my trip to SAN FRANCISCO

I can hardly believe it has been a week since I arrived in San Francisco for the Blogher Food conference. I would love to share some random-schmandom pictures with you and then I have a few closing thoughts......

Is this town not one of a kind? San Francisco is a treat and I'm not talking about rice.

Friday morning. They took a minute to find my name tag. I had a minor panic attack. I don't think anyone noticed, but I had a river flowing out of my arm pits.

Blue Jar coffee at the Ferry Building.....I HEART you.

I think I scared the ladies at the Nutella table. I came running over to their table jabbering about how much Nutella our family eats....I was nervous...and we do love Nutella, but I think they were thinking, "Whoa there Strawberry, bring it down a notch".

The highlight of the weekend for me. Michael, Rebecca so blessed to have met you and to have sat in on this session. Diane you were very surprising to me. I read your book "Will Write for Food", which has been very helpful to me. I don't know what I was expecting when I heard you speak, but I found you lovely, and warm and I wanted to give you a hug afterward. (you too Michael and Rebecca)

I met this beauty and bought two of her books, one of which my kids wants me to cook through. I believe I will use it often, but no offense "Steamy", I don't think I am going to cook through it and blog about it, been there done that.

New friends!

Dinner at Farina, and a jar of truffles. Oooh lala.

Too many decisions for Sandy and Amy at Bi-Rite Creamery. Which by the way the Salty Caramel was worth the plane ticket out there!

Beautiful California grapes at the Farmers Market on Saturday.

It had been a very long time since I had been to SF. I do not remember the Ferry Building having so many good eats. Thursday afternoon I pretty much ate non-stop for 2 hours here. So many choices so little room in my jeans!

This was my Dirty Farm Girl sandwich at the Il Carne Rosso. I was fine with eating alone....cause this sandwich was SO good, I wanted to have a love affair with it! Don't tell my husband.

I didn't partake in eating any of these, but they sure looked good, and the smell was intoxicating.

Dorie, Dorie, Dorie you are a treasure. I bought her new book. I wanted her to sign it of course. But I was nervous about approaching her. When she saw me walking her way with her book clutched to my chest, she threw her arms open wide and broke into a smile as bright as the sun. Like I had her child and she was ready for me to give it back to her to hold, if even just for a minute. So sweet, brings tears to my eyes. Can't wait to use it.

And then this luverly Lady. Molly. I love her book. I borrowed my girlfriends to read a while back, and had been putting off buying it for myself. So when I saw Molly would be at the conference I nearly peed myself! She too was so warm and easy to talk to. We ended up having a strange life experience in common...anyone else been to the Haitibu Viking museum in Kiel, Germany? Her closing talk was very, very touching. Blessed to have met you in person Molly.

Sandy and Tricia enjoying all the good eats at the Bash that Elise, Jaden, and Ree threw.

Tricia, so nice to have shared a laugh and a bite to eat with you blogging sistah.

Some lady that lives on a Ranch took this picture for me. A thorn between two roses!

Oh yeah, there was music, and dancing, and food, and drinks and BACON.

This is my long lost sister Carrie. We have our own language. Giggle. You crack me up girl, so fun to have met you!

My friends Ree, and Alice aren't they extremely beautiful. I'm a ding dong...I commented on Alice's blog and said "..........I wish I'd have met you!" She twitter messages me, "We did meet!". Alice I'm a self proclaimed numb-skull. That's for the record.

Did I mention there was a Bacon Experience? I am so there. I was running to experience the bacon. Running with my Chocolate Bacon Martini. I'm not a big drinker. I had two. They were fabulous. (see picture below)

Michael Ruhlman showing Elise how to experience the making of bacon. Now get your minds out of the gutter he is a married man! Sheesh......

The food was beautiful. The entire weekend was full of beautiful, exquisite, yummy food...

and swag...lots and lots of giveaways. I didn't even win any extras and I could barely haul my suitcase home. Kristen won a KitchenAid mixer...lucky bum! Georgia was liking something in her bag. Kristen and Georgia two more people I hung with, so sweet, so genuine!

There it is the "Piece de Resistance". Bacon&Chocolate Martini, it's a lovely thing.

Here is just one of the many awesome gifts that I recieved at the conference. I love the perfect spot for my thumb on the handle...and it's strawberry red!

Well, I kinda went a little nutso at the book table. As you can see I bought more than one of a few of the books...for giveaways. Can't wait to share!

I hope I haven't offended anyone for not doing a linky post. I realize that there has been some hub-ub about some of the intentions behind why people were at the conference. I am not trying to make a stand about that at all. I just really want to share my experience.....to clarify I have absolutely nothing against linky linky. For me I am afraid, yes afraid, that I would forget to linky somebody and I rather not give anyone a link than forget someone.

