Birthday Bliss

Jeanne and I have been ever so busy creating a brilliant life for ourselves, me in Dallas and she in Des Moines, so I completely allowed my birthday to sail by. With the house remarkably hushed now that the Young Collegians have gone back to their studies, there was no one to offer up a cake, cupcake or even a crumb of devil's food.

That being the reality, I forced it upon myself to dig around for an easy and chocolatey treat to mark the day, and I found it in the Chocolate-Espresso Lava Cakes recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine. I had to get a little creative - I didn't have instant espresso powder on hand, but I did have some of the Newman's Own Organics Espresso Dark Chocolate, so I grated it and used it instead. Didn't have whipping cream, either, as you can see in the photo, but when a dish is fudgy and oh so choco full of joi, the cream seems superfluous, mes amis. Oh, I spoke French, bon chance with that.

What I like about this recipe is, you get it all mixed up, find an ovenproof mug or ramekin to pack it in, throw it in the fridge, and then you think about what you want to do for an hour or two - try on hats, play with jewelry, just any old thing. Once you're wearing a party hat and a great pair of shoes, you hoist the dish into the oven, and you've got enchantment, as Blanche DuBois would coo.

I think enchantment for a birthday is ever so wonderful.
I have always depended on the kindness of candles.

(Photo: Birthday hat from my sister Mary and a Chocolate-Espresso Lava Cake in the Singing Wheat Kitchen, by John H. Ostdick)