While living in Los Angeles, I was fortunate to have had a great, really really cared about her patients, kind of doctor. She was my Primary Care Physician in Century City and, while some may have thought her methods to be too thorough and maybe too cautious, I really liked her.
When I turned 35, Dr. Cho stressed that I start having regular mammograms. I was doing the self breast examination but had never even thought about the M word.
A mammogram at age 35? I wasn’t 40.
She told me studies showed that it was better to start the mammograms earlier and it was better to be safe than sorry. There were a few other reasons why and she was my doctor and I trusted her. So, at age 36, I had my first mammogram. The next year, I had my second and this time, they found something. Or something that they were not certain about and needed to run my images to the lab etc etc. I think I had to wait almost 5 days.
The longest 5 days of my life.
It was nothing. And I was and am fine. So, why am I writing about this?
It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I’m honored to be participating in KitchenAid’s Cook for the Cure/Pass the Plate Project. And while I am certainly NOT suggesting that everyone at the age of 35 needs to go and get a mammogram, I am encouraging those who are 40 and older, who have never had a mammogram yet, to ask your doctor about when is the best time for you to have it done.
What is Pass the Plate?
KitchenAid partnered with Jacques Pépin to create a unique and beautiful design on a Villeroy and Boch plate. How “Pass the Plate” works: Buy the plate, register your plate on KitchenAid’s website, make a dish, serve it on the plate and then “pass” it to a friend. Your friend does the same thing: registers the plate on KitchenAid’s website, makes a dish, serves it on the plate and “passes” or sends it to another friend. This can go on forever, and each time someone new registers the plate, KitchenAid will donate $5 to Susan G. Komen®. You and your friends can also track your plate online to see where it has been passed.
Isn’t that wonderful?
In honor of Jacques Pepin’s design on the plate, I decided to bake his favorite Pound Cake. With 2 1/2 sticks of butter, I knew this pound cake would be delicious. Jacques likes to fold in candied citrus peels to make a French fruit cake and he also loves plain slices of pound cake dipped in espresso. I had some Gingerbread Spice Chocolate from Theo Chocolate so I couldn’t resist.
I hope you enjoy!
Jacques Pépin's Favorite Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the pound cake:
- 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs
- 1/4 cup milk at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
For the chocolate ganache:
- 16 ounces good quality chocolate milk, dark, bittersweet, whatever you prefer; chopped
- about 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
For the pound cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter or spray a 10-by-5-inch loaf pan.
- In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar, vanilla and salt at medium speed until fluffy, for about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 2 at a time, beating between additions. Beat in the milk. Sift the flour over the batter and mix it in until smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface.
- Bake the cake for 1 1/2 hours, until it is cracked down the center, golden on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes, then unmold the cake gently and let cool completely.
For the ganache:
- Place the chopped chocolate pieces in a medium sized mixing bowl and set aside. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until small bubbles appear on the outside edge of the cream. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Using a wire whisk, gently stir from the middle out, until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the ganache on the cooled pound cake and enjoy.
Recipe from FoodandWine.com.
THE GIVEAWAY
(for residents within the United States only)
For a chance to win your very own limited-edition Jacques Pepin uniquely designed plate, enter this giveaway! Keep it for yourself, register it, give it to someone special. Totally up to you. I purchased two on my own and gave one to my dear blogging friend, Nancy at Gotta Get Baked and one to my Washington BFF, Jen Collins. Can’t wait to see what these two bake and serve on their lovely plates.
“Cook for the Cure® gives people with a passion for cooking a way to support a meaningful cause. The program raises funds
and awareness for the fight against breast cancer. From pink products and celebrity chef auctions to home-based fundraising
events, this partnership between KitchenAid and Susan G. Komen® has raised more than $9 million over the past decade.”
The best way to fight breast cancer is to have a plan that helps you detect the disease in its early stages. Create your Early Detection Plan to receive reminders to do breast self-exams, and schedule your clinical breast exams and mammograms based on your age and health history.
Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by KitchenAidUSA.