I met (and reconnected) with so many people this past weekend that I am truly in awe of and have been for many years. Before I even knew what the blaze a blog was I was reading their "blogs", and some of them I had read their books and until this weekend didn't know they had a blog.....that is what a dork I am.

I have to admit this past weekend was very overwhelming for me. Even before I left, I was overwhelmed. I almost backed out, but my husband wouldn't allow me to.

Why am I going? I kept asking myself that question.

The answer I kept coming back to was, to find community, to meet like minded people face to face. To hopefully learn how to make my blog better. To network with other bloggers. Because besides the unusual and amazing blessing of my visit to "the Ranch" in June, before this past weekend I didn't know ONE other food blogger. And definitley not anyone from West Michigan. There had to be someone, but I hadn't found them. My prayers were answered when someone, introduced me to Elaine at The Italian Dish, who I can't wait to meet up with again soon.

I started blogging because I was coaxed by friends to blog about a five week road trip my family took cross country. During that time I realized that I really enjoyed writing. I really enjoy food, and it turns out most of what I wrote about on our trip was about the food. After I expressed sadness to friends at my trip being done, therefore my blogging also ending, those same friends encouraged me to start a new blog about food and the things I enjoy in life....which is mainly food. I am surprised everytime I get a comment, everytime someone new becomes a follower. My blog is selfish, it keeps me sane. One thing I realized, well it actually hit me in the face like a Le Creuset pot this weekend, was that if not for my silly blog I would not have had so many amazing people come into my life. And not just you all from this weekend.....I do mean you, but I also mean so many more people. It has broadened my world outside of my very small dutch community in West Michigan.

I love my blog, and I really luv all of you very much too!

I'm a hugger...so hugs to you all!

Apple Spice Cake with.... CARAMEL frosting

I am here to say, "I do not have a fear of fruitcake". I have been called a fruitcake on more than one occasion, but I take it as a complement. My mom used to make honest to goodness fruitcakes at Christmastime to give as gifts. I don't actually remember eating her fruitcake, but I do remember tying ribbons around them. They were like bricks made out of fruit made pretty with a red bow. "Merry Christmas, by the way be careful not to drop it on your toe......"

Amazing Raisin Cake is my mom's recipe(or Apple Spice Cake). It reminds me of a fruitcake, in that is is actually better the next day or even three days later. The batter is heavy and sticky, extremely annoying as you spoon it into your pans. This cake is full of apples and raisins. You could also add nuts, but I put them in the frosting so I don't add them in the cake. I guess you could pick your poison, nuts in the cake or the frosting or neither, or both! I think you need to know that this batter does well in muffin and sheet cake form. If I am taking it to a casual coffee I will make muffins or a sheet cake, but if I want to step it up I usually will make a layer cake.

This Apple Spice Cake smells, well...amazing and when you enter a room with it I promise heads will turn. Even the heads of fruitcake opposers will take notice and want to give it a try.

This cake is really very simple. Made with common ingredients that I am sure you have on hand. There is one ingredient that might be a little surprising. It surprised my son when he saw me dumping it in the batter...now he can't wipe the tragedy of seeing mayonnaise added to cake batter out of his head. And because I have apparently scarred him for life, he won't try it.....his loss is my gain, literally right around my jellified middle.

Amazing Raisin Cake

printable recipe

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup Hellmans mayonnaise

1/3 cup milk

3 cups apples peeled and chopped small

1 cup raisins (I use golden and regular raisins or a combo of both)

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Caramel Maple Frosting (or No Fail Caramel frosting)

printable recipe

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup chopped nuts (I'm partial to pecans)

So a couple years ago my mom brought with her from Florida, where she lives, all of the "family recipes" the ones that were written down anyway. My sister and I went through them and copied the ones we love. This being one of them for me. One thing I realized about my family is they were not much into directions. For example the apples were left out of this recipe. I had to call my mom the first time I made this cake.

"Mom?, I thought there were apples in the Amazing Raisin Cake".

"There are."

"The recipe you gave me doesn't have apples written down in the ingredient list."

"Oh, well yeh, they're in there, 3 cups."

"OOOOKaaayE."

Here for your reading pleasure are the word for word directions to this recipe as written by someone in my gene pool.

Grease and flour 2 9" round pans. Beat first 10 ingredients for two minutes on low speed. Stir in apples and raisins. Spoon batter into pans. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Frost with No Fail Caramel frosting.

And, well.....ya know what, it really is just that easy. But I feel like I need to give you a bit more guidance. I hope you don't mind. Here goes....

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large measuring cup. Flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.


