The Hit List - Confection Perfection

It’s no secret: I’m a perfectionist at heart when it comes to cooking. Everything else (wardrobe, hair, housecleaning, punctuation, etc), I’m a bit more lax. But food is the one area I expect excellence from myself.

Perhaps this is because I grew up amongst fabulous home cooks. Or maybe it’s just because I like to eat. Whatever the case, I want my stuff to look like it came out of a food magazine – and it better taste great too! (I also expect everyone to give me a full report aka rave over my creations. I’m a cooking narcissist!)

One of the most frustrating baking dramas revolved around cheesecake. No matter what I did, my cheesecakes were riddled with cracks. Sure, they tasted yummy, and I could hide the flaws under frosting. That wasn’t enough for me.

I needed to beat this issue. The Cheesecake Hall of Shame was not going to be my legacy.

I knew that there had to be some secret way to get rid of those nasty cracks to disappear. Some books said the batter needed to be beaten. Others talked about room temperature ingredients. I did all that. Still: cracked.

A few months ago, I was paging through my falling-apart copy of The Joy of Cooking when I paused on the cheesecake section. They mentioned a “water bath” method that guaranteed a perfect and extra creamy cheesecake. Curious, I gave it a try.

People: it was the best damn cheesecake EVER. Not kidding. It could rival any treat from my Aunt Deal, my favorite family baker!

Convinced it was a fluke, I decided I would try it again when Thanksgiving rolled around this week. If you know me, you also know I despise pie. Which means I prefer to make a dessert to ensure I don’t get stuck with pie. Instead, my desserts are creamy, cakey, chocolatey, or caramel-y confections. Usually, there is whipped cream too. No one complains.

Anyhow, I decided Thanksgiving dessert needed to be a cheesecake again – and a chance to experiment with this water bath method. Sure enough, once again I delivered the perfect specimen of creamy, cheesy, goodness again with a nice thick layer of sour cream frosting. HUZZAH! My persistence paid off!

As we tucked into the confection perfection, I thought about how easily we sometimes give up when we don’t get the results we want. Sometimes, there is no perfect. Other times, there is. You just need to be patient and curious enough to keep at it until you find the delicious way.

I love it when his ear folds up like this.

Other stuff:

OMG: Leftover Special: Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich with Cranberry Aioli & Kale Chips.

Good read: Judy Chicago’s extinction rebellion: ‘I went face-to-face with a new level of horror.’

WishBeads has a 30% sale all weekend long! Yay!

Why You Keep Falling For The Same Types Of People, According To Astrology.

Haha: 17 Comebacks to ‘So When Are You Getting Married?’

So cool: Discarded photo negatives show China in an era of change.

It’s about time: Yoga Is Finally Facing Consent and Unwanted Touch.

I love her: Chani Nicholas Gives You the Only Astrology Reading You Need for 2020.

Great post from Meg over at Autostraddle: Finding Personal Power and Magic in Tarot.

Interesting read: Decriminalizing the Sex Trade Isn’t the Answer—The Equality Model Is.

WTF: The Trump Administration Is Erasing LGBTQ-Related Data From Government Websites.

Keano Is N.Y.’s Most Famous and Mysterious Subway Psychic. I Found Her.

‘Rough sex’ as a defense for violence against women has roots in toxic misogynist forums online.

When It Comes to Astrology, if Pluto Isn’t Your Fave Planet, You’re Not Paying Attention.

Great post on Chicago artist Tonika Johnson: This Artist Is Rewriting the Narrative of a Segregated Chicago.

What It’s Really Like to Work for a Psychic Hotline.

I Didn’t Know I Had Depression Until it Hit Me for the Second Time.

This Lucky Potion Oracle kit looks interesting! I’m super curious about it!

I ate some of their cookies when I was in Detroit and I still can’t stop thinking about them: Sister Pie: The Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit [A Baking Book].

Looking forward to this book: The Middle Finger Project: Trash Your Imposter Syndrome and Live the Unf*ckwithable Life You Deserve.

CANNOT wait for Gabriela Herstik’s newest: Bewitching the Elements: A Guide to Empowering Yourself Through Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit.

Alexandra Franzen’s upcoming book is a must-have for folks who like order: The Checklist Book: Set Realistic Goals, Celebrate Tiny Wins, Reduce Stress and Overwhelm, and Feel Calmer Every Day.

OOOOOH: Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer’s Path.

The Tarot Coloring Book is the fun, easy way to master the tarot card meanings! The perfect holiday gift for tarot lovers – and coloring fanatics!

Tarot For Troubled Times is a different tarot book. We’re focusing on shadow work, hard times, and activism. It’s a modern tarot manual for self-care and transformation.

Over the years, I’ve met so many people who are intimidated by astrology. That’s why I wrote Astrology for Real Life: A Workbook for Beginners (A No B.S. Guide for the Astro-Curious).

Events:

April 24-26, 2020: Readers Studio. I’m a main stage presenter at the annual Readers Studio Tarot Conference in New York, the biggest tarot conference in the world. Join me and other world-class instructors for a weekend of tarot goodness!

May 10-16, 2020: The Tuscany Tarot Intensive. Where: Italy! A full week of tarot immersion. The only live tarot class I plan on teaching next year. Spots are limited.

August 30, 2020: Brushes and Stars. Where: Oakland, California. A full-day of astrology and intuitive painting – and yummy food! Join me and Chris Zydel for a joyful, astrology-inspired intuitive painting experience.