Shattered Glass, Restoration, and Marble Cakes

There's been a lot of excitement around here. Who would have thought one extra large pane of shattered glass could be such an event? Maybe it's because we live in a small town, where there is very little crime. When a pint size pistol impulsively hucks a few stones, it creates a bit of a stir. (Pint size pistol completely forgiven; those things can happen and often do when you are pint sized.) I have to admit without taking any credit, dear readers, that we do have a beautiful door. We didn't design it, but the previous owners (read my parents), had it made custom. It is gorgeous wrought iron and tempered glass, sturdy and imposing on one hand, but also whimsical and beautiful. I worried a bit when the glass broke-could it be fixed? Last week, the glassman came out to measure, but I was still skeptical, since the glass had a beautiful marbled design and an arched top. On Wednesday, right in the middle of an Art lesson on Japanese print making, the glassman arrived. The first thing he did was to drill out all of the remaining glass. (Not all of the pieces had crumbled to the ground on their own. ) It was a sunlit spectacle, with bits of falling crystal. The charges gathered up all the bits they could find and are saving them. I'm not sure what for, but they are like ferrets. When they see something pretty and shiny, they go into hoarding mode. The glassman was slow, thorough, and deliberate, excellent qualities for one who deals with fragile glass. (I am skittish, jumpy, and clumsy...so maybe I'd better stick with my current job. Kids aren't too fragile, right?) In the end, we ended up with a lovely new pane of glass. It's a little different than the previous glass, but it's every bit as beautiful. The swirled pattern reminded me of the swirls in pound cake, which reminded me that I was late for my assignment for Tuesdays with Dorie. But there is redemption and repair, even if it requires patience. And good things are always worth waiting for, whether it be glass of pound cake. And speaking of waiting, this one's even better if you let it sit for a day...if you can.

Chocolate Marble Pound Cake

adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Estimated Cost: $3.00

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk

1 and 1/4 cup flour, divided use

1/3 cup cocoa powder

powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Stir in salt and soda. Add half of buttermilk. Stir in 1/2 cup flour. Add remaining buttermilk, and just 1/2 cup flour. Divide batter in half. Add cocoa powder to half of the batter, and remaining 1/4 cup flour to the other portion. Spoon alternating large dollops of overlapping batter into the loaf pan. Swirl gently with a knife just a couple of times. Don't get too crazy or you'll ruin the marble. Bake for about 40-5o minutes, or until top springs back when touched. Let cool for ten minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
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My Mom's Chicken Scampi