Retroblogging: Pi(e) Day 2015 March 14, 2015

Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π (pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14 (3/14 in the month/day date format) since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant digits of π.

In the year 2015, Pi Day had special significance on 3/14/15 (mm/dd/yy date format) at 9:26:53 a.m. and also at p.m., with the date and time representing the first 10 digits of π. That same second also contained a precise instant corresponding to all of the digits of π.


~ Thanks wikipedia

Last year at Caramoor, I kicked off the first celebration of what we coined Pi(e) Day on March 14th, with a potluck lunch of pizza pies, quiches, homemade tarts, mini pecan pie bites, and more.

This year, we knew what to expect - and that it was going to be a BIG deal - so we decided to make it a special breakfast party. The only problem? Pi(e) Day would fall on Saturday the 14th. What a better way to make a Friday the 13th more memorable?

Set-up started the night before and we tried to make room for a variety of pies and accompaniments

My contributions were three-fold:

Pumpkin Pie Crumble Cake (more on that later)

  

Jell-O Peppermint Pudding Pie 

that only I tasted -- and OMIGOSH TOO SWEET!

it was really only there as a decorative item.

and a quiche Lorraine

and did that somehow end up being the only quiche Lorraine, why yes, it did.

Luckily we had more space this year, because the offerings started to roll in, roll in, and roolllllll in.

Quiches of all types, necessitating a sampler plate or two.

My office was full of revelers, bonding over carbs, and meeting the singers-in-residence for the week.

 

We even had a Pi(e) Day appropriate craft learning center, courtesy of the CEO's son. 

 

 

But really, the emphasis was on the pies -- and they kept showing up.

Did you see the dough pi symbol? Fancy.

 I turned around at one point and the home-made frangipanes had appeared in a puff of powdered sugar.

 HOME.MADE.FRANGIPANE!

It was a good thing one of my colleagues brought in her dog at the end. Pi(e) Day left a lot of crusty crumbles on the floor for Ralph to lick up.

Someone suggested that we do "Iron Chef" Caramoor or a baking competition. I not too subtly squashed that idea. There are some VERY competitive people on the staff, some of whom have owned their own catering businesses, foodies, wannabe foodies, and MORE competitive type folks, - and please, who can compete with those freak frangipanes! NOT me.

Look, I'm the girl who tried out a two new recipes for this thing. That deceptively beautiful pink pie? One bite was enough. It hadn't really set - and this group is more into savory than sweet. That was too sweet. I chucked it.

Also, the lovely pumpkin pie crumble cake (c/o the Cake Mix Doctor) - caused me FITS. Recipes that call for evaporated milk are particularly tricky. You know the expression, "measure twice, cut once?" For recipes that include cans of evaporated milk, it should be: read 25 times & sign a piece of paper that you have doubled-checked that it calls for X oz. and you are holding a can that equals those X oz. & have an independent outside source verify the same.

In this case, the cake called for a 5 oz. can. Who poured in an entire 12 oz. can into the batter?

This girl!

Did she say a few words and then try and figure out a thickening agent scenario when no stores were open at that hour and even if 7Eleven was, it wouldn't have what she needed?

You betcha.

LUCKILY, I had a small Ziploc container from my old bossman at Juilliard of all people, and I added about 7 teaspoons into the batter until I felt like it MIGHT be the right consistency and then I prayed and prayed and prayed that it would fit a) the pan and b) be edible. I also baked it a whole helluva lot longer than you'd know that recipe called for.

Sadly, that wasn't the only party OR baking adventure for work that week.

So many parties that week.

So.
Many.

Farewell to Flora: Foreboding, Fading, and Fox-trotting Away

Remember my Recipes from series? Wherein I tried out the family recipes from my grandmothers and great-aunts? I have an some update on Aunt Flora of Recipes from Aunt Flora. (I think I need to dig out that cookbook again soon.)

It was only a month ago, when my inbox got got a very sad e-mail from my father. His Aunt Flora, his mother Roa's sister, the last remaining link to that generation of his family tree, was failing faster than expected. Even with the foreboding feelings that had prompted an increase of his visitations to California over the last year and this summer, it was still hard to read things like:

Aunt Flora told [Cousin L] how bad she was feeling and [that she was] passing blood.

