Playing In the Kitchen---Strawberry Buckle

I think that the desire to play in the kitchen comes in phases for me. There are times when, if I could afford it, I could try a new restaurant in town every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner and my kitchen would remain spotless for weeks. That would be nice (for my kitchen, not for my bank account). On the other hand, with Spring bringing in the first fresh, local fruit and vegetables in what feels like forever, I couldn't care less about what these restaurants have to offer on their menu right now, I have a plan of my own: I want to can fruit, simmer sauces, bake up cookies and cakes, assemble fresh salads, knead handmade pastas and, people, I can't be stopped. Which brings me to the latest thing that just popped out of my oven: a strawberry buckle.

Now, what the hell is a buckle? If you guessed a cross between a muffin and a coffeecake, you would be right. A buckle is a super moist cake, the combination of a generous handful of chopped fruit folded into a very dense cake batter, which is then given a bit of crispy texture with the addition of a streusel topping. It makes for a wonderful, luxurious breakfast paired with your hot drink of choice. I'm a tea drinker but haven't we all stood in line in a coffee shop behind someone ordering an extra hot, double shot, skim milk, hold-the-foam soy chai latte? To each his own, I'm sure it's delightful with that too. You can also fancy this strawberry buckle up with vanilla bean ice cream, poached rhubarb or even a drizzle of caramel if you really want to go crazy and make it into an incredible summertime dessert. If you are intrigued, the recipe can be found here, along with photos that assist you in the making of this buckle, or at the very least, will make you drool.

I assume that in my lifetime, smells will be able to travel through computer screens but unfortunately for you, this device has not been invented yet. I'm sure that someone out there in the world is, at this very moment, working away in a computer lab, figuring out how to do that. I picture a short man with big glasses playing with lots of wires and screens. Whoever he or she is, they are working hard to bring the smell of strawberry buckle to you and that will be a good day for everyone because I bake a lot and I have many great smells for you, friends. Let me tell you, waiting for the cake to come out of the oven was torture, but I would bake this again and again if only so my house can be scented with cinnamon, vanilla cake and strawberries all day long. It's not half bad to taste either...

After his first bite, my man promptly claimed that it was the best buckle he ever had. I second that.