play ball

because i am all about "anything worth doing is worth *overdoing*", i sort of handled T's fantasy baseball draft as if it were a child's baseball themed birthday party. this was no easy feat, considering T was resistant to a me-catered affair, insisting that "we usually order pizza and everyone is fine with that." happily, during one of our countless weekends out of the city, visiting friends, the Garster let me know that pizza was not the ideal, just what had been previously provided at drafts of yore.

since i have come to learn that the best men are "fueled by bacon", i set about making up a brunch recipe that would cover the important pork-product category. what i came up with was french toast sticks with bacon belts (sorry for the utterly uncatchy, yet fully descriptive name-- marketing was never my thing). i then took a few different french toast recipes and altered them according to my needs. a little Alton Brown for a recipe base, and doubles it--adding vanilla, real maple syrup and using 1 cup half-and-half + 1 c. milk instead of all half-and-half. and instead of cooking the french toast in the oven on racks, i just used a buttered cookie sheet. before baking, i sliced each piece of french toast into thirds.  then took bacon (which i had parcooked in the microwave) and cut each slice in half, wrapped the bacon around the french toast stick, tucking the ends under, and baked for 15 minutes or so at 375 degrees F. although i forgot to photograph it, the sticks were a major hit. (even though T neglected to give everyone plates, preventing his fellow drafters from enjoying the sticks with syrup, as was my intent and, indeed, the very reason i sent out a tray with the sticks, two types of maple syrup, napkins and *plates*).

but the pièce de résistance was the little cupcakes i made to look like baseballs. (ok, to vaguely resemble and, thus, evoke thoughts of baseballs):

i just frosted devil's food cupcakes in vanilla and then used thin red fondant strips to emilate the stitching. these were so cute. oh, if only T and his friends were five year old children at a place like Shep Messing's Soccer World* or Sal's Baseball Academy. alas, the novelty and coolness may have been wasted on this crowd.

ah, what can you do... (clearly, not stop baking and turning out overwrought, way-too-involved desserts.) now i just need to sleep. last night's overabundance of lychee martinis (at Chola with the Lamps) followed by too much more wine at Chez My Parents (a/k/a where we live these days. yes. still) has taken its toll. and chasing this guy around the apartment sure didn't find me any new energy:

at least there's still Sunday to regroup.

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* although, according to the internet, there is no such thing as Shep Messing's Soccer World, i *know* it existed at one point in time. in fact, as the only (or at least one of the only) girls attending Todd Kussin's elementary school birthday party, i am 99% positive that during an indoor soccer game, i was so dedicated to defending my team's goal (no joke, as left-fullback) that i dropped my shoulder and stood my ground as Lowell Simpson came downfield and BAM! gave him a bloody nose.

Comments

[T]

As I mentioned all weekend, if only I could wear a "bacon belt" with my suit, my life would be complete.....

[Lillers]

How about wearing a bacon belt WHILE drinking a Lychee Martini! We had a great time Friday, and looks like the draft party was a HOME RUN (instert snare drum sound here).