As it turns out, baking a Red Velvet Cake in Baja presents a challenge for

Susie Homemaker.

The recipe calls for two cups of cake flour. Can’t find any around here or in Todos Santos. What is cake flour anyway? How does it differ from regular flour? I go to the best cookbook ever, The Joy of Cooking, for the answer.

 

Apparently, cake flour is made of soft wheats with less expansive gluten. It is not making me happy when I find out that the flour I have is in no way going to give me the results I’m after. But hey! You do what you can, so I followed the substitution directions to use one cup, minus 2 tablespoons of flour to equal one cup of the real thing.

There is no buttermilk to be found around here either. The substitution for this is to use milk and add vinegar to it. Okay, I’ve used this before with satisfactory results. It is clear I will not be working for perfection here. 3/4 cup of buttermilk coming up.

Oh no! The recipe calls for three tablespoons of Dutch processed cocoa and all I have is Hershey’s (that I brought from the USA). I’m three for three.

The rest of the ingredients are in my pantry or refrigerator, so I’m going to give this a go and make the best of it. It’s only a cake after all.

Ingredients:

3 medium beets

3/4 cup unsalted butter

juice of one lemon

2 tsp. of white vinegar

1-1/8 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1-3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

Rather than using a bottle of red food coloring (yuck), I am using three medium beets. Yep! That’s what I said. I roasted the beets yesterday and after they cooled, I peeled them and put them in the refrigerator.

Beats are tasty, but I never thought of putting them in a cake. They have a pretty earthy flavor. Wow! These guys (the beets) are super red. Deep purple—almost. This reminds me of a rock band from Great Britain back in the 70s. I can’t name any of their hits, but I remember the group—Deep Purple, and that they played hard rock.

I hope my cake isn’t hard as a rock.

This cake is a challenge for me here in Baja. I do not have all the key ingredients, or a food processor, and I don’t have any round cake pans (or any cake pans at all). I will be substituting square pans that aren’t even the same size as each other. And I’ll be using a blender instead of a food processor. Oh well.

I will call this a Deep Purple Substitute for a Red Velvet Cake. It is making me happy to merely “go with the flow” like this. It shows that I’m not a perfectionist, which, if you know me, is not news. I have been known to be picky about some things, but I am not seeking perfection in anything. In fact, the older I get the more I tolerate imperfection in my life. I like that saying, “It is what it is.”

Lest you start believing I am a Polly Anna, I want to set the record straight: I used to be a Polly Anna, but no more. I have seen what evil lurks in the hearts of men (and women), and I am a realist now, or as close to that as I can get. You might say I am a recovering Polly Anna.

Enough of that. Let’s whip up this (substitute) cake. First, wash your hands. Prepare the cake pans (or whatever you’re using) and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Blend (because remember, I don’t have a food processor either) the beets, buttermilk (my substitute), juice of a lemon, vanilla, and (two more teaspoons) vinegar. Set this aside.

 

Sift the dry ingredients and the cocoa into another bowl. That means I’ll be using two ingredients in this part that are posing as the real things—reg. flour and Hershey’s cocoa. This also means there is yet another bowl to wash.

Beat the butter and sugar together and add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between each addition of egg. This part is my favorite because it comes out so creamy and pretty. I like the sound of the beater fluffing everything up.

You start with a little of the dry ingredients in the mixer, then add a little of the beet mixture and lastly the fluffy part: eggs, butter and sugar. After alternating like this, adding a little of each, you end with the dry ingredients.

Once it is all mixed together, you pour half into each of your cake pans (my two square pans that aren’t the same size). I put parchment paper in the pans first and the cake will be easy to remove this way.

 

 

Lovingly place these into the preheated oven and bake for 20 + or – minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. I had to bake mine for 30 minutes.

 

These did not rise very well and the cake is spongy and dense, not crumbly, which is because I didn’t have cake flour I suppose. However, I am moving forward, letting the cake cool in the pans completely before frosting.

Cream cheese frosting is so decadent.

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temp.

1 lb of cream cheese, also at room temp.

6 cups (I used 3) of powdered sugar (In Mexico they call it azucar glass.)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla–here I am proud to say I have the real thing.

Mexicans cook with real vainilla (Spanish spelling–pronounced vah ee nee’ ya) instead of that horrible bourbon vanilla from Costco I used when I lived in the States. Believe me, the difference is amazing.

