Birthday Bonfire Bonanza
Cape Cod at sunset right before the bonfire started.I am an old fashioned girl. I like pretty things, vintage kitsch, yummy delights, tradition and Cape Cod a la Patty Paige. My parents purchased a very sweet cottage on Cape Cod in a little Village the year I was born - ahem 1992 - and while we have moved to another home since then, that is less like camping, the Cape has been in my blood since the womb. I have managed to get myself there - my most favorite place on earth - for almost every birthday I have ever had. Of course there were a few summer stock years that I couldn't get there, but in those cases my momma would come to me.
It has become tradition that my mother and I go thrift shopping on the actual day - see I do love pretty vintage things, then we have lunch somewhere (usually Chatham Bars Inn), followed by a bonfire on the beach on the bay side where the sunset is truly spectacular. It really is glorious and every year it is a little different.
Growing up it was tough to plan birthday parties because my birthday is the second to last day in August. Everyone on the Cape would pack up and head home for school well before that. All my winter friends would forget cause I wasn't around - who can blame them really? So often there was something small. However there was that surprise party for my 16th birthday which was particularly memorable: strep throat, kidnapping by friends, a party outside a winnebago, and card made with foam core and glow tape...ah those were the days.
The plan this year was just a quiet weekend with my parents and some cousins that live on the Cape and perhaps a bonfire. The day before I left New York for Cabo Cod I started to hear rumblings that Seth (the friend who I made the vegan chocolate birthday cake for in June) was going to be there, then Brent, then Sandra, then Gina! OMG! This is a party. These kids have been my friends for upwards of 20 years and our friendships are magical to say the least. Then my bestie Ron decided at the last minute he was going to take the trek with me. WHAT!?!? This birthday was going to rock. Lucky for everyone I made a ridic cake that was going to knock them off their feet.
Lemon Layer cake. White cake with lemon curd and old-fashioned 7- minute icing. TO DIE FOR!
I woke up on my birthday to some delightful melt-a-ways that are made at this one bakery in Harwichport - Bonatt's - and are FAMOUS and DELICIOUS. They are like a cross between donuts, brioche, and a danish. I can't explain them really, except that they are amazing. Yum. It was overcast, but undaunted my mother and I set off on our thrift shopping escapade that also included a stop at at a new chocolatier where we were lucky enough to do a tasting - btws food allergies be damned on my birthday! - a couple of antique shops and a little visit to my 94 year old great aunt who was a vaudeville dancer and headlined in the circuit. Some of her openers: Frank Sinatra, Lawrence Welch, and Dean Martin. Whenever I see her she asks me if I have gone to the William Morris Agency and asked for her agent - yep, she rocks.
After that we met up with papi chulo and headed to one of my favorite places on the Cape: Chatham Bars Inn. This is a super old FANTASTIC Inn that is on the water in Chatham. You can order lunch and drinks on the veranda and just look out at the ocean. It is so serene and spectacular. That day there were two weddings going on. Busy, busy. Lunch was fantasmic. My mother and I had these tasty roasted veggie wraps and my father had a Cuban sandwich - ftr he had his first one in the city 3 years ago and still raves about it! At this point it was raining. Dammit. No bonfire. My dream of a super fun, relaxed, and silly evening was gone. Over. Kaput.
But if you know the Cape you know that one town's weather is different than other's and every place we drove the weather changed. So we decided what the hell, let's do it. A couple bags of junk food or as my father calls them "instant pick me ups," some wine, some beer, and some wood and we had ourselves a party. What was intended to be low key ended up being a group of almost 20 people. It was a total blast. We cooked hot dogs, roasted marshmallows, and Seth even brought all of the fixin's for margaritas on the beach - he is legendary for being over the top.
A little later in the evening I decided it was time to unveil the cake. Yep, I wanted to make something DELICIOUS after all it was for my birthday and my mother's - only a week before - so it had to be good. I made a white cake with lemon curd filling and old fashioned seven minute frosting. At this point the cake had been on a million trains, buses, and automobiles. While the cake stayed in one piece the frosting didn't fair as well. The best parts of presenting the cake were when Ron lit the candles and everyone sang happy birthday as the candles were blown out by the wind and after the entire cake was served there was a very small piece left and Ron asked if Gina, Seth, and I wanted to share it with him. Gina said, "if by sharing you mean eating the frosting I am in." Then Ron and Seth and I dug back in. This cake was GLORIOUS. I can't even explain how delicious it was. I could hear people rumbling about the taste and the texture and how well it all went together. Then I look over and Ron is basically licking the cake round. I mean that is how good this cake was.
The presentation of the cake. While it did not travel well it tasted like HEAVEN!
Post cake the fam left and it was just me and my friends and my cousin Lauren. We looked out into the ocean and we saw it sparkling. Like there were fireflies in the water. Seth ran to the edge and reminded us of a story when we were 15 at the beach and we saw dinoflagellates in the water and how we decided skinny dipping. In about 5 minutes flat we were all bounding toward the water screaming with excitement and anticipation of hitting that infamously freezing cold water. It was worth being in ice cube temperature water because every time you moved in it, it was like Tinkerbell was swimming around you and above there was a meteor shower. It was incredible. I mean that is what movies are made of.
After we got out and dried off we headed to the parking lot where a dance party ensued followed by the cops coming and not so subtly escorting us off the beach.
Ah yes, the parking lot dance party. Some things never get old...What a magical and memorable day. Delicious food, delicious friends, and a new delicious recipe. Thank you to my friends and family for such a incredible birthday.
0 Comments