In which I obsessively add “fill light” in a vain attempt to avoid completely dark pictures.
Lots of preparations for this week. Making lists is going to be my only hope…
What do you do with your palms? I would love to know how to make the beautiful woven crosses that you see in this picture of the Pope:
I still have lots of thoughts about the Pope's letter to women as well as on Leisure, the Basis of Culture. You know it might take me all year to get my thoughts down, right? I'm pretty sure it will be worth it, and if not, at least there will have been many work-avoidance diversions in the meantime, such as…
Pomegranate Molasses Butter Cake for the Feast of the Annunciation…
Last week's New York Times food section was unusually replete with interesting offerings, didn't you think?
In this same section one found olive oil matzos, which I want to try for Holy Thursday — don't you think that would be so appropriate? How about sweet and sour stuffed grape leaves, which I probably won't try very soon, but it looks yummy; garlicky meatloaf, which just makes me think of meatloaf, which I really like; muhammara, which I might try with almonds, since walnuts make my mouth hurt; and the cake, which I knew right away I had to make, since I had gotten the syrup a while ago and enjoyed it mightily in salad dressings.
{Image a salad of romaine lettuce, red onion sliced thin, pistachios, and pomegranate seeds, tossed with a dressing of olive oil, pomegranate molasses (which is tart and sweet), red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Yes, it was fabulous.}
I like my heart-shaped pan, because a heart-shaped cake is always appropriate.
It's love and it's cake.
It doesn't work for a huge number of people, but it works for taking a meal to a family or dividing the batter between this and a regular pan. I've even just baked the two layers separately. However, this recipe only makes one layer anyway, and there aren't many of us, so heart-shaped cake it is.
But, I always try to remember to line the pan with wax paper (just trace the pan on a length of waxed paper with the tip of a knife and cut it out with scissors). This pan is just terrible for getting the cake out after it's baked. Aargh.
I would say that this cake was most excellent. I might try fooling around with the recipe a bit next time, but it was very good and the pomegranate flavor didn't disappoint, especially in the glaze.
Thanks to all your encouragement last month, I've started my socks and am almost done — with both! I'm doing them on separate needles. When I get to a tricky part, I do it first on one and then on the other. So hopefully my socks will be equally messed up. There are some mistakes, but you know, it's not so bad!
Mama Bean says
Thanks for the tip on wax-lined cake pans. I baked a cake for the first time in my Entire Life a month ago (and the second a few weeks later.) They were successful, if I may say so myself, but I did find the whole getting-it-out-of-the-pan process frustrating. And they were just round! Next time I will wax it up 🙂
Anna says
Hmm, I know someone who can braid like that. I will try to convince her to stop by and say hello.
LoveItHere says
Hello!I enjoy reading your blog. I just wanted to let you know the link for the Pomegranate cake recipe goes to a red pepper walnut dip recipe at the NYTimes. I'll google for the cake recipe, but thought I'd let you know. Or maybe I did something wrong! lolHave a nice day!
Leila says
Mama Bean, round or heart, I butter, wax, butter again, or regret it.Anna — do!LoveItHere — thanks! I fixed it.
Cynthia says
Congratulations on the socks! You are much further along than I am! Thankfully, dd is okay with them being an "after birthday" present…
Lavender Gooms says
That is a great photo of the Pope! I'm Anna's friend. The processional palm that the Pope is carrying is made from a young, unopened palm branch. They are cultivated from the center of the palm before they unfurl and turn dark green. The design on that processional palm is made much like you would make a lanyard (you know those keychains they teach you to make in summer camp?). The fold starts out the same way with four leaves. After the second round, you just tuck the ends in but don't pull them tight. You leave an open "petal" instead. Finishing it off can be a bit challenging depending on how much leaf you have left to work with. The ends are tucked into opposite corners and when pulled tight they "lock" in. All of those flowers are still attached to the palm branch. At the lower portion of the photo where it looks like it might be the top of a cross, that is just a basket weave. I never thought of making a palm cross in that way before. I will have to give it a try next year! It is likely they made that separately and attached it to the cross. There isn't a whole lot you can do with the one piece of leaf you are given at mass. Most weavings take two or more leaves. You could split your leaf, but whatever you weave will be small. Search for simple palm cross tutorials online. There is a palm weaving flicker community with great photos for inspiration. It is not a difficult art, but it really helps if you can sit down with someone who can show you how to do it. Happy Weaving!
Deirdre says
A couple of questions: 1) How does one get the job of Official Palm Weaver to the Pope? Because I think I would be good at that. I'd like to know if the Vatican is hiring. 2) Want to make another one of those cakes and send it to me?
Suki says
Deird, that might just be your ideal job. In fact, you could generally be the Official Holy Week Decorator to the Pope–weaving palms and doing pysanky to your heart's content!On Sunday morning I went to Mass and then over to teach CCD, bringing my palms with me. While we waited for the other kids, a couple of the girls asked if they could try to make a cross with my palms. Now I have a whole bunch of little palm shreds that I need to deal with…
Faithemmanuel says
My husband was saddened that we only got a few skinny palms at Mass. He is an expert palm-weaver– home schooled all the way through, you know! I loved seeing that picture of our Papa– I first saw it on Drudge with unsavoury headings below it about the recent brou-haha and it saddened me. On your blog, it cheers me. Thanks.
Leila says
Faithemmanuel — I know! Is there a palm shortage or something?
Leila says
Also, I admit I thought twice about posting that picture of the Holy Father, which I found on the cover of that day's New York Times.The Pope is a man, a human being, as well as the Vicar of Christ, and I am under no illusions as to how far a man can fall. Nothing could surprise me, and if something terrible were found, my belief in the integrity of his mission (as opposed to his personal character) would be unshaken.But this is not that case! Read this if you are wondering what's going on: <a href="http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=5879http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/ind… />So I went with the photo, which I think is lovely and reflects his personal loveliness. May God protect him, inside and out.
alanna rose says
I never know what to do with our palms (my 2 year old is convinced they are pirate swords!), so they inevitably are looped into a ribbon shape and placed under the corner of a picture frame.The cake looks wonderful!
Cynthia says
I made the matzo today, and it was very easy and yummy!
Leila says
I did too — I made the flat bread and the muhammara — which has pomegranate molasses in it as well.It was fabulous!
Anonymous says
Handknit socks! They're worth the trouble to learn.Jora