Birthdays
This month I will be celebrating a birthday. I suppose at some stage I will probably have to stop counting, but as I still am, I can safely say that I will be turning 32 this year. People, especially those at work, are always surprised to hear how old I am. The youngest member of our kitchen team is half my age, and most of the others are in their twenties. Some say I look 17, although I recall a particularly exhausting and stressful day when Jodi, a manager, said that I looked at least 18.
To anyone who is wondering what the view from this portion of the hill is like, I can also safely say that I’m enjoying being in my thirties. Sure, it’s a little scary being older (and not quite so much wiser), but I hated being a teenager and my twenties were a time of great frustration, and a resounding lack of direction and autonomy. Now when I look back, I’m able to realise how much less manic and more grounded I have become. So, the view? It’s of blue skies, cool breezes, fields of lavender and poppy, and the tall green tree that is B, shading me.
I don’t usually celebrate my birthday in any big style. Before I turned thirty, I thought I would be ringing in a new decade with a special purchase – like a pair of Marc Jacobs or an appliance I’ve always wanted (Kitchenaid, ice-cream machine/pacojet..). However, when the day actually swung round, the idea of accumulating more stuff suddenly didn’t appeal to me. I already have many pairs of shockingly expensive shoes, which sadly, I hardly ever wear because of a rather wanting social life and also due to me being in possession of one pair of chef’s (and jogger’s) feet that rarely get along with six inch heels. These days all I want is a fish dinner and the night off to spend with B.
I do love celebrating other people’s birthdays though. A few friends as well as my big sister will also be extinguishing the candles on their respective cakes this month. These cupcakes are for them, and for anyone else who is an August baby. They are chocolate and lavender flavoured macaron cupcakes, inspired by a picture I saw recently of a collection of buttons of various sizes. I wanted to recreate that button look, using differently sized macarons. The first two flavours I made were a bit on the large side, so there wasn’t room to fit a third macaron on the cupcake, but if there had been, I probably would’ve made it vanilla or blackberry.
In any case, I hope you’re all having a great month, and a very Happy Birthday to all the August babies out there! 🙂
Vera said,
August 21, 2008 @ 1:49 pm
Y, Very Happy Birthday! And the most wonderful wishes! I’m glad to hear you are so well-preserved 🙂 Keep it up!
Y said,
August 21, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
Thank you, Vera! I enjoy being well preserved.. hehehe…
Christie @ fig&cherry said,
August 21, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
Happy birthday mate!
I can empathise. I have only once NOT been asked for ID when entering a club. It was pure bliss to walk past the bouncer without being stopped 🙂 But then I got asked at the bar when trying to order…
My mother tells me looking so young will be fantastic when I’m forty… great, more than a decade to go!
barbara said,
August 21, 2008 @ 2:57 pm
Happy birthday. Have fun celebrating whatever you decide to do.
Y said,
August 21, 2008 @ 3:34 pm
Thanks Barbara 🙂
Christie.. I have long forgotten what it’s like to be asked for ID. Some times I freak out when I get to the counter at the bottle shop, because I haven’t brought any ID with me, but then I tell myself, Get Real and get over yourself! Who, unless he or she is sight challenged, is going to be asking if you’re underaged, at this point! 😛
cakebrain said,
August 21, 2008 @ 3:55 pm
Happy Birthday! Love your macarons! they look yummy!
Why, you’re just a young pup!
Lorraine E said,
August 21, 2008 @ 5:24 pm
Happy Birthday for this month! That looks fantastic, mmm macarons!
Hmmmm I think you’ve been working too hard when you knock back a pair of MJs. How about Manolos? That’s the big test! 😉
grace said,
August 21, 2008 @ 10:00 pm
a big, fat happy birthday to you! i love your attitude toward the whole birthday thing–i feel the same way and would much rather celebrate the births of other people than my own…i will take a cupcake (or 12) though. 🙂
belle said,
August 21, 2008 @ 11:03 pm
Dear Y, Have a very Happy Birthday. You may have gone off shoes (*gasp*), but as long as you keep enjoying macarons, then you will have a long life.
clumbsycookie said,
August 22, 2008 @ 1:22 am
I hope you get your night off and your fish dinner and celebrate your way! For my birthday I’ll have that cupcake please!
