Double Deuce!!

I don't think it's any secret that the outpouring of love and attention we receive on our birthday is one of humanity's biggest scams. For one day each year, everyone is obliged to compliment your hair, laugh at your jokes, and tell you you're cool, regardless of any accomplishment or (or lack thereof) you've managed in the past year.

But hey, I'm no birthday Scrooge. I love celebrating other people's birthdays, and my own too. I'm not saying I don't eagerly gobble up all the attention and cake, but I am sometimes painfully aware of how little I've done to deserve the kindness I receive on my birthday. "I managed to not die for 365 consecutive days. Somebody bake me a cake!"


So, this year for my 22nd birthday, I decided I would earn my celebration a little bit by putting on a dinner party and doing all of the cooking myself. (I'm lying - this was no act of self-flagellation, I was just excited to use the Cuisinart food processor that Ryan got me.) So I set to work.

Maple leaves on the invitations.

My plan to do everything by myself was foiled by my helpful husband and friends who, arriving on time and finding a lot left to be done, eagerly helped with last-minute preparations.

 We dined on roasted lamb, rotmos, creamed spinach, hot cider, smoked salmon on Irish soda bread, bacon-wrapped dates, cheese and fruit, chamomile iced tea, butternut squash soup, and probably a few other things I can't remember. It put me in a food coma.

 

Marble pound cake which went beautifully with pistachio ice cream.

A lemon/cardamom/saffron chiffon cake with not-too-sweet whipped cream icing, toasted pistachios and candied rose petals. It was the bomb.

 
Everything from my co-workers decorating my desk, to my boss interrupting his own vacation to give me a call and wish me a happy birthday, to the many gifts, notes and phone calls from friends and family made me especially, undeservedly happy.

So, I'd just like to give a big double deuce to the many wonderful people out there who are too kind to me and made my double deuce birthday one to remember: