All I needed for my 21st was some red dye #1 and strawberry frosting. And no, I didn't eat all of it!
The other 2 cakes were for my former coworkers. Last year, we discovered early on that three of us had birthdays in a row: Han on the 19th, Pan on the 20th, and Gad on the 21st! I no longer work at Mac's, but my face will light up instantly when thinking of my sweet friends there. Imagine working the line in a high volume cafe: the 800 degree oven radiating heat three inches behind you, working elbow to elbow with too little counter-space, a line of students so long that you no longer know who's waiting to pay and who's waiting to order. Suffice to say, it's not an easy job, but my coworkers welcomed me like a second daughter when Cornell felt empty. I'd come in at 8 am to smiling faces who were eager to share their life with me. Leaving without being delayed by a few hugs from both Jenny's was unfathomable. The stories of immigration and refugee camps that my coworkers shared with me helped me reconcile my tension with my background. Chef never failed to thank each person for their hard work and ask about their week. You leave each shift dehydrated, with sore feet and hair that sticks to your forehead, but I'm so grateful to have been touched by the people there.
I had a class at The Statler the following semester, when I was only working on and off. I ran into my buddy, Jeff, the dishwasher. "Hey, how you been? I haven't seen you in a while." Jeff has the kindest eyes and tells the funniest jokes. "Well, hey, if you ever need anything, you call me, you let me know, okay?"
Confetti cake recipe: Molly Yeh (see my previous batch using Momofuku Milkbar/Christina Tosi's recipe, here)
Fresh strawberry frosting: a few tablespoons of pureed strawberry juice, powdered sugar, a few tablespoons of softened butter (all eye-balled: beat the butter until fluffy. add 1/4-1/2 c of sugar, mix, and then alternate adding juice and powdered sugar until your frosting is creamy and spreadable).
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