Anita said,
August 22, 2008 @ 2:30 am
Happy happy birthday!! Psst…we don’t share a birthday but we share the same age…so I’m totally with you on the feeling older-but-not-wiser thing! I’m also lucky enough to be able to pass for younger (although not 17, wow, you’ve got some great genes!) so I tell myself it’s ok if I still do dumb things since no one knows I’m supposed to be old and wise yet!
Beautiful cupcakes! I hope you have a great birthday and all your wishes come true!
Aran said,
August 22, 2008 @ 3:32 am
happy birthday Y! i was also older than a lot of the cooks i used to work with but people didn’t really know… i guess an uniform hides many things. i also just finished a batch of chocolate macarons… we also seem to share the same inspiration wavelength sometimes. this is fantastic, what a stylish dessert to celebrate your birthday. totally chic!
Helen said,
August 22, 2008 @ 5:55 am
those little cakes are just gorgeous and a very happy birthday to you! I love anything with lavender in it and lavender and chocolate is a combo I have yet to try. The inspiration behind it is lovely too.
linda said,
August 22, 2008 @ 6:11 am
Happy birthday! Lovely and perfect looking macarons you have there.
Zita said,
August 22, 2008 @ 7:32 am
Happy b’day! Hope you’ll get all what you wish for 🙂
That’s a special treat indeed, macarons and cupcakes, what could be better than that ? What is the flavor of the butter cream?
matt wright said,
August 22, 2008 @ 8:31 am
For what it is worth, I like the 30s. I only just got into them a while back, but it works for me 😀
Happy Birthday – and a great looking cake.
Y said,
August 22, 2008 @ 9:19 am
Thank you all for the wishes. I think it’s definitely going to be a quiet one this year. There are just two things I want to have : salt and pepper crab, and a visit to my favourite tapas place. Other than that, Lorraine, I’m afraid I’d fail the big test. I love Manolos, but at this stage, I don’t see the point in buying them if I’m not going to wear them.. I’d rather buy a couple of cookbooks instead 😀
ZIta: The buttercream is vanilla. I thought about lemon, but decided to stick to vanilla to allow the flavour of the lavender macaron to stand out a bit more.
pea and pear said,
August 22, 2008 @ 10:05 am
Happy birthday Y!!!
I hope you have a very relaxing birthday! It sound like you have the perfect night planned.
Ali 🙂
Sophie said,
August 22, 2008 @ 11:15 am
I am an August baby! (August 30th) So does that mean I get a pretty dessert like this?!?! 🙂 Hope you had a lovely birthday, it’s great that you can pass for 17! I got a kids menu in college a few years ago (for ages 12 and under)…I think looking 12 and under isn’t as cool as looking 17, though :P. Hope you had a great one!
Zoë François said,
August 22, 2008 @ 12:28 pm
Happy Birthday! They just keep getting better and better. I turned 40 this year and I’ve never felt younger. Maybe that is due to having to keep up with my kids.
Your Birthday dessert is fabulous. Excellent to celebrate yourself with something so gorgeous!
Lisa said,
August 22, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
Happy birthday Y ! I hope you have a lovely day. August is crazy for birthdays!
I think you have found the only way to make a cupcake even more perfect – by whacking a couple of macarons on top. Yum!
Jude said,
August 22, 2008 @ 12:59 pm
Happy birthday! Drooling over the macaron cupcakes. Way too much goodness there.
lee said,
August 22, 2008 @ 3:30 pm
Ann’s brother once told me when I was visiting that I don’t seem to age. I said it must be the healthy life I lead. We both cracked up at the absurdity of this.
Happy August. That cupcake looks amazing.
Tartelette said,
August 22, 2008 @ 3:40 pm
Happy Birthday! The cupcakes are very stylish….just like being in your 30s! I am a year older than you are but people say I think older but look younger…I guess it’s just about how you feel inside!
