Tomorrow I am going to "Let them eat cake!"

We have a luncheon scheduled on the veranda tomorrow. The weather is going to be beautiful, sunny and in the 70s. There are 18 lovely ladies coming down to the Somerset Ridge Vineyard’s veranda, to sip their wine and enjoy a luncheon of Alsatian Onion Tart, and a salad of Baby Greens, Apples, Dried Cherries and Pecans with a Maple Vinaigrette. For dessert I am baking our Somerset Ridge Pound Cake and serving it with Organic Strawberries that have been gently bathed in our Somerset Ridge Ambrosia Dessert Wine. (Did you notice I did not use the word “macerated” for the bathing of strawberries? No, the word macerate sounds like some act of violence! ….instead, I am going to bathe the berries, letting them linger in the cool refreshing liquid.)

Our pound cake is truly what it says it is….The name comes from the fact that the original pound cakes contained one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. No leaveners were used other than the air whipped into the batter. In the days when many people couldn't read, this simple convention made it simple to remember recipes. The Pound Cake is a British creation that dates back to the early 1700s.

Somerset Ridge Pound Cake
1 pound butter (4 sticks)
1 pound sugar (2 cups)
9 large eggs
1 pound all-purpose flour (4 cups)
dash salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large lemon, juice only
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10" tube or bundt pan.
In a large bowl, cream the butter with electric mixer, then gradually add the sugar, continuing to beat until well creamed and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the flour and salt, beating constantly. Add the extract and lemon juice and continue beating until well blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, gently tapping bottom of pan to distribute batter evenly in pan.,
Bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center, comes out clean. Wait 10 minutes before removing cake from pan, placing on serving plate.

For the berries, slice them, then pour the Ambrosia over them. The amounts are up to you, but you do want to have enough liquid to drizzle over the cake and berries. Add a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, maybe even a sprig of fresh mint! Wonderful!

If you are looking for a place to have a luncheon or a wine tasting with wonderful appetizers, call the vineyard! Sitting there on the veranda, watching the breeze ripple through the vines; stroll through the vineyard, see how the sun glistens on the grapes...it is pure joy! And it all happens here in KANSAS! Who knew?! Dennis and Cindy Reynolds knew long before they planted the first of their 9000 vines back in 1998. Since that moment, they have become leaders among the Kansas grape growers and wine makers.

And remember....Budbreak is due within a week or so, depending on the weather and temperature. Come on out and catch the beginning of the whole process. I actually have a favorite vine, one we planted that April 1, 1998. This vine has such character, such a presence in the vineyard. I love to watch him change throughout the growing season. If I am at the vineyard when you come out, I will share my vine with you, then you can watch the magic of the vineyard, too.