Last Monday Aunt Flora was admitted back into hospital where they ended up doing a scope of insides and found cancer cells, and polyp that was bleeding and falling apart. They have her with heavy meds, bringing the bleeding under control, and maybe let her go home Sunday. She has to see Dr. again in two weeks and let them know which of the treatments she is able to follow or stay away from. One is operation now but heart will not let this happen, another is check[ing] again in a year to see what growth it is taking, the third is just let the ten year cycle take its course and stop the bleeding the best they can now.

We talked to Aunt Flora for a few minutes and she is weak, tired, and ready to get out of the hospital again.

[Cousin L] is sure they heart conditions will not allow for an operation now or ever, so she is just taking it a day at a time for right now.

Poor Aunt Flora. She had already been through so much. Been so unhealthy for so long. Suffered from some of the same ailments that afflicted Roa. To have cancer on top of it all? You had to wonder if she would want to fight to stay here any more, or whisper up prayers to those who had preceded her.

I got the following two days later. Two. She passed not even 48 hours after I got the first email. 

We have been talking back and forth all day with Calif. and just finished finding out a few details in Aunt Flora’s passing sometime mid-morning today. 

Seems [Cousin L] was called in to hospital at 1 AM this morning and sat with her mom through the morning. Aunt Flora could not breathe and her lungs gave out in the end. No fluid could be drained so they just made her comfortable. About 3 AM Grandma Roa was with her and they seemed to be at one of the USO clubs having a good old time from the comments and body motions that went on for a couple of hours.  …. There is an email coming maybe that might fill in the blanks for us.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

l-r: Aunt Flora, Grandma Roa, and Aunt Teddy, 3 late, great ladies

Aside:

I cannot truly express how marvelous I think it is to picture my Grandmother Roa and her sister possibly dancing their way over the "veil of shadows." Young, momentarily carefree, pain-free. Based on the few pictures I've seen of them from the WWII era, I can only imagine.

As my Grandma Ollie lingered near the veil, in those days after that accident, her hands were busily quilting away. We know she had visitors. At the actual end, I don't know, yet, how she passed, or who all was with her.

But, at some point, my Aunt Flora and Grandma Roa were together and possibly dancing.

What a way to waltz out.
 
I wonder, when my time comes, if my hands will be busy. Not making typing movements, but banging away on a big black Steinway, playing the glorious music I hear in my dreams but never have played in this life, a Rhapsody in Blue or the Rach 3, or something not yet written. Or  ...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fullness of time revealed?

It is my impression that it was important for Grumpa's mission be delayed so that he could visit with his aunt before she passed, and to be able to travel to CA for the funeral and be a witness, documentarian, and to represent Roa's family lines.

Regardless of whether I'm correct, as THIS generation of the family's documentarian, I feel it's important to record and share. Thanks to technology, mass emails can keep family members updated. Photos can be taken and passed around, and obits not overlooked. With thanks to Grumpa for forwarding all these emails on, I record them here, for posterity.

The following, dated August 11, 2014, is a fitting obit and eulogy from Grumpa's cousin Lurane's husband Tom, about his mother-in-law's last days. Only a few minor edits have been made.

Flora C. Morgan Tillery passed away this morning about 8:30AM, August 11, 2014. As most of you know she has needed to visit St Agnes three times in the past 2 months with several different problems that have afflicted her in her advanced years. We have seen many, many miracles, important answers to prayer and blessings offered in her behalf over the past 10 years. But time has a way of catching up to all of us and so it was not unexpected that the frequency of issues, their severity and the necessary trips to the hospital would eventually have a very weakening impact on her overall health and well being. When I was helping her into the car to start this last trip to the hospital, she expressed her appreciation to me for the help, as was her normal way of doing things, but this time it was stated in such a way as to let me know she did not expect to come back to the house. That this in her mind was the last trip she would take to the hospital. While we saw many great miracles performed by the qualified staff, the hospital was her least favorite place to be. She would have much rather sat through three hours of church, than go to the hospital for any reason. She was always ready to go home from the hospital.

