On this blog Andy Warhol is becoming synonymous with tasty cakes (see my recipe for Tomato Soup Cake). Upside-down banana cake has become my new favorite dessert recipe which could also double for a really decadent breakfast bread. The crumb is moist and dense and yielded a tasty cake that is dangerously addictive.
Andy Warhol, Bananas, 1978
polaroid photography, Paul Kasmin Gallery
I am delighted to introduce my October blog collaborator, Siri from The Transplanted Baker. The title of her blog refers to Siri’s status as an American ex-pat living on the west coast of Norway. We decided to continue with the Norwegian theme with the art selection so we chose the famous painting The Scream by Edvard Munch. If any of you are familiar with the Ice Cream song by Johnson, Moll & King, I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!, then our recipe selection should not be much of a surprise. I proceeded with my savory theme by making salt & pepper sweets but be sure to visit Siri’s site for her recipe for Red Currant Ice Cream made from hand-picked, home-canned currants!
Edvard Munch, The Scream (Skrik), 1893
oil, tempera, and pastel on cardboard, 91 x 73.5 cm, National Gallery, Oslo
Originally I started this blog to establish a forum to study and write about art as well as experiment in the kitchen (experimenting with photography was an added bonus!). I do however, have certain goals, one of which is to curate an exhibition revolving around the idea of a meal. I won’t go into detail but you can imagine my delight when I discovered Caitlin Williams Freeman’s Mondrian Cake from the cafe at the San Francisco Museum of Art. It is my dream! In cake form!! I decided I had to make one but I wanted my version to be easily recreated in any home kitchen. The cake was delicious but there are a few things I will change the next time I try this recipe. First, I will use angel food cake rather than pound cake – I think it would better absorb the natural food coloring and not appear so yellow. Secondly, I will try mixing the berry juices into the batter to see if I can achieve an even stain. Although the slice of cake pictured below turned out pretty even, my results throughout the rest of the cake were spotty at best. Finally, I would wrap the outside in fondant to hold all of the segments together. Using the natural food colorings will not achieve the bright results found in Freeman’s cake but it does provide a pretty tasty way to insert a bit a flavor into each slice.
The painting recreation was inspired by Bridget from The Way the Cookie Crumbles.
Piet Mondrian, Composition No. 8, 1939-42
Oil on canvas, 74 x 68 cm, Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth
This is one of those great recipes that is easily adaptable and open to an endless number of variations. You could freeze the margaritas and then scrape them into a bowl as a flavoured ice like a granita or you could just freeze the watermelon and break it up making it a substitution for the ice found in typical margaritas. Regardless of the style or the fruit combination the margarita is an instant favorite and is sure to be a hit at any festivity. This recipe was featured in the Stay Cool collection at The Kitchn.
Fernando Botero, Still Life with Watermelon, 1992
oil on canvas, 95 x 116 cm
I am very pleased to present my second Daring Kitchen challenge which is simultaneously my very first Daring Bakers endeavour. Back home there was a Pepperidge Farm outlet store and I don’t think we ever walked out the door without a package of Milano cookies. They are quite easy to make and take very little time to prepare and bake. The cookie can end up quite tough if you overwork the batter so be careful when you incorporate the flour!
Cristoforo Munari, Still-life with Porcelain Vases, Flute, Books, and Oranges, 1706-1713
