September 1st this year was our
15th wedding anniversary. We tied a knot on that day 15 years ago in
Paris. We just got married in the city hall witnessed by our friends and close
family members back then, had a luncheon party at a restaurant where I used to
work during my school days at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
It was a delightful moment which we shared
with our loved ones. I was skinny enough to wear such a beautiful intricate
French-designer-made dress on our special day. Lunch was really awesome since I
knew the chef and everybody there.
Afterwards, we all changed our clothes, got
on Bateau Mouches to sail on River Seine. We wanted to do something tourists would
do in Paris. We later climbed on top of Tour Eiffel since my husband’s family
lives in a sleepy village of southern west of France. For most of the family members, it was a rare
occasion to be in the capital. The year of 2001, we had a small ceremony in
Paris and the following July, we had a big wedding in my husband’s hometown
which lasted for 2 days.
But when we talk about our wedding, it is
always September 1, 2001 when we wedded officially.
I still remember that my brother-in-law and
I ran down from the top to bottom of Tour Eiffel racing down to bet which one
would reach first to the ground on our wedding day leaving my gloom behind.
With a few seconds difference, my brother-in-law won the race but back then, I
also was young and in a good shape to be able to do such a foolish thing..
And after 15 years, we are still happily
together moving more than five different countries so far from Europe and then Africa
and to Asia. Next will be in America! Well, it’s a joke but it is the only
continent we haven’t lived together as a married couple.
It would be nice to live there together, I
assume.
For our special day this year, we didn’t
plan anything fancy but I made a cake to celebrate. We are thinking of taking a
short trip next month for our anniversary anyway. As for now, just a cake would
do.
This is a Japanese version of strawberry
short cake. Japanese love to eat this cake for any occasions in any time. I
made this cake simply because I only had fresh cream and strawberries for
garnish. The cake itself is easy to make because it’s a sponge cake.
I whipped whole eggs with sugar and honey
until they have become thick and double in volume. And then I added cake flour
followed by heated milk and unsalted butter. I baked the cake in a round cake
mold.
Meanwhile, I prepared syrup with kirsch
liqueur for brushing on sponge cake pieces later.
Once the sponge cake was done and became
cool, I sliced the cake into three layers. I brushed the syrup on all three
pieces. I spread the cream and placed strawberry slices on and covered them
again with whipped cream. This procedure has been repeated twice ending up with
placing a layer of sponge cake every time.
When it was done, the cake would be covered
with softer whipped cream which I smoothed the surface with a palette knife. Then
I piped out the remaining of cream and finished decorating with strawberries.
For some strawberry halves, I made like hearts.
Inside was like this.
The sponge was soft and airy. Whipped cream
was flavored with sugar and Kirsch. This simple Japanese strawberry shortcake
is delightful!
We selfie-d ourselves cutting the cake like
a newly-wed couple would do at their wedding reception. It was a giddy and
happy moment even we have grown a little old and a bit tired. Happy anniversary
for us!
