#bradleysweets

The dialysis unit has been a hotbed of pop culture conversation the last two weeks especially. You got Adam Levine cheating but claiming he didn’t just flirted, and you got Ned Mr. “My Wife”  from the Try Guys admitting he had a Consensual Relationship with an employee. Just a bunch of bullshit really, and while I can go on an entire tangent about that, I won’t do it here. But maybe I will do a fun tik tok about it.  Any whose it, I was sitting there just lost in my own thoughts about the weather. Autumn has definitely shown up and brought the chilly nights which means they are back. You know what i’m talking about. Everyone wants to have something warm to sip on and love it to be sweet and maybe find it to be exciting.  Yep, we have entered Coco Bomb Season.

We make them, we love them. Lord Little Man gets so excited watching them melt and find out what secret goodies are gonna come bursting out.  He is 6, still at that age where everything amuses him, you should see him with bath bombs.   Anyway this got me thinking on something that has always just burned my butter.  And it’s gonna be a quick rant, but it’s powerful.  Can someone please explain to me why the obsession with using Hot Water for Hot Chocolate or Coco Bombs?

I was just talking heatedly with someone we shall just call Bane and the best person I know, Lord Little Man, and let me tell you oh my. Normally the idea of 2 grown adults debating whether or not A Dinosaur would tell a Pencil his favorite number is 2 or not with a 6 year old is hysterical, but when the said 6 year causes the two grown adults to loudly discuss Muffins and Cupcakes well, that is just down right the smartest 6 year old in the world. And I’m not biased or saying that because he agreed with me, but I’d like to point out HE AGREED WITH ME!

I’m all about positivity in life. I’ve seen some bad things, had my heart broken, cried so many tears that I’m not sure how I have any left. But I was raised by a Tough as Nails Nana Banana everyone knows as Grandma Kate and she always said there is a rainbow after the storm, you just got to get to the rainbow.  And this wise philosophy has helped guide me through life’s toughest times and helped me create some of my own tried and true positive sayings.  Want me to share it?  Well I’m telling you anyway.  Cake is just Bread that dared to dream, and Cupcakes are Muffins that just decided to put on some makeup. 

 I’m a firm believer Muffins and Cupcakes are much closer than people give them credit for. Let’s talk about brass facts first because you need to have all the ingredients to have this debate, know what I mean.  What is the difference between the 2.  Made with similar ingredients, and can come in a wide range of flavors, Cupcakes usually tend to be soft and fluffy ( I hate that word, it's the BANE of my existence) and Muffins are more ( America’s least favorite word ) MOIST and Dense.  Really the main difference though according to many people who have this debate is that cupcakes tend to have more sugar in the recipe then also the icing on top.  However your honor I would like to remind you that there are sugar free or no sugar cupcakes, and some major chains that will remain nameless but rhyme with Munchkin ( they may have an item by that name but I’m standing by the rhyme ) or BarSmucks offer muffins that they in fact top with icing! Hell Sometimes when I make muffins I drizzle some icing on.  And remember that fact for the day we go into why some baked items are considered breakfast items and some are not because I have opinions on that but that is for another rant, today is just Cupcakes v Muffins, are they siblings or cousins. I SAY SIBLINGS. 

Another exhibit for the jury to munch on would be the ever popular Chocolate Chip Muffins.  Have you ever had one from  Hunkin ( again I’m not sponsored, I’d love to be but until I am Rhymes a plenty) puts sugar on top of it.  Big old chucks of it, well bigger than your average size sprinkle anyway and that's not talking about the big old chunks of chocolate.  Then you got Corn Muffins and Corn Cake, can you taste the difference? Bet you can’t, but I can taste the difference between Coke and Pepsi. Try me, I always win!  

Cookie Monster said he wanted some cake... so we made some with cookie butter icing ..... You know... got to really know your clients taste buds sometimes.....

Picture it, September 14th, 1985,  We would hear a little bop that has stuck in a lot of our heads for years. You know what I’m talking about.  Starts off “ Thank you for being a friend…..”   With the beginning of that tune 4 Ladies would entire our lives and create what is possibly one of the most amazing shows that has stood the test of time and brought on America’s love of Cheesecake.  It didn’t invent it but is sure as heck ( sorry for my language Rose) popularized it as a go to item to be sitting on the table for any type of deep conversation and problem solving!