Yesterday was somewhat typical of how things have gone lately, as Lurane, with the early shift and later I, had been in and out of the hospital even up to 5 AM this morning. We had gone home for a while at 8:30PM Sunday, but the hospital called us back at 1AM. She was very restless, having trouble breathing and it took a while to get her settled again. We went back home at about 4:30, but the call came again just before 7AM. She was again having difficulty breathing and was experiencing a lot of anxiety as a result. They had transferred her to ICU just after 7AM and were trying to provide needed life support when she passed. It was her wish that she not be kept on any type of life support unless there was a need for goodbyes with family. All of that had been taken care of in recent weeks, so She was ready and willing to go home at the earliest possible time. The veil had been thin all night as we could over hear her talking to her sister, Roa, who had passed away more than 10 years ago. They were as close as any two sisters could have been in this life and while one lived in Ogden [UT] and one in Clovis [CA], they stayed in touch as best they could through regularly scheduled phone calls for all of their adult life. We know and find great comfort in knowing she is in the best of places. There she was undoubtedly greeted by her Father and Mother, Her Husband and 3 of her children. Not to mention her sister, Roa and her brother, Wayne who she adored and missed more than you can imagine.

Grandma had a great pioneer legacy and while she was not always active in her adult life, she was an advocate of the gospel and the gospel teachings. She knew and appreciated that families are forever and she did her best to insure that even here on earth, there was a bit of heaven for her family and their friends, at 1112 Oxford Street in Clovis, Ca.  We will miss her unconditional love of all of us and her wise counsel, especially on how to work together as a family unit. Her greatest strength was keeping everyone pulling together in the same direction, if possible, for each other; and for the whole family. She set a great example for all of us to follow and we will forever refer to the many, many things she taught to all of us in word and deed. We are all fine here and there is no need for food, or meals of any type. We are by nature a grazing group and even now food plans and preparations are underway. But we appreciate the thoughts and prayers of our friends and loved ones in our ward and stake.

We know that Flora was blessed by her great Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers. She like many more in our wards and stake was kept close to the gospel by their consistent visits and their love expressed to her in both words and deeds. She relished their visits and for literally decades it was through those faithful members of the Clovis 1^st Ward, the Dry Creek Ward, and later the Orchard View Ward that she remained connected to the teachings and promptings that can only come through the spirit, delivered in full measure by those who possess that spirit and teach with that spirit. They did that great work each month in her home for more than 40 years. During much of that time she rarely if ever attended church until the combination of those great Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers and the promptings she received from family members, even a granddaughter caused a great change in her heart and gave her the needed courage to move forward. 

... And so it was to be that in her 84^th year she did indeed prepare herself to have and use her own temple recommend. She was helped in that process by a loving Bishop and Stake Presidency. There she did kneel over the alter of her temple and place her aged, soft hands into the hands of her son. [Editor's note: She was sealed to her husband.] ... and in subsequent ordinances ... each of her deceased and recommended living children were sealed to her and her chosen mate, Marion Luther Tillery.

We have seen and have been truly blessed by her great example. By her love of our Father In Heaven. By her love for each of her children, their wives and husbands, their children and now children's, children’s, children. 3 sons and 3 daughters call her mother. 24 married children call her Grandma Tillery. 39 children call her Great Grandma Tillery and there are 9 children who are her great, great grandchildren. Now add in all the spouses, their siblings, the parents of the spouses, their friends and ward members, each impacted by her life and example and you get a sense of the blessings she provided to so many. What can one person do? More than we can possibly imagine, especially when they are constantly doing good.

Many of our family members will be gathering. We will be gathering to remember, teach and learn; and that is how she would want it. The funeral is likely going to be held next Monday at 10 AM at the North Stake Center. She will be buried in the Clovis Cemetery on Villa, next to her Husband, Marion Tillery, her first son Pat and very near her second oldest daughter, Janean. All is as it should be. We must all face and or deal with this temporal death situation. It is part of the plan. This temporary separation has occurred before as Grandma Tillery left the pre-existence and came here before we did and  we missed her then as we will miss her now.

The time will come quickly when we will all be together and hopefully each will be well prepared to qualify for the greatest blessings and gifts our Father In Heaven can bestow upon us. That of Eternal Life and Exaltation, coupled with eternal progression, inseparably connected together to this wonderful family we love and cherish so much. That is how I know of the perfection of this plan, the Savior’s Plan. He and our Heavenly Father loves us so much that they want us to have and hold onto these ever expanding relationships as part of our lives, forever and ever and ever. What a plan. What an opportunity for each of us if we make needed choices and live as we have been commanded to live.

