Homemade goodies again

After a brief commercialization of cake time - two store bought cakes, we are back with a homemade item for today's submission to student cake month.  Cake time is also coffee time and what always works is some version of a coffee cake. This was referred to as an apple coffee cake with crumble topping i.e. an apple streusel cake (Apfelstreuselkuchen) or a reasonable facsimile thereof.  Our student baker did a great job.  Not at all dry as coffee cakes can be and the apples were strewn throughout instead of just placed on the top.  The crumble topping had moistened so it wasn't very crumbly anymore but since it adds that extra sweetness on the top there was no effect on the end result or the taste.  Our student baker had also provided some home baked chocolate and strawberry scones for earlier in the day. A special consideration on her part.  This was a four star effort for the cake and for the extra goodies an added half star!

Apple coffee cake with crumble topping

The uncrumbled crumble top!

Apples throughout instead of just a layer

A wide range of topics were included in the conversation. The subject of Hong Kong came up for two reasons. First it was felt that Cantonese cooking Hong Kong style produced some of the best food in the world.  And second, our friend Vicki was wishing to go there. This expanded the discussion to include all sorts of things about what you can get or could do in Hong Kong. You can't gamble - you have to go to Macau for that. You don't have a lot of room to spare if you are evacuated from a building because of a fire. You can buy all sorts of things including cheap electronics that are not available elsewhere and you can get a complete set of golf clubs for $59.00!  Just don't expect too much for those clubs.

We also learned that dear Vicki is going to Costa Rica and was wondering what to do while she was there. Since she hails from Costa Rica that seemed a little odd.  It was suggested she consider surfing as we know someone who is going there for that reason.  We also couldn't resist asking the question a la Cartman in the South Park rain forest episode if Cost Rica "smelled like ass"!  Vicki was adamant and understandably defensive in insisting that it did not "smell like ass."  However as an alternative, having just attended the DDW in New Orleans she was happy to inform that the Big Easy "smelled like ass."  Another cake hour attendee who had also attended the DDW was quick to concur that indeed down there it "smelled like ass." Apparently it must! Maybe it was appropriate then that a digestive disease conference was taking place there. Was that the reason it "smelled like ass?" Who knows but something to keep in mind when planning your Mardi Gras vacation.