NEIGHBOR CAKE
I wanted to try this recipe for Pistachio Chocolate Cake from Bonny Wolf's book Talking With My Mouth Full. I slowly assembled the ingredients, over the period of a week or two (I said slowly didn't I?) With everything sitting in the mixer I suddenly could not find the almond extract! I ransacked all the cupboards in an almond extract frenzy but finally gave up and started phoning the neighbors. The first neighbor I called thought she had some, but after a moment of active rummaging conceded she did not. She kindly offered me rum or maple flavors, but I declined with thanks. The second neighbor said she had some so I ran over. She met me at the door distressed because she could not, after all, find it! (Obviously there is an almond extract sneak thief operating in the neighborhood!) But this resourceful woman whipped out her cell phone and while I was standing on her doorstep she called a third neighbor who said for me to come on over and she'd look too. Bingo: she had some!

So it feels like this is the cake the neighborhood helped make! Awfully yummy too. If you are interested the recipe is here.