In the Kitchen With Nemo

I really love baking. The artist in me particularly gets into the aesthetic aspect of the process: the decorating. (Friends from college jr. year may remember a Vincent Van Gogh cake which was turned in for an assignment on "high art" vs. "low art.") Nowadays, I especially like creating a delectable goody that I know will tickle Benny Ray's fancy. So this year, for his third birthday I created marine life cookies and cupcakes with a special emphasis on sharks (B's current obsession) and, of course, Nemo. The results may have been more pleasing to the tongue than the eye (day-um they were good) but Benny and his little friends delighted in biting the heads and tails off of sharks, dolphins and fish. I, as always, filled up on frosting and broken cookies as I worked away in the kitchen. Incidentally, the butter cookies had orange zest and a little whole wheat flour which added delicious flavors and the cupcakes were made with many yummy ounces of Ghirardelli chocolate and decaf espresso. Cookies and cupcakes were topped with butter cream frosting. Mmmm, mmmm.