another gorgeous weekend

Saturday night we entertained for a change -- something we haven't done in a long time. Our friends came for dinner and it was so nice. They used to live in this condo development and it was the kind of easy friendship where we could call each other on the spur of the moment and say, "come over" or "let's go out to dinner. Since they moved away a couple of years ago, it takes planning; my Thurs. night invitation for Sat. was pretty spur of the moment, considering. So this was what was left of the Flourless Chocolate Cake last night and I think I can slice off a little edge while I give you the recipe. So easy and fast and fabulous!! You can make it a day ahead and refrigerate it but you really need to let it come to room temp...and serve it with REAL whipped cream, which takes about 3 min to make. No shaving cream served in this house. Makes one 8" cake - line bottom of pan with parchment paper or buttered wax paper. INGREDIENTS 4 oz. fine quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened) 1 stick (1/2 c) unsalted butter 2/3 c sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla 3 large eggs 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Cut chocolate & butter into pieces and melt in microwave for 1 to 1-1/2 min. Whisk sugar into mixture. Add eggs & vanilla and mix well. Sift cocoa powder into mixture and whisk till just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 min at 375 (or at 350 if convection oven) or till top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on rack 5 min and invert onto serving plate. I dusted w confect. sugar and threw some berries on top, as you can see in picture. Supposedly, cake keeps in airtight container 1 wk but it won't last that long! Today, I took my mother to the Montclair Art Museum to see the Wyeth exhibit: N.C., Andrew, and Jamie. It was okay, but I wasn't overwhelmed by the work. What I did like were these three guys standing in the front hall of the museum. Made me smile!For those of you who keep asking when I'm going to teach locally -- I've been working on a studio workshop schedule for the Fall, which I'll talk about in more detail in the next few days. Small groups (limited to 6). Stay tuned!