Chocolate overdose

Last week was my Mom's birthday.  Normally, I'm not a chocolate lover, but she is so I figured what the heck, I'm going to make this pomegranate torte I've been eyeing for a couple of years but just never have the occasion to make it for.

(Photo from Finecooking.com)

 Doesn't it look fantastic and chocolaty?  Let me assure you it is both fantastic and chocolaty.  You can find the recipe at FineCooking.com.

At first, the recipe seems a little daunting.  Yes, you make that jelly layer.  Keep in mind, the recipe says it'll take 10 minutes.  Based on my experience and the comments on the recipe itself, I'd say you need to allow about an hour for that step, but it's worth it - it's my favorite part of the entire torte.

Let's start with the chocolate.  This recipe uses 12 ounces total chocolate.  I used Nestle Noir 70% Dark Chocolate.  I ended up making the cake twice because of a bit of an issue with the jelly (I underboiled it the first time).  The first time, I grated the chocolate using a fine rasp from Lee Valley tools.  Not a great idea when what you're grating melts easily.  The second time, Mr. Moose took over and ran the chocolate through your standard rotary cheese grater (think italian restaurant waiter grating parmesan on your fresh pasta).  It worked much better.

The first attempt also saw me forget the add the butter and water to the chocolate when I melted it, only adding it after I'd mixed it with the egg yolks and flour.  That cake still turned out looking like this after brushing loose crumbs away

Next up:  Jelly.  I love this jelly.  I want to make this jelly and use it on my toast every morning.  I could eat this jelly with a spoon.  SO good.

I got bored watching it simmer away so I took a picture.  Look at that pretty cranberry through the mist. Once it boiled down and I pressed it through a fine mesh sieve (use a medium mesh.  Really), it looked like this

Mmmm delicious red splatter.

Somehow I didn't get a picture of the jelly on the cake either time.  So take a moment and imagine jelly on a cake.  There ya go.  The first time it was too thin and it soaked into the cake which totally wasn't the look I was going for.  So, in an obsessive compulsive fit of baking perfection, I started over.  Second time it was perfect and packed in the car for the 4 hour drive to the family farm.

Once there,  melted the final six ounces of chocolate with honey, butter and water and used it to glaze the cake.  I substituted chopped dark chocolate for pomegranate seeds as garnish and had a birthday cake fit for a chocolate loving mother.

I recommend serving it with whipped cream and a cup of chai tea.

 That picture was taken post chocolate glaze, but before I put it on a pretty dish to serve.

What are your plans for Halloween?

The Mooses are typically pretty lame.  We're that house that turns off it's lights and doesn't hand out candy to your kids.  Now, hold onto those rotten eggs for a minute, there've been a few reasons for this.  First of all, lack of willpower.  Complete lack of willpower.  We probably bought candy, but in all honesty, we ate it.  Then we bought more, promising NOT to eat it... and we ate it too.

Second, we've been hermits for far too long.  Mr. Moose is decidedly anti-holiday, but I've been slowly working on that.  We do tend to like people.  Mostly.  But it'd be great if kids in the area could get on a schedule (that starts AFTER I get home from work) and all come in the same half hour to an hour.  Because our TV is upstairs and we're pretty boring.  So to sit downstairs and wait for all the happy monsters to make the rounds usually involves eating more candy.

I know.  You COULD argue that running up and down stairs after eating all of that halloween candy would be fantastic exercise for us.  But you wouldn't.  Right?

But this year, I've inched Mr. Moose even further out of hermitville.  I've convinced him we should have a party!  And it's gonna be fun (it'll even involve children).  We're going to carve pumpkins!  I've already started shopping for the required materials

and I can't wait to have everyone carving pumpkins in my kitchen.  Stay tuned.  There will be pictures of the end results.  In a few weeks.

I do love that Pumpkin Masters has come out with a ridiculously child friendly carving set.  A crayon is used to mark the pattern rather than a poking tool (terminology is my friend).  Parents are still going to want to watch the kids, but it's for 6+ years which fits the age groups of kids we've invited.

I can't wait.

Also, today would be my Mom's birthday.  So HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM.  Your cake is cooling right now.  (Cake updates will happen when I get back from Thanksgiving (Canada) with the family - so Monday)

Fort Edmonton Park Murder Mysteries

Last week, Mr. Moose and I had the opportunity to attend a Murder Mystery night at the Selkirk Hotel in Fort Edmonton Park.   It was an event organized through work and I wasn't really sure what to expect at all.  We've never really done anything like that before.

I must say that it was amazing.  The evening entertainment is provided by The Metropolitan Murder Company.  If you ever have an opportunity to attend one of their murder mysteries, go.  We saw Don't Turn That Dial and loved every minute of it.  I even ended up in the production as the hotel clerk.  I'm normally terrified of that kind of thing, but it is such a small audience that it really wasn't all that bad.


At the Selkirk Hotel (for this mystery), you walk into the hotel lobby and are instantly a part of the unfolding events.  The cast of the radio show are wandering around involving guests.  Mia tells you the gossip, Edgar is looking for people to fill the roles of missing cast mates, another member is telling you how he'd be happy if the show's star was hit by a bus, etc, etc, etc.  You can talk to them and ask them questions.  Eventually, the doors to the dining area are opened and you all go in and find your seats.  Then the radio show begins, building up motive for all of the suspects and detailing events pertinent to the mystery.

Then there's a murder.  The police detective takes over and off you go.  He questions suspects and allows guests to question suspects.  He then posts all of the clues for everyone to read and you need to figure who did it, why and how/when.

So much fun.  We didn't win.  We had the who and the why and even the how, but we got the timeline wrong.  And when I say "we" I mean Mr. Moose, of course.

Baking update

The muffins yesterday were more edible than science project, but I wouldn't call them a delicious success.  Of course, they started out as "healthy" muffins made with oatmeal and whole wheat flour (ok.  I used multigrain flour), so who knows, I may have actually improved on the original concept.

I won't be sharing that recipe, but they didn't turn into hockey pucks.

  I know, it looks like it might have been a bit puckish, right?  It didn't rise much, but it did rise.

Adventures in Baking

I love to bake.  It's something that I've been doing since I was a child and who can argue with the results:  desserts, breads, cookies, and cakes - it's really got something for everyone!  And I'm good at since I've been doing it for about twenty five(ugh) years.

I still remember the first time I baked anything by myself.  I was probably 10 years old or so.  Mom and Dad had run to town and left my brother and I at home alone.  He, being the older and responsible one, did what any older brother would do.  Annoyed me until he got bored then wandered off to do his own thing leaving me bored.  And, apparently, wanting cookies.

What does any child do when left alone wanting cookies?  Bake them!  So, I opened up one of my Mom's many cookbooks and found a cookie recipe.  I was in the middle of making the cookie dough when they got home and while I'd love to tell you that that first foray into solo baking turned into amazing, mouthwatering cookies, I really have no idea.  We're talking twenty-five years ago!  I don't even remember baking them, much less eating them.  I just vaguely remember my parents' amazement when they found me baking cookies.

Some kids throw parties when left alone.  I baked and cleaned house.  Or farmed with my brother.

Today, I felt like muffins and I have a great, healthy muffin recipe I wanted to try.  I typically have the basics anyone needs to bake so I just take that for granted.  And I know I bought the special items for these muffins awhile ago - frozen mixed fruit, for example.  So, I get started and have oil, milk and vanilla in a bowl when I go looking for the required egg.  Uhhh... no eggs.  All is not lost, I know some substitutions so I throw in a bit more oil and some unsweetened apple sauce.

Moving on.  I have no sugar.  WHAT???  What kind of baker has no sugar?  Right.  The kind that's married to a diabetic and doesn't buy sugar willy nilly.  Luckily, I do have vast amounts of splenda (ugh) which is an ok substitute for sugar so...in it goes and I really wish I'd added sweetened apple sauce to this.

I also don't have quick oats, we'll try my multigrain porridge mix instead.  So, by the time these puppies are baked, it could be an interesting science experiment or a recipe I'll be proud to post here!  I'm leaning heavily towards interesting science experiment.

Building stuff

About a month ago, I went and volunteered (with some other ladies from work) on a Habitat for Humanity build.  If you've never done this, you should.  It's so much fun.  And you know what?  I GOT TO USE A MITRE SAW!  Yep.  Me and power tools.  Love.  Since then, I've been trying to get Mr. Moose to agree to do a renovation, rebuild the deck, rebuild the fence, build a gazebo or heck, just let me cut random pieces of wood around the house.  For what it's worth, I get the love of power tools now.

