So, only two people in the last poll said they were planning to join the crowds for the royal wedding. I meant to ask for a firsthand report, but then Lestrade said they were both him - and obviously he wasn't working after all.
We did watch it, as Lestrade said, with varying amounts of interest. Mrs Hudson was at the top, with special cake and hat, then Mycroft and I, and L and Sherlock at the bottom (though Sherlock's interest in the cake was definitely keen). To be fair, L's interest in anything at that point still wasn't terribly high. A couple of Anthea's minions snuck up to join us briefly as well, though she was up to chase them back down pretty sharply. I've never seen her roll her eyes so hard.
Anyhow, the next poll is for a far more important event - Mycroft's 13th birthday! It's coming right up, May 10th, and of course the final say on cake will be his, but he said I should do the poll anyway. "Ask the internet," were his exact words. It's becoming a popular phrase around here.
We did watch it, as Lestrade said, with varying amounts of interest. Mrs Hudson was at the top, with special cake and hat, then Mycroft and I, and L and Sherlock at the bottom (though Sherlock's interest in the cake was definitely keen). To be fair, L's interest in anything at that point still wasn't terribly high. A couple of Anthea's minions snuck up to join us briefly as well, though she was up to chase them back down pretty sharply. I've never seen her roll her eyes so hard.
Anyhow, the next poll is for a far more important event - Mycroft's 13th birthday! It's coming right up, May 10th, and of course the final say on cake will be his, but he said I should do the poll anyway. "Ask the internet," were his exact words. It's becoming a popular phrase around here.
62 comments:
I voted for strawberries - especially since they're just now coming into season (well, where I live they are...) and because they can be combined with options one and two. Chocolate cake with chocolate icing, plenty of sliced strawberries between the layers, and halved strawberries on top is pretty delicious. ^_^
Mycroft and my mother have the same birthday. :) I hope he enjoys his! I voted for chocolate and more chocolate~. By the way how are his skating lessons? D'you think he'd like to spend his birthday with his fellow skaters? :)
Chocolate, definitely chocolate. My uncle used to bake this excellent Death by Chocolate cake...there are few better ways to leave this world, I imagine.
What does Mycroft like best? I'd vote for chocolate cake, strawberries, whipped cream filling, and frosting of his choosing -- chocolate or white. All chocolate can get a bit much.
Chocolate and strawberries and cream, oh my! You folks are inspiring me to get out my recipe books...
Strawberries!
Your poll, is dangerous, Danger. Now, I have a ravenous appetite for things I shouldn't even think about. ARGH.
Not sure that would go well with chocolate
icing. Chocolate cake,with chocolate icing...
oh yes :-) I suspect that on questions like
this, if you ask the Internet, the answer will
always be chocolate.
The boys do seem partial to chocolate and sweets...don't know what gets my vote. Probably chocolate. Although i do like boring old victoria sponge, too. Or a proper Italian trifle...
Danger, think I'll stay at mine tonight. I'm pretty knackered and I've barely been back for weeks.
I voted other. Apple pie for me. But the most important thing, in spite of his "ask the internet" response, is that you give him the one he secretly wants.
I happened to be at my folks on my last birthday - a rather rare occurrence these days - and Mom asked me what I wanted and I asked for her apple pie. Unfortunately they'd just had apple pie for Thanksgiving a few days earlier while I didn't because someone in my group is allergic to apples. So she gave me a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting instead. (I think she was listening to the internet, or really that's her favorite.)
I'm quite certain that I am far too old to still be disappointed about missing Mom's apple pie 6 months later, but apparently you can make me have birthdays but you can't make me grow up.
I vote for chocolate. Flourless chocolate because it makes the most amazingly rich cake that is absolutely stunning with coffee ice cream and whipped cream or raspberry syrup, or anything really. I think everyone in the world should eat and love this cake.
Also, Mycroft, I recommend taking this opportunity to act like a little hooligan. Demand a pinata and silly hats and balloon animals and terrible party games. Because after thirteen, people expect you to act more like an adult (not that this ever stopped me you understand), so it's a bit of the last chance you get. Grab it and run.
Later gator!
Bronwyn
Chocolate Fudge Cake
16 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c butter
9 eggs, separated
1 c sugar
unsweetened cocoa (or flour) for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 9" spring form pan. Line the bottom and sides with wax paper. Dust the surfaces with cocoa (or flour). Set aside.
Slowly melt the butter and chocolate together in a heavy saucepan over low heat, or in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second bursts. Stir to combine chocolate and butter and set aside to cool.
Separate the eggs into large bowls. Beat the yolks for a minute or two with a hand-mixer, until the yolks lighten. Still beating, add the sugar slowly until completely combined and the yolks have turned light lemon-yellow. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites until the form soft peaks. Set aside.
