Bob's 55th Birthday

Started the day before on Bob's birthday dinner.  Made Beatty's chocolate cake for the first time, and it came out wonderful and delicious.  I impressed myself since I'm not much of a baker.  This recipe is a keeper.

Next was making the pork buns, a recipe fromMomofuku in NYC.  This was very time consuming.  The buns have to rise several times, then have to be rolled out and oiled and folded in half over a chopstick and have to rise again.  They also turned out very nice, were delicious.

Buns rising in the oven.

Then buns have to be steamed in a bamboo steamer.

Bob's birthday brought the typical cold-front weather, and I had a job two hours away up in the mountains.  Just as I was leaving, the rains and wind came, and the tornado sirens were going off. 

It eventually cleared, but I didn't get home from doing doctors depos in a small mountain town until 8:30 pm, so I was happy I planned ahead and had Bob's birthday dinner ready to go when I arrived home.

Looks like he's enjoying the pork buns, which also have hoisan sauce, thinly sliced cucumbers and scallions.  (Notice Geisha staring down the pork bun?)

Next, the gift, a pair of new sunglasses and a bottle of Spicy Myan syrup for his coffee in the morning.  It was a nice birthday, and in a few weeks it will be my turn!