DECEMBER 2, 2007

Holiday Cheer
by Kara Larson
 
It had been an undoubtedly rough Christmas, if you could call it that. Before Da left after New Year's, they had a tiny celebration of sorts, and Kyle had even kissed Bryn. In front of everyone. Which wasn't a bad thing, since it had been on both their minds. But it was still an odd thing. Kyle tasted nice, at least. He tasted of cinnamon and good cheer and all that rot about happiness and family. Not that people could taste of that. But somehow, Kyle did. And that kiss made Bryn forget.
 
But what really made Bryn forget was the morning after Da left, and waking up to smells Bryn hadn't smelled since he was a wee one. Since Mam died. It was apples and ginger and nutmeg, almost like...
 
He followed his nose into the kitchen, still dressed in his vest and pajama pants. Kyle sat there, staring at a round cake tin, as if trying to assess it.
 
"Does it look brown enough?" Kyle asked, a worried look on his face. "Your dad said it should be brown and springy to the touch, but what shade of brown? Toast? Scone?"
 
Bryn leaned over to study the cake. "Is this...?"
 
Kyle suddenly looked shy. "Your mum's apple cake. Your dad said you hadn't had it in a while and it might be nice..."
 
"This takes hours to make!" He stared at his best mate/flatmate/boyfriend with new eyes. "You--"
 
"Happy Christmas, Bryn," Kyle said softly. So Bryn did the only thing he could. Lean over and kiss his boyfriend/saviour/best mate with the same sweetness and family and goodness Kyle had kissed him with a few nights ago. And with a bit of tongue for good measure.
 
And that's how it was a happy holiday after all.
 
And Bryn's Mam's Apple Cake, translated to American measurements
 
6 eggs
1.5 sticks butter
1.5 cups sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
5-6 large apples, grated or sliced (squeeze water out of grated apples before layering in cake)
cinnamon and sugar for apples to taste (maybe some ginger, nutmeg and cloves if you're feeling autumn-ish)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Cream butter and sugar
Add eggs one at a time, stirring well
Add vanilla
Combine baking powder, salt and flour, sift
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients
Butter a bundt pan or really big rectangle cake pan or 9 inch round one
Alternate layers of batter with layers of apples
Bake for 1 hour at 300 degrees, or until top of cake is springy and brown and cake tester comes out clean.