Add the cooled chocolate/butter to the egg yolks and blend completely. Fold in the egg whites (not too much, you don't want to flatten the whites). Remove 1/3 of the batter to a Tupperware container and refrigerate.
Pour the rest of the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. (A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean.)
Cool for at least 30 minutes to an hour before turning out onto a serving plate. Frost with the remaining batter.
You can garnish the cake with powdered sugar, press nuts into the top or top with whipped cream or (if you ask my mother, raspberry syrup).
L - Danger, think I'll stay at mine tonight. I'm pretty knackered and I've barely been back for weeks.
All right, don't work too hard. It'll all still be there tomorrow (lucky you).
kholly - That's sad, everyone should get their pastry of choice on their birthday. Mycroft will definitely have the final say, don't worry.
Lupe, I'd rather go somewhere I can use my telescope again. Even when it's clear here, it's hard to see the stars.
And thank you, everyone, for the cake ideas. I will take them under advisement.
Alright... so who's the Portal fan here? :D
I played it a little bit with Paul while he was here. It was an interesting concept.
Have you played Portal 2? Because that would be an awesome birthday gift.
Later gator,
Bronwyn
Lupe, I'd rather go somewhere I can use my telescope again. Even when it's clear here, it's hard to see the stars.
I'm sure we can sort something out, Mycroft.
Bronwyn, I think he should just make a gun that does that in real life so we can do it for real. We could get in anywhere! And it would be good for getting out of his stupid school when he goes away.
Danger, any idea what they're talking about?
Sherlock, Mycroft's school won't be 'stupid'.
It's...a bit confusing. You shoot a hole somewhere you want to go and then you shoot another one where you are and you go through the first hole and come out the second. Like it's become a wormhole? This might be more helpful:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TluRVBhmf8w
Also is there some reason you're not answering your phone?
I was just going to ask you...something I shouldn't ask you on the internet. It can wait.
I'll call you.
Or you could've picked up when I called again just now. You're at work, aren't you?
Bollocks.
I might be.
Yes.
So you said you were knackered and staying at your flat tonight, you meant you were going to stay at work till all hours, surviving on coffee as usual? You might've just told me, you know. I'm not your nanny and I can't actually stop you.
I am knackered, I will stay at my flat tonight.
I didn't exactly intend to stay here, I just...I have so much to do. Going to lose half tomorrow in court, half my team leave things on my desk while I away for me to do when I'm back, the other half keep stuff on their own desks, to hand to me when I get back, so the stacks of stuff I have to do literally haven't got any smaller.
I didn't want you to worry.
All right, all right. Don't give yourself a heart attack with the coffee and try to eat something, if only because it'll make me feel better.
I'm trying to alternate coffee and water.
And I only ate lunch at 4. I'm fine. I'll go soon.
Miss you lot, you know.
Miss you too.
I was tempted to vote for the Portal reference, but chocolate is something I feel very strongly about. Sherlock, you'd also have to have some of the white goo that turns surfaces into portal surfaces, because most walls and floors in the real world probably wouldn't open portals.
Going home right now. I'll eat something, I promise.
Hope you ate something proper too - not just a sandwich.
And hope you get an uninterrupted night's sleep tonight, without me thrashing about and waking you up. try, eh? For me?
I'll give it a try.
You still up? Go to bed! Hah.
It's not even that late! Are you still at work? Go home! :P
I'm at home! Just going to bed to read my court papers for the morning. (see what I'm reduced to, without you?)
Ha, good. And eat breakfast in the morning!
oddly enough, my deserted flat doesn't contain any food. I'll try and grab something on my way through the Yard in the morning.
Boys both in bed? Asleep? I had sort of told Sherlock I'd tell him a story. One not involving killer ant armies.
Sherlock's asleep - he was pretty worn out, either from school or the fuss he put up about going back. Mycroft's reading in his room still. Says he's not tired.
Mycroft's reading in his room still. Says he's not tired.
Tell him to watch out, or he'll be ideally suited for a job on the force. And frankly, I think he's above that, really.
He'd be very good at it.
Ah, but why choose cake OR death, when you can have both in one sweet, delicious recipe?
Death cake*
http://iamshadow.dreamwidth.org/336391.html
It's more of a brownie thing than an actual cake, but it might be worth trying out with all 2.5 kids one time. And I'm sure Mrs H can help if you get stuck at all.
* Does not contain actual death, but does contain enough sugary goodness to fell a horse, or a tired DI.
Sounds great, Iamshadow. Danger, don't leave out the coffee. Or not in my bit, anyway. In fact, add more. A few shots of espresso would do nicely.
The force would drive Mycroft up the wall. He'd have to reorganise the entire thing.
Danger, have left rambling post of questions on my blog, had to ask them while my brain was just about clinging to sanity, or I'd have forgotten them all.
