"A sense of humor is like an umbrella in the rain." My cousin Abby said that her mother- our great aunt Maytee, would occasionally say these simple, profound things towards the end of her life. This one characterized her very much, and I find it (and her memory) continues to inspire.
It's nice to have a few things in life that you can rely on completely: a sense of humor, a dear friend, a perfect dress, an astonishingly elegant delicious cake that has never, ever let you down.
When my friend Janet arranged for me to appear on this very nice cooking show "Chef on the Air," I sent them some samples for ideas- marshmallows, caramels with salted butter- things that travel nicely by courier. Then it hit me while I was on the phone with Zenia the producer of the show- I have a recipe made of just three (ok, technically 5) ingredients that produce, in 25 minutes including baking time, the best friend and gorgeous black dress of cakes- The Toulouse-Lautrec. I have made this cake certainly over a hundred times starting when I was thirteen, and it has a special place in my heart. I was also certain that anyone will have great success, under any circumstance. I had most recently made it in Athens- I was visiting an Aunt, late for meeting friends, and trying to make it out the door (really, already standing up) and she said "Do you have any ideas for a cake tonight? It's Sophia's birthday." And I said- "Do you have any chocolate?" 45 minutes later I was back downtown, with a glass of rose in my hand, the scent of chocolate clinging gently to my hair.
Although I have been in a couple of my daughter's movies, I had not been on television before, and frankly it was more fun than I thought. Janet came with me, which was more fun still and also really helpful. Of course, the thing you are making- if it takes any cooking time at all, is made in advance, so everyone on the set is not hanging around waiting for the timer to go off. You make the real thing on the set, but in some cases you eat the thing that is made in the real (not the set) kitchen. The first people we saw were Becky and Vasiliki in the working kitchen. Becky is an unbelievable chef and baker who makes (obviously literally) camera-perfect food from strangers' recipes while also making a delicious meal for the large crew and the guests.
Sissi the make up artist was completely charming and does beautiful fashion work which she showed us (http://www.sissisite.com/), and Laoura did my hair in a way I can never quite manage myself. Areti the floor producer was lovely and very helpful. I was not alone- there was a pastry chef also from Thessaloniki- Timos, who works out a large and really good shop here, and he made 2 wonderful things, and was fun to be with. The host Eleni was lively, welcoming, and very passionate about food, and thanks to her it felt a lot more like cooking and a lot less like filming. It was a lovely experience, and best of all I got to share a cake I love with people I would never otherwise get to meet!
One of these photos is Janet and I enjoying a glass of Rose together after we got back from the studio to Exarchia (vibrant neighborhood in the center of Athens- next post, because Athens is wonderful and so is everyone I met there and it doesn't fit into a day!). Janet is the vibrant one on the left.
Toulouse-Lautrec Chocolate Cake:
Line a 9"/ 25cm springform pan with non-stick baking paper, butter and flour it, and heat the oven to 200 C/400F.
In a saucepan, place 500 g (a generous pound) chopped bittersweet chocolate (50%, 55% cocoa) and 125 g butter (a generous stick) to melt slowly. We just want it to melt but not be hotter than necessary- stir it often to help it along.
Meanwhile, separate 5 eggs into two good-sized bowls. Beat the yolks for a nice long time- let them take on a lot of volume- this is key. Yolks, although they do not swell as impressively as whites, make a less fragile structure. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the melted chocolate and butter mixture, and a spoonful of flour.
With washed beaters, we'll now beat the whites until billowy but not too stiff or dry, as otherwise they'll be difficult to fold in. Add a spoonful of sugar toward the end, then fold about a third into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, and then the rest. As soon as no pronounced streaks of white show, it is fine, and we can pour it into the pan. It needs just 15 minutes in that hot, hot oven, and it will rise dramatically by the end of the baking time, and fall just as dramatically as it cools, leaving raised sides and rustic looking black crevices marbled on a dry surface.
This cake is from my first serious cookbook: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts, given to me by Susan Meisel when I first moved to Manhattan (age 13).
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