Christy said,
August 22, 2008 @ 5:29 pm
Happy Birthday Y!!! Perfect macarons you have…and beautiful cupcake and frosting! Well I started later than most chefs, so though I was still one the youngest, I knew less than other chefs who’ve been training since they were 14 years old. But Aran’s right, that’s the good thing about the uniforms they make us wear!!
Miri said,
August 23, 2008 @ 1:00 am
Have a very happy birthday, Y! The cupcakes you’ve made look just wonderful!
Thip said,
August 23, 2008 @ 3:15 am
Happy Birthday to you, Y. I’m almost the oldest one in the kitchen too. Luckily, my boss is older than I am. 😀
p.s. the macaroons look great!
Patricia Scarpin said,
August 23, 2008 @ 3:19 am
Hey, sweetie, happy birthday!
I know how you feel – I once went to the movies with my brother (who is almost 3 years younger than me) and the guy asked for my ID… He thought I was under 16, and I was 22 then… 😉
I wish you all the best. And these beautiful treats are the way to celebrate!
Mike said,
August 23, 2008 @ 4:25 am
Happy (belated) birthday! The cupcakes look like a delicious way to enjoy the day
sarah said,
August 23, 2008 @ 5:21 am
happy birthday 🙂
tian said,
August 23, 2008 @ 4:34 pm
yoo hoo, happy birthday
Cakelaw said,
August 23, 2008 @ 8:01 pm
Hi Y, Happy birthday! Gorgeous cupcakes – I especially love the lavendar macaroons with their purple swirl.
chocolatesuze said,
August 24, 2008 @ 3:29 pm
heeeey happy birthday dude! may there be cake on your bday!
cyn said,
August 24, 2008 @ 6:06 pm
happy birthday dear! you’re right, im in my twenties and frustration seems to be my middle name these days! if your experience is anything to go by, i’m so looking forward to my thirties! *grin*
Jaime said,
August 24, 2008 @ 8:22 pm
Happy birthday YC!!! Sorry I thought it was 23rd. I knew it was either one day before or after mine, so I got it wrong….
Yes like you I stopped celebrating and counting my birthdays past the 30th. All I wanted this year was for Jules to sleep through the night, but Jules had a different thought. At exactly 12midnight he decided to cry, for an hour, as his special way of wishing mummy a ‘Happy Birthday’… sweet hey? NOT!!!
Thanx for the cupcake recipe….. if only I had time to make them these days.. hmm.
And also like you, I used to look younger than my 32 years, but now after bearing a child, not only do I look my age, but add 5 more years I reckon… so enjoy your youthfulness… and your shoes :-). I only wear comfy shoes now too, in fear that I might trip and fall whilst holding Jules, if I wore heels. Such is the joys of motherhood.
Alexa said,
August 25, 2008 @ 11:23 am
Happy Birthday Y! Best wishes… I wouldn’t trade my thirties with anyone for anything in the world. I am enjoying the ride and I wish you the same. You’re off to a good start with this great dessert. 🙂
All the best,
Alexa
the caked crusader said,
August 25, 2008 @ 7:32 pm
Happy birthday!
I love the idea of a cupcake topped with macarons – it takes all the stress out of having to make a decision as to which to have!
Chris said,
August 25, 2008 @ 9:25 pm
Happy Birthday! I’m also an August baby xD
Cupcake + macarons, I don’t think I could be any more envious…^^ I wish I could make such perfect looking macarons…how on earth did you get the pretty swirl on the lavender?
Carol Rodé said,
August 27, 2008 @ 1:22 am
Hmmm… I didn’t think it was your birthday this month, Y, but Happy Birthday for this year! The macaron Cupcake looks SUPERB, and I’m sure it tastes just as. You may look 17, but reading about how possessions are not so important to you anymore tells me that you’re no teeny bopper! HA!HA! The best things in life are indeed free and I wish you every single one of them xo
Eva said,
August 30, 2008 @ 5:28 am
One can´t have too many well wishers, right? So better late than never: Happy Birthday!
Nazarina A said,
September 10, 2008 @ 10:07 am
Happy Birthday! It is better late than never!
I love your cupcake and the macaroons( A match made in Heaven)