It was a perfect day for Boyz Lunch. While I stayed inside finishing preparations my seat was stolen, and she didn’t give it up easily. The weather was perfect, the mood was perfect, the music was perfect (Radio Swiss Jazz), and the food turned out perfectly as well. I’m grateful for a perfect luncheon.

I used most of my remaining tomatoes to cook a quick sauce for pasta, and made vegetarian ‘meatballs’ with tofu and cheddar cheese. They couldn’t have been easier and were surprisingly delicious! I baked them, but think next time I might add a little olive oil to the mix and maybe fry them for the last few minutes.

For dessert I baked Teddy Roosevelt’s Clove Cake, and it came out the best it ever has at this altitude. I’ve finally, after only thirty years, gotten the altitude adjustments down! Out of curiosity, I searched online for the original recipe (which I had copied onto an index card from a yellowed newspaper clipping in my mothers recipe book) and couldn’t find it. There was an imposter which included molasses and raisins, and another ‘vintage’ recipe that came pretty close but wasn’t attributed to Teddy. Here’s my final high-altitude version:

TEDDY ROOSEVELT’S CLOVE CAKE — high altitude adapted

1 c. butter

2 c. sugar – 2 Tbsp

5 eggs

splash of vanilla extract

3 c. sifted flour + 3 Tbsp

1 T cloves

2 t cinnamon

pinch salt

1 c sour milk + 3 T

¼ t baking soda

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 10” tube pan. Cream butter and sugar til fluffy. Add beaten eggs one at a time. Sift dry ingredients together and add a third of it to mixer. Add half the milk, then another third of dry. Stir baking soda into last half of milk, then add to mixer. Add final third to batter until just mixed. Pour into pan. Bake 50-55 minutes, cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Once cake has completely cooled, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.