Maureen, Her Birthday, The Cake

Geoff is hosting a dinner party to celebrate Maureen's birthday. Despite the hardships I'm enduring in this Time of No Edwin, I email Geoff with an offer to bake a birthday cake for Maureen. He tells me that he's already ordered one but would gladly cancel it if I really really want to make one. Oh no! Do I really really want to? I decide that the answer to this question should not be the deciding factor. Is Maureen someone who's important to me and for whom I want to do something special in honour of the day she was born?

The answer is in the cake.

But which cake to bake? There are so many lovely possibilities. I decide on Cuban Opera Cake . This is a Serious Cake that I would only consider for someone who is very special. This is not a cake you take on lightly. You need to start making it at least the day before. I leave work early on Friday to start it. You have to make the mocha cake. You have to make the chocolate buttercream. You have to make the coffee mousse. You have to make the chocolate glaze. You have to use a thermometer. You have to work with gelatin. You have to dirty A LOT of dishes (as my Kitchen Bitch keeps reminding me). There are multiple stages. There's lots of chilling and cooling time. You have to assemble. There is a lot of LOVE in this cake.

Birthday Girl with Knife, Sarah, and Paul

Liz, Maureen, and Sarah enjoying my labour of love

Maureen and I have known each other for almost 20 years. We met at prenatal class when I was pregnant with the Daughter and she was pregnant with hers. After our Daughters were born we, and a few other women, met every Friday afternoon, rotating homes, for the next 15 years. Beautiful, smart, funny, kind women. Over the years the gatherings expanded from 5 women/5 children to 5 women/15 children.We call ourselves the Tea Group. Don't know why. We never drank tea. But we definitely drank coffee, sometimes wine, and ate lots of delicious goodies over the years. The Friday teas eventually ended. The kids had begun entering adolescence and other activities and interests started to get in the way of our previously sacred Friday afternoons. Now we get together without the kids. Even better! The Husbands are invited every now and again. They tend to be a little annoying, each in their own special way, but, I grudgingly admit, do add a special something. Tonight Geoff has invited this group and a few other special people to the birthday dinner.

We gather to fete Maureen

Susan, me, Maureen, Sabina
4/5ths of the Tea Group

Geoff has outdone himself tonight. I didn't even know he knew how to cook!

Colin (Birthday Guy), Jon (New Non-Smoker), and Geoff (the Chef)

He has made Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Sausage and Pine Nuts. He has put pancetta, not bacon, in the salad. He has warmed the bread. He has sliced lemons for the water. He has finely chopped fresh parsley and basil for garnishes.

Finely chopped  by Geoff

I am impressed. And yet, we determine, he still only has 1 1/2 out of 3 of the characteristics in my definition of the Perfect Man. No worries. Maureen doesn't seem to mind.

There is good cheer around the table all night long. Susan writes a poem to celebrate this event. Colin's actual birthday is this night but graciously lets Maureen have the spotlight. We all get to meet Maureen's sister, Liz, who is visiting from Vancouver.

Happy Birthday Maureen! Many happy returns.