I wish I were in Ireland for the occasion – although the weather is cool and cloudy, so it’s almost like I am.  I just need another cup of tea and I’ll be set.  I remember being in Dublin shortly after Bloomsday in 2001 and seeing signs up for various spots along Bloom’s route.  I even took my copy of Ulysses off the shelf this morning and flipped through, reminiscing about not quite reading it all the way through in college (I think I skipped a chapter).

Speaking of books I’ve actually finished, I thought North of Beautiful was fantastic and now I need to go read Justina Chen Headley’s other books.  Themes that could have been heavy handed felt true to life and I was definitely hooked by Terra’s story.

I made a dark chocolate cream pie (recipe from the King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion, of course) the other day, and now that it’s gone, I miss it.  I might have to make another.  I did a gingersnap/vanilla cookie crust, and the filling was pleasantly dark and topped with whipped cream.  The combination was delicious.  While I was in California, Kate indoctrinated me into the cult of Dorie Greenspan, and we spent many hours poring over her book Baking and making a coconut tea cake, world peace cookies, and a berry tart.  With Bronwen, I made a peach and fig custard tart from Sunday Suppers, and between all these things I’m feeling the baking mojo.  I need to figure out a dessert for Father’s Day, and in the meantime who knows what I’ll dig out of a cookbook?  I feel like I could try anything.  And I’ve got more lone egg whites in the fridge, so this time I might really need to try meringues.

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