When I was in college I spent 4 months in Europe, "studying." It was beautiful and different and exciting to be in a place that seemed similar but not quite the same. Aside from eating as many little french apple tarts as I could I spent time enjoying the many old churches in all of the countries and cities I visited. Whenever I saw one I had to go inside- not because I am a religious person, but because they all have a story. Some took over two centuries to build, some were built in honor of specific people. All of them were built with a purpose. Whenever I see one I can't help but think of all the work, detail, and energy that went in to build it. In many cases (especially the intricate, older constructions in many European countries) entire communities rallied around the building of this one structure in honor of something people truly believed in. That doesn't happen anymore. There are so few things that we collectively rally behind, there are so few real community efforts and even fewer standing symbols of them. So what do we believe in anymore?
All of this brings me to 80th birthdays....80 year olds are like nice old churches. They have a story, a past, a history, something to say, something to respect. I like making 80th birthday cakes because I feel like it's my opportunity to do something nice for someone who has probably done thousands of nice things in his or her lifetime. It's my own private cathedral for someone who deserves it.
Here is my most recent 80th birthday cake for a friend's mother-in-law. Who I heard still has friends from high school that she sees monthly! If only I could be a fly on the wall!!
As an aside- I think this is my favorite cake that I have every made of all time....
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