Friday, August 24, 2007

First Place Banoffee!



Wowee! Can you believe it? I won first place for my Banoffee Pie at the San Mateo County Fair! They are so cute, they even gave me a check for ten dollars as a prize! Isn't that the most adorable thing you've ever heard? I just love this fair. It's so quaint. They have ducks, chickens, pigs, turkeys, rabbits, all kinds of livestock. It's just a small county fair, so there aren't that many animals.


I've entered quilts and knitted things before, but I never entered food. I couldn't find my pie when I went to the fair, and Michael was rushing me, so I didn't spend a lot of time searching for a ribbon either. So, I figured I didn't win, and then I got my check in the mail!


As a pie, it wasn't even my best Banoffee. The toffee custard was a little runny, but the polka dots of toffee on top of the whipped cream is so cutie. The crust was the best crust I've ever made. I knocked that sucker out! I used digestive biscuits which makes all the difference. However, the bananas should have been riper. But Michael and I were thinking, the judges probably never had Banoffee, and anyone who likes pie and has had Banoffee Pie, can tell you, it will blow you over. It's something very rarely seen in America, but quite common in Ireland.


The first time I ordered it in Ireland was in Cork City when I was shopping with my girlfriend Nora. They had all these pies laid out and I was asking the clerk what they were, and she said, "Banoffee". I had never heard of such a thing, so I tried it. Crazy fabulous. I've made it for potlucks and parties, and people really like it. I can't believe I won! What a nice ribbon huh?

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

For Mom's Birthday: Devil's Food Chocolate Rum Cake


I felt like baking. It's my Mom's Birthday, and she's on the other side of the world with my brothers. So I made a cake. It's a Devil's Food Chocolate Rum Cake. I made cupcakes with the extra batter and gave it to the boys downstairs.


Putting that rum glaze on made the platter so messy. I took the cake off, put it onto some clean foil, and washed the cake pedestal and cover again. Then I took pictures. I'll remember next time to put the cake onto a temporary platter until I'm done with the rum glaze part.