This week in cake, and Candlemas

its been a busy week in cake. I threw my back out sometime last week, and couldn't breathe without feeling like someone was stabbing me in the back for days. This despite a delightful last minute escape to Hot Springs with some lovelee ladies and yoga with kaoverii. But then i got an adjustment from Cloud 9 chiropractic, and damn, it was like a miracle! all this is to say, you don't know what you got til its gone- i was so grateful to have my back back.
I had alot of orders over the weekend, and some wedding tastings. One of the highlights was making 5 dozen cupcakes with sun designs for the ribbon cutting for NC's largest solar power system- Deltec homes built it, and it means that they are generating as much energy as they are using at their Asheville factory. Pretty f-in cool.
OK, so this is the part of the blog where i reveal myself to be the witchy woman that i am: the new moon in january. its a powerful thing. the new moon is the time to plant seeds of intention that you want to grow in the coming cycle (think: farmers almanac, but with ideas and feelings instead of actual plants). So I put some stuff out there, especially the dream of finding a space in town for my bakery. The cool thing about the new year new moon is that you are effecting many cycles: the short-term lunar cycle (ie, your seeds bear fruit at the full moon), but also the 6-month cycle (when the moon is new again in the same sign, in this case, capricorn) and in addition, you are planting seeds for the whole new year. so, again, let me say how happy i am that it it 2008.

One of the things I love about cake is its symbolic use in seasonal celebration. Somewhere along the way I remember reading that the first cakes were actually triangle-shaped offerings to the goddess of somewhere-long-ago meant to symbolize the yoni. Now that's my kinda cake. Also, the word "lady" originally meant "baker." So one of my hopes with this blog is to give ideas and suggestions on how to use cake to celebrate the cycles of life. And first off is: Imbolc! also know as Candlemas, Groundhog day, and the feast of St. Brigid, "February 2 is one of the great cross-quarter days which make up the wheel of the year. It falls midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox and in many traditions is considered the beginning of spring." "Certian foods are traditional for Candlemas, including crepes, pancakes and cakes, all grain-based foods. Pancakes and crepes are considered symbols of the sun because of thier round shape and golden color." (Waverly Fitzgerald, www.schooloftheseasons.com) This reminded me of the solar-panel party cupcakes I made...see next post for a picture.
Next holiday recipe i will post, as per miss "hottdish" elyse's request, will be king cake for mardi gras, along with some lore. even though, being a yeasted dough, is not what we now consider to be "cake." But I'm JUST THAT CRAZY. Speaking of lore, I consider recipes to be folklore, meant to be passed around hither and thither. i just don't have time to transcribe one right now. but soon. I think that's all for now. xo jodi