ratcliffe-lee.com

Feb 07

discussing ganache.:

fam for kt’s duece-duece.

Jan 27

sis.:

on her way home from harperstudio. one year to the day she started.

Jan 17

applesauce cake.

tomorrow, alex heads back down to philly after break from dancing & classes.  all six of us had dinner for the last time probably until katie’s birthday in a few weeks.

mom told her story again about great grandma ackerman’s sister, who worked at grand central station as a reservations agent, memorized the timetables for the entire united states rail system.

i also whipped up some apple sauce raisin cake.  mom and pop’s wedding cake.  from the recipes of grandma eliza taylor ratcliffe (1900-1986), edited by mom and eva taylor barclay in 1993:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups applesauce (homemade or McIntosh store bought)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a little more
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup raisins
• Pinch of allspice
• No eggs

1. Preheat oven to 325o - 350o
2. Cream butter and sugar, add applesauce and spices.
3. Add flour.
4. Bake in greased and floured 13”x9” pan until cake leaves sides of pan and springs back when you touch the top.  Leave in pan.
5. When cool ice with white butter icing.

“I’m sorry, I don’t measure very much, so can’t help you too much, experience is the best teacher, do it when you are not having company. 

Lots of love, Grandma”

Aunt Eva says Grandma always put a good meal on the table even though dinner was always being interrupted by people coming by to talk to Grandpa because he was in politics.  Many evenings dinner was rushed because Grandma had to have her sons, Bob and Jackie, dressed and ready to go with Grandpa to the Preakness Farmers’ ball games.  Grandpa managed the team and Uncle Roy played on it.  Grandpa always had to have his sons along with him at the games.

Jan 12

this brings me back.:

chinatown, nyc. early/mid 90s. dim sum w/ my dad and mike regan.
small coffee house. i’d always get chicken fried rice. it had black
eyed peas that i haven’t seen anywhere else since. always don tots
for desert on the walk back to our car.

Jan 04

dear little brother,

patrick drew a picture of you bruce lee you.

Jan 03

again, dog is unamused.:

dogs are unimpressed with human feats of flexibility.

Dec 30

sup shelves.:

the tanks are empty.

Dec 29

drivin’ the big boy truck.:

get ‘er done.

Dec 25

bathroom.:

sorta like camp.

quality without compromise.:

see’s candy is my dad’s favorite.