You know what Burns my butter about the Golden Girls? Nothing. It is AMAZING.  Ask anyone you know. I have the personality of Sophia Petrillo, a natural Redhead mind you , yeah that is right she is Queen of The Red Heads, we pray at the Altar of Sophia. But it doesn’t stop there, oh no no, some how I have  inability to control my face when someone says something stupid Like Dorthy Zbornak, the just natural flirtatious nature of Ms Blanch Deveraux and the love for silly jokes and telling the most random stories like Rose Nyland. I could go more into detail but I didn’t sleep well last night. No, no, not at all. You see I kept dreaming I was a muffler and woke up exhausted. 

Anyway you want to know what Burns my butter? Grinds my gears. Tickles your pickle, wait, scratch that last one, had a little Blanch come out there.  People who can’t appreciate the beauty of a creamy cheesecake.   Show some respect people. This delicious delight has been around almost 4000 years. Yeah, I said it. Long before 1985, even though sometimes that does feel like 4000 years ago at this point. And there are so many different variations on this classic treat that started off as just some cheese and honey. Now We got The New York Style, chocolate cheesecake , hell I just saw a vegetarian cheesecake. Don’t ask. I’m not gonna judge someone ( lies, I’m judging them every which way to Sunday. ) they want to eat something that is cheesecake flavor, let them. 

Either way, to get a delicious and signature flavor of Cheesecake it has to have the perfect base of a hint of cream cheese ( one of main ingredients ) and also be sweet and have some tangy notes.  It can be light and airy or rich and dense.  You can bake it, and there are no bake options as well.  There is a restaurant that is devoted to it. I’m not naming it, I’m not sponsored but you know it. It rhymes with  Please take Smackery. Which is also incidentally the phrase I yell sometimes at James before I throw a cupcake at his head. Although sometimes I yell HELLO BOYS, and ode to the most amazing wrestler of all time, The Undertaker. Fight me, I’m right, you’re wrong, deal with it. 

On Thursday September 8, 2022 the death of the Queen who was 96 shocked pretty much everyone. Not that it was something that was unexpected, she was 96 afterall, but she has been the British Monarch for over 70 years so she seemed like she would never go away.  It was the same with Betty White really, you knew how old she was but when she passed everyone was like what stop playing.  And I think it’s because in an ever changing world we all find comfort in certain things that have a certain feel of stability. And what is more stable or do we find more comfort in than cake? 

Today is less of a rant and more of a tribute to The Queen and a small quick love note to something I quite enjoy and a staple of any proper Tea Time, Victoria Sponge Cake aka A Victoria Sandwich. The British Queen did enjoy her gin and champagne but as a true English Citizen she enjoyed a Proper British Tea with all the fixins and a lot of times that included a treat that was named after her own Great Grandmother Queen Victoria. No it is true, did you know Queen Victoria was one of the first to popularize Tea time because she got annoyed having to wait after having light lunches for late dinners, and  she just wanted a snack. So a proper British tea usually occurs in the late afternoon and included some finger sandwiches, scones, tea of course and delicious mini cakes, including her favorite just a simple sponge cake. In fact, the popular treat was as stable in many British Households as the love for the Monarch.   Hey Queen Victoria clearly knew what was good and how to avoid that Hangry afternoon slump. I’m here for it. 

Now, as I said, a Tea does have a few items but a very popular item is a Victoria Sponge cake, named after and in Honor of Queen Victoria because it was her favorite and a must have.  A Victoria Sponge or Victoria Sandwich, depending who you speak to, resembles just what it says, a sandwich. It is one layer of a delicious, light, fluffy sponge cake topped with whip cream and jam, usually strawberry then topped with another sponge cake. A lot of times bakeries will add some yummy butter cream to make it a very popular cake for any type of celebration. And I know, you are wondering, hey that sounds just like a Strawberry Shortcake, but you would be wrong because one major difference is the type of cake used, and that will be a story for another day. And before we go off on that tangent let’s just focus on why we are here, yummy cake.  And it really is, and a perfect treat. It tastes fresh , not too sweet, and not bland at all. My opinion, flavor is both enhanced and perfectly complemented by the perfect cream topping and strawberry jam. Jam not Jelly, there is a difference, that will be a tangent for another day as well. FOCUS YOU!

To Honor the Queen’s Life and her many accomplishments  ( and no she wasn’t perfect, who is? I’m sorry I don’t see you living in a glass house so sit down and shut up Karina.) We are going to be having a Proper Tea today. Anyone is welcome to stop by.  Be prepared though, cause I got some rants stored up because this was not the original topic for this week's blog and I got to vent! But till then from One Queen to another God Rest The Queen.