of the adventurous American artists, writers, doctors, politicians, architects, and others of high aspiration who set off for Paris in the years between 1830 and 1900, ambitious to excel in their work."
I love Paris and have been there three times. My favorite spot on Earth is the Trocadero, just across the river from the Eiffel Tower (see my 3 January 2011 blog entry for a picture of me from that spot). I have Eiffel Towers all over my house. Now, I realize most of this book takes place pre-Eiffel Tower, but I love the ambience of Paris as well, which I anticipate will be front and center in the book.
Normally when I buy new books, I don't read them right away. I put them on the shelf and get to them whenever they come up in rotation (see my 30 July 2010 blog entry for an explanation of my book selection method). However, I will begin reading this book on May 24, the day it comes out. I have big expectations, and I doubt I will be let down.
01 May 2011
Cookbook Sundays -- May 1
Finally, I made a recipe that turned out. Well, mostly. Today I just made a dessert because I'm going to my parents' house for dinner. I made chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting from the cookbook "1001 Cupcakes, Cookies & Other Tempting Treats" (2009, pg. 24). Before I talk about the recipe specifically, I will comment on the cookbook itself. It's a great reading cookbook. It's very colorful, and there are pictures of every recipe. Therefore, it's fun to read even if you don't really intend to make anything. I love to sit and page through cookbooks, and this is one of my favorites.
This was actually my first attempt to make something from it. It's a very easy recipe, with very few ingredients. I was a little bit concerned with it put the pan in the oven, because the recipe said it would make 18 cupcakes, and I had trouble getting them to fill twelve tins. It was also a very dense mixture, and didn't spread at all in the pan. I double-checked the recipe and I did everything properly so I just kept going. In the end, the cupcakes didn't really rise at all, so they are more the consistency of brownies than cupcakes.
The frosting is also very simple, It's a combination of cream cheese and melted white chocolate. I'm usually not a huge fan of homemade frosting for some reason, but prefer the stuff in a can. But, I decided to make it because it was so easy, and I'm glad I did. It's very good.
So, while these aren't the prettiest cupcakes I've ever made, they are still tasty,. In the end, I suppose that's what matters!
This was actually my first attempt to make something from it. It's a very easy recipe, with very few ingredients. I was a little bit concerned with it put the pan in the oven, because the recipe said it would make 18 cupcakes, and I had trouble getting them to fill twelve tins. It was also a very dense mixture, and didn't spread at all in the pan. I double-checked the recipe and I did everything properly so I just kept going. In the end, the cupcakes didn't really rise at all, so they are more the consistency of brownies than cupcakes.
The frosting is also very simple, It's a combination of cream cheese and melted white chocolate. I'm usually not a huge fan of homemade frosting for some reason, but prefer the stuff in a can. But, I decided to make it because it was so easy, and I'm glad I did. It's very good.
So, while these aren't the prettiest cupcakes I've ever made, they are still tasty,. In the end, I suppose that's what matters!
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