After you cream the butter and cream cheese together, you add the vainilla and azucar glass. I used my mixer to do this and the icing is divine. Plenty of sugar even cut in half. Next time, however, I am going to use some lemon peel in it. I think it would be even better with the lemon flavor added.

 

 

My husband said that after all the trouble HE went through to get the powdered sugar (it isn’t easily found here), he wanted a piece of cake BEFORE dinner. Not a chance, Gregorio! You have to eat your dinner first: Shredded beef with horseradish sour cream, garlic mashers, cherry tomatoes, and picked beens and asparagus (thanks to our next door neighbor’s “Blaze’s pickled veggies.”) Not a tough thing for him to swallow, so he didn’t protest. I, however, do not eat meat, except fish, so I had left-over tequila lime sauce on fish, instead of beef. Yum. BTW, when you heat something with alcohol in it, you lose all the alcohol. Not to worry–I remain sober! (36 years in April)

*****

 

Here’s the cake with some pieces out of it. It’s pretty. It’s tasty, but I’m not as happy about it as I could be. It’s too dense (I relate) and I think it’s “the flour business,” plus the fact that I think I used too much of the blended beets. I was supposed to blend them first and measure out a cup. I didn’t do that. Shame on me. Because I just threw in all three medium beets with the rest of the liquid ingredients, I probably ended up with 2 cups of beets. That’s my guess. I also have a feeling that my baking powder is old. I bought it here in Mexico and it isn’t labeled with an expiration date that I can find.

 

It’s definitely not the worst cake in the world, but it’s not the greatest one either. Will I make it again? Probably, but not for awhile. Maybe I’ll make one for Mom when I visit her in San Diego for her 99th birthday. She was born March 16, 1916. Wow! It will make a nice birthday cake with all the correct ingredients, and I’ll measure the beets next time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me in my sombrero.

Beautiful sights around here. Morning, afternoon and night.

So many things to do and places to relax. (RELAXING IS MY JOB).

The day begins!

The moon is still showing its face.

We’re in the grey house on the right. So close to the Pacific Ocean! Yay!

Blaze, from Canada, lives in the orange house.

(He’s a great neighbor.)

Afternoon ride in Little Red! Whoopee!

Farmland, Desert, Ocean and San Pedrito Point

…on the way to Los Cerritos!

The waves at the point at Los Cerritos!

Little Red can make us high!

We know how.

 

****

Mr. Wind is dancing on my deck.

Tables and Chairs team up

and jiggy on over with

lanky legs to tap a racy rhythm.

Surprise! Chair does a pirouette

before it topples to the ground.

****

It cannot right itself. Poor Chair.

I’ll save you, Chair!

My hair joins the dance. It

lifts and twirls and slaps my

face. I shiver in my socks.

Wind whips, and Clouds swoop

****

They’re a traveling exhibition meant to

shock and squeeze a fancy fiesta for us.

Come on, Chair. Stand up!

There now. That’s better.

Señor Wind craves more movers

Leaves whip in–it’s a salsa recital!

****

Hair and Leaves and Chairs

and Tables and Wind choose

partners. Wait! Rain explodes

with its own jiggy rock-bottom

snazzy jazz. Thunder now,

and Lightning too. Get boogie!

****

Would somebody turn that music down?

 

Salty, sandy shore 

Ocean brings a liquid gift

Tumble, toss, and spray 

*

Moon at daybreak shines 

Sparkling on the water’s edge

Light through window glass

*

Catch one tiny beam

For dancing in its shadow

Won’t you come and play? 

 

 

 

And the earth’s holiness created a savory marinade for the lovers’ solitary winter dream.

If a painter chose these colors to paint a sunset, would you believe in its realness? Go ahead…believe.

Far from the usual and suspected is the place fused with sensual force.

Allowing an impulse, a sweet whim to overtake us in moments of fancy is to live

fully formed, radiant and crystalline.

Sing the song of today that has been carved from your pains and passions.

Embrace the welcoming reflections of the morning sun.

Do not waste your days on the insignificant.

Take instead some Baja painted, silken sky and wrap yourself in today.