In your mixer beat the eggs with the sugar for 2 minutes. Add mayonnaise and mix until incorporated, but no need to go crazy.

Now alternate your dry ingredients and the 1/3 cup of milk. The batter will be sticky, like fruitcake batter, annoyingly tacky and ooey gooey. Do this until dry and wet are completely incorporated.

If you haven't done it already, peel and chop your apples. I happen to find peeling apples therapudic. When I was a kid and my mom was making pies, apple butter, and any number of things from apples in the Fall, we would make it a challenge to see how many apples we could peel without breaking the peel. One continuous strip of peel. Then I would try to put the peel back into apple form. Those were the good ol' days. Bushes of apples to peel, and the smell of apples sauce cooking. Singing..........

"I love you a bushel and peck , a bushel and a peck, and a hug around the neck, a barrel and heap and ...." and how about this one.... "Mares eat oats and doe's-eat oats...and little lambs eat ivy a kiddle-eat-ivy-too wouldn't you?"

Come on 1-2-3 sing along with me now......


Sorry, I digressed on the apple peeling and song singing. Peel and chop your apples, add them along with the raisins to the batter.

At this point I get out my sturdiest spatula and fold the apples and raisins in to the batter. I have lost a spatula head in that stickiness before......just a precautionary note.

Like I said you can do muffins, layer(2 9") or 9x13 sheet cake with this recipe. What ever floats your apples.

Grease and flour your pans if you are doing a layer cake. Like I said this batter has some texture. Divvy up the batter and help it into the corners with your spatula. If I am making muffins I use cup cake papers.

It will only fill the pan half way no worries it will rise. Remember this is a dense cake, however, it will not raise up past top of pan.


Place in oven for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Your house is going to smell heavenly. Beware if you are up wind of the neighbors you may find them at your door with their coffee cup. My friend Dee actually sniffed her way over to my house while I was baking this, she couldn't keep her paws out of the frosting, it was her birthday I let it slide.

Let the cakes rest for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife and remove from pans to continue cooling.


While cakes are cooling you can start to make your "no fail caramel frosting" that's the original name. I'm just going to call it Caramel Maple Frosting.

Can I hear an Amen for brown sugar and butter! And another....Amen! Someday when I am old and nuttier, I'm going to take a bath in this stuff. But for now I'll just melt the brown sugar, butter and salt over medium heat in a saucepan.

Whisk to blend and create a creamy caramel. Writing about brown sugar made me think of Mick Jagar....ever see him in concert? He's a freak of nature. I saw his Steel Wheels Tour at the Pontiac Silverdome, in Detroit....yes, that was a long time ago...and oh I'm sorry I didn't mean for you to loose your appetite by bringing up Mick Jagar. Moving right along.........

This is liquid gold. It is extremely valuable and never to be wasted. Pure Maple Syrup. I buy my syrup from a maple farm just 10 miles south of me. I would share the info, but it is so "mom and pop" that I just have their personal home phone number that was given to me by a friend. This stuff is the insiders secret maple syrup. The moonshine of syrup.

Not to be wasted, every last drop. Whisk in at the end of cooking time. Let bubble for a minute more and remove pan from heat.

Add the vanilla and milk. Whisk. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Then add 1 cup of powdered sugar.


You could get out your hand mixer at this point, or you could whip the dickens out of the frosting with your whisk and give your wrist muscles a good work out.

You want the frosting to be loose, not stiff. Gradually add the last 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and beat with whisk until smooth. Add chopped nuts if you like. I always use pecans, but I believe my mom used walnuts....didn't you?

It takes every ounce of will power for me to actually frost a cake with this frosting. I really just want to sit down with the pan and a spoon and watch Sponge Bob and get a brown sugar buzz.

Set the first layer top down or bottoms up (however you see it) on a cake plate, pour approximately 1/3 of the frosting over the cake, spread to help frosting fall over the sides.

Like so.

Place the next layer on, bottom side down. Bottoms together.

Pour the rest of the frosting over the top of the cake. Being careful to leave yourself a few licks in the pan.

If you are a lover of caramel, this frosting is going to push you over the top. Salty, maple, buttery....finger licken' good!

Prepare to be comforted by this Fall treat.

I also made muffins from the batter. For the muffins I cut the frosting recipe in half and left out the nuts, spooning it over the hot muffins right out of the oven.

The three on the edge I tried a crumble topping on. That worked well too. Crumb topping =1/2 cup of flour, brown sugar and butter in food processor until crumbly.

If I haven't said it already...I'll say it again. Fall is my favorite time of year for food. Summer is good, but Fall is the BEST! So many comforting foods. This cake recipe is definetly one of my comfort foods. I hope you find it comforting too.

I Luv You....a bushel and a peck......