Espresso frosting and birthday cakes...

Mmmm...espresso frosting. Thanks, Medaglia D'Oro.
Who knew you came in powdered deliciousness?

Nope, friends, it's not peanut butter. It's espresso frosting. Let's contemplate the instant Medaglia D'Oro I found in the coffee aisle of Kroger. <she contemplates: chin on fist, elbow on countertop> I mean, who came up with this ingeniousness? Powdered espresso will power many an afternoon from now on.

Fun story: My Mum turned my paternal grandparents, who were inveterate coffee drinkers, onto the regular Medaglia D'Oro. She warned them not to drink a whole pot, as they would with regular coffee. But they either did not understand this or chose not to heed her warning. A week later, the half empty can appeared, as if by magic, on my parents' back porch. Grandma and Grandpa hadn't slept for days.

And yes, we're back to that picture above:
I've made mocha frosting before, which I always feel is overpowering. I feel like I need a double shot of paint stripper to get the choclate residue off my teeth. Really.

My Mum likes mocha frosting on white cake, and I've actually made the small vat-of-lovely pictured above to go on top of her birthday cake. Oh but, but, but....this espresso frosting is so much better, maybe one step short of divine. We're talking angel food, without the cake to get in the way. Sure, I suppose the pic here does make it look  like something the boyz placed (lovingly, always lovingly) in the yard and I, in turn, put into the blender. But wait until it's on the cake. It'll be gorgeous. And tasty, too.

Now, to give credit where credit is due: thank you, Brown Eyed Baker. Find the whole beautiful receipe here.

Okay, really now. Back to my book reviews.....more to come on our hive progress soon, soon! Good news, kids. Very good news.