The pungent smell of dead fish on the beach mixed with salt air and the aroma of basil from the nearby farmer’s field is what greeted Isabela, my German shepherd, and me this morning on our day-break walk. We passed fisherman on the shoring casting and reeling (not catching yet) as we continued on the sandy shore to our destination.

 

 

What’s fun about Isabela is that she is so excited to do this and her enthusiasm turns on the excitement in me. Somedays she is the one who decides when we’ve gone far enough and need to head back. On those days I am just letting the day happen to me–no plans, no hurry. Today is one of those.

The sight of waves is always a joy. The sound of them too. The salty spray that reaches me is a spiritual blessing–a kind of baptism, without the religious aspect.

All my senses are smiling and my heart is full of gratitude for the goodness that surrounds me. I’m thinking of my dear friend who just left this life less than a month ago, after a long and graceful dance with cancer. I imagine holding her hand, laughing with her.

And I let the day begin.

 

In loving memory of Susan Swisher whose 64 years on this planet were a blessing to all who knew her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On your mark, get set, go! Oh my…The Baja is an incredible part of Mexico. It’s almost an island; and resembles little of mainland Mexico they tell me (I’ve never been). The highway (if you can call it that) is treacherous, scary, spooky, and is nothing like a highway in the States or Canada. Our neighbor refers to it as a suicide run.

Mostly there are two lanes and no shoulder. The Baja gets all its goods by truck or boat, so we meet many of those trucks on the road. We cringe and literally lean our bodies away from the trucks as we pass by each other going opposite directions. They are so close that we’re sure they’ll take our side-view mirrors–or worse. Believe me this drive is not for the feint of heart.

Much of it is beautiful scenery if you are the passenger. The driver’s eyes are glued to the road and its hazards. This trip found me behind the wheel for only one-half hour. Seriously. I lucked out. Greg is my hero, driving all that way up and down.

The reason for the trip was to visit family in San Diego County. It’s always nice to see the ones you love.

 

We got to be with our son and his wife and my mom too. All so good for our hearts and the reason for taking the long and winding road trip.

 

 

 

 

Here are some essentials for the road trip:

Money for gas: in our case about 400 bucks.

Snacks that are easily eaten while you drive: peanuts, m & m’s, hard boiled eggs, toasted pumpkin seeds, cheese and crackers, peanut butter and apple slices, cookies, lots of water, coffee, and soda!

Dog food and dog treats for Isabela

A sense of humor–a necessity for life in general, right?

Tunes on the iPod

Tunes on Sirius radio

Sunglasses are a must

Comfy clothes for the drive–loose fitting and cool, as it’s hot during the day. Jeans and sweat shirts are for the wee hours and for nighttime.

Maps with all the road distances between places and the military check points marked, also notes regarding gas stations, hotels and places to grab a bite to eat.

Cell phones for when there is cell service and you want to call and make reservations at a hotel or for emergency

Patience for lots of potholes, lousy drivers, cows or horses in the road, and fog outside of Guerrero Negro for miles!

More patience for windy roads up in the mountains and the monotonous stretches of nothing in the low lands

You have to stop to let the dog run around and do her business. You can do your business too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We camped on the beach in between Mulege and Loreto. Beautiful evening.

Isabela, our dog, loved being close to the water again. She did not like the city life very much.

Everybody out! Gotta move around a bit.

 

All in all a nice trip, but we are so happy to be home.

 

 

What wakes you up in the morning? El gallo!

My friend Julie’s lesson with the orphans was to draw and paint a rooster. It amazes us how good these kids are at just jumping right in and making art. All the roosters came out differently because each child makes it his/her own.

I am always so encouraged working with these children.

 

 

Dori, my friend from Davis, CA, and her daughter, Lilly, came with us this time. Lilly speaks excellent Spanish and loves to do artistic things herself. They were both a big help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re ever in town, you should stop by and see the place. It’s awesome–filled with love.

(and some really cool rooster paintings!)

 

 

Rise and shine! The sun comes up pretty early, so we get an early start these days. Our pup can hardly stand it till we start moving toward the door. “I have to get my shoes on, Isabela.” That sets her off to the bench in the outdoor shower where we keep her ball and the chuck-it. All her days start like this. We walk across the street onto the trail Greg made for us, and we’re down on the beach in under a minute. Happiness is a dog on the beach with a ball.

 

Today’s happiness, besides throwing the ball for Isabela, was Greg casting his fishing line, me finding beach glass and newly hatched turtles.