You'll want extra in that case, GQ DI. The first batch I made I used the specified amount and couldn't taste it. Just make sure the mix doesn't get too sloppy, and you should be fine.
Thanks for the tip. Will get Mrs H to supervise Danger baking it.
PORTAL! I haven't played it yet, but I want to; the end is amazing. I annoy my brother with the song all the time. It's fun!
I like this cake they have at one of the Mexican places near me. It's called the Tres Leches, or something like that. It's a white cake that they soak in condensed milk and cream and stuff, and there's caramel and strawberries and whip cream. It. Is. SO. DELICIOUS! Darn it, I want some now. I am literally drooling right now just thinking about it.
Oh, man, Doomette. I do love tres leches. Good stuff. And it's dangerous around here because I can get it at the fast food drive throughs. Lord, talk about trouble.
Later gator,
Bronwyn
Ooooh, Tres Leches. Haven't made it yet, but I have a good recipe for it waiting in the wings.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/09/tres-leches-cake/
Have to pick a time when I actually have all three kinds of milk product in my kitchen. The trouble is, cream tends to disappear fast in these parts.
Ooooh, Tres Leches. Haven't made it yet, but I have a good recipe for it waiting in the wings.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/09/tres-leches-cake/
Have to pick a time when I actually have all three kinds of milk product in my kitchen. The trouble is, cream tends to disappear fast in these parts.
I've got one that I make pretty regularly. It's a huge favorite around here. Though, I've experimented with mixing espresso powder with the cream and using a chocolate base cake layer. So so good.
Later gator,
Bronwyn
Oh, happy birthday, Mycroft! A bit early but next week is graduation and I'll probably be moving and not around to comment. I hope you have a good one. I'm afraid my answer to the cake question is always going to be "it's a lie" but my second choice would be strawberries. (There's also cake or death, but I don't know if you've seen Eddie Izzard or would enjoy him anyway?)
My birthday's always a bit of a non-event because it's so close to Christmas that everyone just lumps the presents together (or at least they do now that I'm older), and I didn't usually have a party because school was out and everyone was off with their families. (Which sounds a lot more depressing than it was, but I didn't mind because I was never very fond of parties anyway.)
Lestrade -- do you know, I didn't actually realize you still had a separate place. Seems like you live with John and the boys most of the time.
Polaris - yeah, I do seem to. I suppose usually when you date someone it's more of a fifty-fifty of whose place you stay at, but with the boys (and the dogs) its always me going to them, obviously. And it's as easy, if not easier, to get to work from there. (although as soon as I get my bike I'll be able to get to work from anywhere easily!). My flat is certainly a contrast to their place, too. Quiet, sort of empty, vaguely unloved. Quite different to getting home to be leapt upon by two dogs, a five year old and a Doctor. And greeted by Mycroft, of course. But he doesn't 'leap' on me.
Why not Swedish Mudcake? I ate it once and fell in love instantly. So very, very delicious! And you can decide how "muddy" you want it (it even makes a great chocolate cake if you let it stay in the oven for a bit longer). It's best served with some whipped cream, vanilla sugar and berries of your own choice.
An example:
100 g butter
2 eggs
2,5 dl sugar
1 tbsp vanilla sugar
0,5 dl cacao (or less if you don't enjoy a too rich taste)
2 dl flour
(you can add 1 tbsp baking soda)
Melt the butter and let it cool down during the time you fix the other ingredients. Whip the eggs and the sugar with a mixer. Add vanilla sugar and cacao (and baking soda), mix. Add flour. Add the melted butter and mix.
Pour the dough into a round (preferably one with a detachable bottom) buttered form (for extra taste: powder it with cocoa or coconut flakes). Put in the oven on 175 degrees for around 20 minutes, depending on how big a form you have and how "muddy" you want your cake. Let the cake cool down for a while and eat with wipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Anon - that cake sounds amazing. We haven't got a mixer, but I'm sure Mrs Hudson does. Maybe she'd like to add another cake to her recipe collection even if Mycroft wants a different one.
L - I do not leap on you!
L- I do not leap on you!
No, but you probably jump him. *snicker*
Sorry, I waited the entire day for someone else to say it, and since they didn't, I just had to.
Heh. I'm surprised Lestrade didn't say it himself.
you know I was thinking about it...
Could not resist the portal reference even if my love for strawberries is unending. Hey Mycroft, if you do invent those guns, do send me at least one, if not two? Thanks :D
And yeah, you do need to invent the white goo too. Hmmm... All in a day's work right?
Also... *cuddles Sherlock* Any school is stupid if you're five and it's going to take your big brother away. It's practically a law. Good luck Mycroft, and have a great birthday!
I'm missing you all already, and you haven't even gone yet.
If there's cake, try and save some for me...
Post a Comment