Two weekends ago, I made an engagement cake for a coworker: 9" torte for coworkers to share topped with a 6" German chocolate cake (GCC) for her to take home to practice cutting with fiancé.
When I made the GCC, I used three 6" pans. Three stacked turned out too high so I used two for the fiancé cake and decorated the single layer for Lar and I.
However I've been trying to lose weight and decided the cake was just too tempting to keep in the house. It had to go.
Lar called our neighbors and asked if they wanted dessert. Our neighbor is a 90-year old stroke victim who lives with and is taken care of by her daughter. D (daughter) said "yes" so Lar walked the cake over to their house.
Last week there was a card in the mailbox:
"Dear Marilyn & Larry,
We had a lot of fun with your magnificent cake.
About an hour before you called, I had asked Mom whether she wanted me to make brownies. She was not interested in that or pie or pudding or strawberries. Not hungry is not unusual. She does most of her eating early in the morning.
I didn’t expect her to eat the cake until tomorrow but wanted to show it to her and say “hello” from you. As always a big smile at the mention of your names and eyes very big when she saw the beautiful cake. She wanted it right away!
She has trouble feeding herself but is OK with finger food. When she was finished, I started cleaning up her face/hands/nails, etc. She couldn’t see the point of that since she obviously planned on more cake.
Although she is mentally as sharp as ever, she does not speak much at all anymore; nods and shakes her head. But when I asked her if she wanted more, she said quite clearly...and rather forcefully: “Yes! That’s good stuff!”
It made my day. I haven’t heard her say that since before the stroke. Perhaps someday my brownies will merit such a long sentence. Thanks for thinking of us, dear neighbors,
D and M”
***************
Damned if I didn't start crying right there. Honestly, this was not an altruistic act. I didn't make the cake for them: I just wanted the calories out of the house. Who knew it would entice a sentence from a silent mother.
https://recipeswap.org/fun/wp-content/uploads/Finer_Kitchens/2016_Marilyn/GCC.jpg~original
When I made the GCC, I used three 6" pans. Three stacked turned out too high so I used two for the fiancé cake and decorated the single layer for Lar and I.
However I've been trying to lose weight and decided the cake was just too tempting to keep in the house. It had to go.
Lar called our neighbors and asked if they wanted dessert. Our neighbor is a 90-year old stroke victim who lives with and is taken care of by her daughter. D (daughter) said "yes" so Lar walked the cake over to their house.
Last week there was a card in the mailbox:
"Dear Marilyn & Larry,
We had a lot of fun with your magnificent cake.
About an hour before you called, I had asked Mom whether she wanted me to make brownies. She was not interested in that or pie or pudding or strawberries. Not hungry is not unusual. She does most of her eating early in the morning.
I didn’t expect her to eat the cake until tomorrow but wanted to show it to her and say “hello” from you. As always a big smile at the mention of your names and eyes very big when she saw the beautiful cake. She wanted it right away!
She has trouble feeding herself but is OK with finger food. When she was finished, I started cleaning up her face/hands/nails, etc. She couldn’t see the point of that since she obviously planned on more cake.
Although she is mentally as sharp as ever, she does not speak much at all anymore; nods and shakes her head. But when I asked her if she wanted more, she said quite clearly...and rather forcefully: “Yes! That’s good stuff!”
It made my day. I haven’t heard her say that since before the stroke. Perhaps someday my brownies will merit such a long sentence. Thanks for thinking of us, dear neighbors,
D and M”
***************
Damned if I didn't start crying right there. Honestly, this was not an altruistic act. I didn't make the cake for them: I just wanted the calories out of the house. Who knew it would entice a sentence from a silent mother.
https://recipeswap.org/fun/wp-content/uploads/Finer_Kitchens/2016_Marilyn/GCC.jpg~original