And I didn't even loose a finger, hand or arm.  Win.

Growing up on a farm, I've always been pretty tomboyish.  I have an older brother.  I didn't play house or play with Barbies.  Nope, I helped him farm and build roads.  I wrote in my journal for French class about wanting to trick out a truck. 

Note:  I've never done this.  Nor do I have any urge to anymore.  I've never even dated a man with a tricked out truck.  I don't even watch Pimp My Ride or whatever that show is.  Just like other girls grow out of Barbie dolls, I grew out of my love for roll bars and suspension kits.

I have, however, renovated a bathroom (this is how I met Mr. Moose).  Before I met Mr.  Moose I had my own tool box and drill.  Now, Mr. Moose uses my tools and I sit by and watch (which sucks, quite frankly).  So, I was totally excited when I saw Tomboy Tools on the weekend.

Tools for women - fantastic.  At one point in my not-so-distant past, I would've scoffed loudly at pink tools.  Gah.  Don't patronize the little lady and tell me I need my tools to be pink to use them.  And PLEASE do not package up cheap tools in pretty pink colours and sell them to me as if you're doing me a favour treating me like I might be able to play with the big boys.

But today?  I love this.  I'm pretty sure if I'd had a pink drill when I met Mr. Moose, it would be exactly where I expect it to be (with a fully charged battery thank you very much) when I needed it.  I'm pretty sure my hammer, measuring tape and flashlight would also be right there with it - ready to be used rather than scattered around the house and garage.  And has anyone seen my Dremel since we moved?  Yeah.  I didn't think so.

I think it's awesome that someone has done this with tools.  I don't even mind the home party aspect of it.  I'm kinda considering having a party, inviting my friends with daughters old enough to play with the tools and having a mother daughter party.  I know at least three of my friends who've been divorced without the skills to do their own home repairs who would probably love this.  And why not get the next generation comfortable with tools at the same time?

Also, I want the pink toolbelt.

We interrupt this blog for an important (yet late) announcement

This week is Banned Book Week.  Didn't know it existed?  Neither did I until I read about it in someone's signature on a wedding forum.  Yup.  A wedding forum. 

It got me investigating the situation since I honestly believed that we lived in a Canada (and a North America) that wouldn't really go for banning books.  Ok, sure, there was that Satanic Verses hiccup and all, but really?  Banned Books?  In 2010?  No!

Granted, most of these bannings and challenges have come in school libraries and required reading lists.  I can get behind that.  Clearly there are some books that don't belong in schools.  Letters to Penthouse, for one.  And there are clearly books that do belong.  Things like Harry Potter.  Of course, then I learned that Harry has been challenged previously because of witchcraft. 

Click here for more information on banned/challenged books in Canada

I'll agree that there is a gray area when it comes to what children should be reading.  It isn't all Winnie the Pooh (which has been challenged in the past) and Letters to Penthouse.  But once you hit that gray area, I think it's the responsibility of parents to talk to their children, determine for themselves what their children can and should read and leave it up to other parents to determine what their children can and should read.

I'm a little afraid of a world where we can't imagine wizards and witches.  I've read the first six Harry Potter books and found them to be fascinating.  While part of me wishes that I could pick up a wand and make mops and buckets do my work for me (a la Disney's Fantasia), I'm aware that I can't.  Just as I've always been aware that I'm not Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel or Belle.

And while it's great to dream and imagine, it's also good to know about life that isn't so pleasant.  Should To Kill a Mockingbird be banned from schools?  I read it in school and I happen to think I turned out all right.

But when I look at that list of banned/challenged books in Canada, I also see that many have been challenged in my own city library.  Why?  I'm an adult and I should be fully capable of figuring out what I want to read.  I kinda like thrillers and I'm ok with the graphic depictions of blood and violence.  I'm not going to rush out and commit murder - even if my husband has expressed concern about how many thrillers I read.  I just like a good mystery, a good thriller, a good book with a good puzzle.  Why should someone else get to decide if I should or should not read it?

There is much to learn in this world.