Thank you for your love of us, for your support and friendship for us and for Grandma Tillery. She loved her ward members, her home teachers, her visiting teachers and especially her Priesthood Leaders. Thank you for making this important time of her life so meaningful and so prosperous for and to the benefit of her and all of her posterity. We are much blessed by all of you and all that you do.

Tom

More on our family Farewell to Flora to follow.

Going out of my Gourd: A Zummer of Zucchini

Hello? Who is this? Mother Nature, you say?

thanks to Intern Elizabeth for letting me take these with my iTouch

You want me to what?

Pick the Zucchini?

  

Why?

It's growing out of control?

 

1 bucket full just of cucumbers and one bucket full of zucchini from the office garden; 

1 morning's harvest to be joined by the pile on the table from the superintendent's garden

I mean, we're trying to harvest them before they grow out of control ... but

there's only so much you can do when you are getting zucchini the size of babies.

I'm not kidding. This one was 5 lbs and 7 ozs. I weighed it on the postage scale.

And when you are going of your gourd on zucchini, you get a little silly after a while.

photos: courtesy of Christine's iPhone; Emma is proud mom and Auntie Tahra is cooing in delight

So you bake, share, bake, share, and share some more.

left: traditional zucchini bread from ye old-Better Homes and Garden recipe book (see below)
right: Chocolate Zucchini Cake from Summer 2014 Penzey's Spices Catalog

Zucchini Bread

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, white
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup sugar, white
1 cup finely shredded unpeeled zucchini (I peel mine)
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

In a mixing bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl combine sugar, shredded zucchini, cooking oil, egg, and lemon peel; mix well. Add flour mixture; stir just until combined. Stir in chopped walnuts.

Pour batter into a greased 8x4x2-inch loaf pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Remove bread from the pan; cool thoroughly on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. Makes 1 loaf (16 servings).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chocolate Zucchini Cake from John and Lois Thomas

1/2 Cup margarine or butter (1 stick), room temperature 13/4 Cups sugar 1/2 Cup oil 2 eggs 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT 1/2 Cup buttermilk or sour milk (1/2 Cup milk plus 1 tsp. white vinegar = sour milk) 21/2 Cups flour 4 TB. COCOA POWDER 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. PENZEYS CINNAMON 1/2 tsp. salt 2 Cups grated zucchini, peeled if desired, drained (about 2 medium) 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 325° (for a glass pan) or 350° (for a metal pan). In a mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature margarine/butter and sugar. Add the oil, eggs, VANILLA and buttermilk and mix well. In a small bowl, combine the flour, COCOA, baking soda, CINNAMON and salt. Gradually add to the wet ingredients and mix well. Fold in the zucchini. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and nuts over the top of the cake. Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or at 350° for 35-40 minutes. Let cool before cutting.

Prep. time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 35-50 minutes
Serves: 12-15 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Today's creation is destined for chivalrous neighbor Darryl who always insists on holding the door for me (even though "I know you are a strong, independent, and capable woman, I have to do this. My mama [said with a Southern-inflection] would be angry at me if I didn't.") and graciously admiring my "confidence" and silver streaks. The smells coming out of my oven were an interesting counterpoint to the nasty and quick summer rain monsoon and wafts of ozone from oh-that-was-too-close-unplug-everything lightning that were coming in my window about 2 hours ago.

From Betty Crocker website: 

Cinnamon-Topped Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

Bread

3 cups shredded zucchini (2 to 3 medium) [Or 1 ginormous one, cut down to get most of the seeds out]

1 2/3 cups sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

3 cups Gold Medal™ whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Topping

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon cold butter or margarine

Directions

1. Move oven rack to low position so tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans or 1 (9x5-inch) loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray. 

2. In large bowl, stir zucchini, 1 2/3 cups sugar, the oil, vanilla and eggs until well mixed. Stir in remaining bread ingredients; mix well. Divide batter evenly between 8-inch pans or pour into 9-inch pan.  

3. In small bowl, mix topping ingredients with fork until crumbly. For 8-inch loaves, sprinkle evenly over batter in both pans. For 9-inch loaf, sprinkle over batter in pan. 

4. Bake 8-inch loaves 50 to 60 minutes, 9-inch loaf 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on cooling rack 10 minutes.  

5. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.