Random and Predictable [Lemon]

The Random:

This is the coolest, most peculiar representation of young love that strums those same warm heartstrings and desperate notes Moonrise Kingdom represents (to me), but in less than 10 minutes. I happened upon it while mid best-country-songs-of-summer-2015-streaming on You Tube. Please, while you go listen to 'Loving You Easy' by the Zac Brown Band (current fav) just search 'Cornetto Love Stories - Two Sides'. It's weird and awesome, and probably sub-culture-chick-flick, in a totally my-real-life-is-a-dance-party kind of way. Okay I'm kind of going overboard, but just watch it. It will make you smile :) Promise.

You might even watch more of their episodes... 

We are finally going on our Passau to Vienna mini bike adventure in 18 days!!! I've been talking about doing this seriously for at least five years - now it's finally booked and going to happen! We start in Munich (Freising) visiting with my best friend and end near where the map says S6 visiting my lovely family. We are only riding the 300+ kms along the Danube, though... and eating weißwurst, eating and drinking various versions of elderflower, sampling some wine in the Waschau area, and topping it all off with kurbiskürnöl. Time to think about speaking german... 

Ummm... Happy Parade Day? Just trying to be politically correct here. So I stayed home since it was pouring anyway and I was probably just going to get myself in trouble and baked a cake. It's a holiday, why not? If someone is going to incinerate this:

I think I'm entitled to make, yet another, cake. (With multiple layers!) Oh and I found out the UK actually partially funds this cause as some kind of a religious heritage that should be maintained. Ummm... hello UK? This is more of a pagan ritual of barbarism in case you weren't aware. Just checking in. Letting you know. You're welcome.

The Predictable:

Because I need sunshine in my life - more than the measly rations of NI - I made a lemon meringue cake. That is an excuse. Some excuses are better than others. 

What is a lemon meringue cake anyway? Well it's a lemon cake with lemon curd filling, with yellow, lemon Swiss buttercream with yellow striped meringue swirls on top, designed to make you feel full of happiness and sunshine! Is it making you feel sunshiny? It should turn any frown upside down.  

Something about being in the UK means lemon curd is a must. Even if your strainer is probably meant for tea, and there are no decent pots (well ones that don't leave black shreds of 'non-stick' all over your food). It's that BIG of a must that I managed. Because store-bought is kind of yucky. (But then again I am the number one pickiest person, ever, when it happens to suit me.)

The moist air here does play havoc with the smooth glossy sides of the meringues, and as you can see they aren't really all that smooth or glossy anymore. I meant to add crunched meringues in between the layers but I forgot. I must have been getting so excited about putting them on top or just plain dazzled by the happy sunshine colour of the components, and it completely slipped my mind. 

I'm afraid these last two shots make it look like autumn has arrived... I sure hope it hasn't just yet. I bought those flowers because they look just like ones Jordan would have chosen for me. I'm not sure if he just likes that colour combination, or if he is actually aware I seem to like decorating in these colours. I mean not that a person couldn't notice colours by being in my home, but he is a man so one cannot be too sure he would notice such details. But maybe he does. He's sweet like that. 

For now, every time I open the fridge where the cake is waiting, to sample more lemon curd (yes it still tastes the same as it did five minutes ago) or salami or cherries, soft clouds of lemon-sugar infiltrate the whole essence of my being. Ahhhhh :))))

I'll taste it tomorrow...!