angel food

though i have cooked and baked and entertained for a fair number of folks, there remains two gentlemen who are notoriously difficult to impress: my father and my father-in-law. both, i would say, have pretty specific tastes, and neither is much for flowery gushes -- especially when it comes to their food. so i am beyond thrilled when i get a "that was pretty good" from either of them.

HOWEVER, i finally did it. i finally conquered at least one of their palates. we had bryan's parents at our house this past weekend, and for sunday dinner, i made an angel food cake, as it is both bryan's and mike's favorite. after dousing the cake in bryan's blackberry sauce, and as we were all savoring bites, a sort of quiet, normal-toned, and nonchalant mike declares "this is the best angel food cake i've ever had." *gasp* it can't be. doth mine ears deceive me? where's ashton kutcher -- am i being punk'd? i look to bryan to make sure he heard it, too. *double gasp* he did! the statement every chef, every cook, heck, everybody wants to hear. i didn't make a big deal about it at the time because i was afraid that if i shifted in my chair or breathed wrong, he might take it back. it's just now starting to sink in. that's right: best. ever. holla!

uh-hem, first off, i would like to thank the pennsylvania dutch and alton brown for making it all possible. and secondly, dad, i'm coming for you next.