 

 

That’s right! BABY TURTLES TODAY.

Oh how happy! I yelled to Greg down the beach where he was fishing, and he came a running! Two of our neighbors and a Mexican worker, whose part of a crew building a house down the street, also came to be part of the thrilling spectacle.

 

I’ve mentioned this before, but I get so upset about the tire tracks the turtles get stuck in. This is the time of year when the gringos all show up to live in their second homes. Some ride their 4-wheelers on the beach. It’s not all gringos though. Many Mexicans start bringing their big 4X4 trucks and drive up and down the beach as they fish on the shore.

 

 

There were about thirty babies. They were slow and seemingly exhausted, so we figure they were hatched in the night and tired out from their arduous journey to the water’s edge.

 

 

Oh what a beautiful morning!

Wow! Lots of bait fish in the water this morning. Teeming in fact and close to shore. Some of them were washed up and left to…well…die. They look like infant ballyhoo, but I don’t know for sure if they are.

 

 

 

 

Our neighbors were having a great time casting and catching this morning. Our dog had a ball too—literally and figuratively. She loves to chase and catch the ball as much as the guys love tossing in their lines and catching fish.

 

 

No baby turtles today, but there have been many trucks and 4-Wheelers on the beach. I’m so glad we were able to mark out nests with sticks; at least they won’t drive over them.

 

 

I’m happy and thankful to be alive to enjoy the richness that life has to offer. As you can see, the fishermen were happy and thankful today too.

 

 

 

My dear friend, Julie, is an art teacher in Maui and, with her husband, she has a home here in my neighborhood where they spend about half of every year. She reads my blog and it prompted her to express an interest in going to the orphanage with me. That’s how I got lucky enough to be a part of Julie’s water color lesson.

Last Saturday she and I worked on our lesson plan and we created some samples. I learned a lot from her about how to break it down into small steps, which is what good teaching is about. On Monday, armed with courage, water colors, markers, lots of paper, and water color pencils, brushes and some containers for water, we loaded everything in my truck.

 

On the way to the orphanage, we picked up another of my friends, Stacee, who hales from Colorado, and with her hubby, she also has a home here. And so it was that we three adults got charged up and went to have some fun. As one might imagine, we enjoyed it every bit as much as the children. Receiving blessings is normally what giving delivers, right?

 

¿Qué vive en el mar? What lives in the sea?

This was the question posed by Julie to the eight, energetic, children artists in our first group. It was exciting to watch their faces light up and see how easily they took to the project.

We were amazed as we watched them dig right in, creating their own special underwater scenes.

 

 

We managed to work with about 20 of them before our time was up, and I, for one, was exhausted at the end of two hours. It was a contented exhaustion reminiscent of my years as a teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can’t get too much of a good thing when it comes to days like this. If you are ever in need of a “pick-me-up” you must visit the Hogar del Niño in Todos Santos.

 

 

 The kids are generous with their smiles and their talents—sharing and helping each other is their norm.

 

 

 

 

We’re already gearing up for another painting session. Next time we’re going to paint birds!

 

Celebrating Day of the Dead or Halloween?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mom has always done a really good witch cackle, so it is appropriate that she dress like this. However, she doesn’t really look scary enough to be a witch with that smile. I told her she should do her witch cackle for the trick or treaters, but she was afraid she would scare them. My brother and I used to beg her to do it for our friends, and later, after I had kids, my own would beg her to do it for their friends. One time she did. The little friend of my son’s said, “If you had done that when I was in the woods, I would have shit my pants.” Mom was flabbergasted with his potty mouth. (This kid was only about 10 years old). We all got a good laugh.

Personally, I am not a fan of Halloween, but I know a lot of people who are. Dressing up as a different character can be fun, I’m sure. But it’s just not what I do. I am interested in the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, though, especially now that I live in Mexico. In this culture, one celebrates those family members who have died. There are certain foods and things to prepare for the alter and it is a chance to show respect and love for the ones who have gone to the other side. Here’s a good link (short) to explain more if you are interested: http://www.celebrate-day-of-the-dead.com

 

I love the art associated with this holiday.

 

Whether you like to dress up on Halloween, go to parties, hand out treats, or celebrate the Mexican way, may you find joy cada día, each day.