Thoughts From the Island....Perfection

“The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.” 

J.M. Barrie

I use the word perfect a lot.  Whenever anyone shows me something...perfect.  When someone answers my question...perfect.  When a child finishes a page in a workbook or cuts out a leaf...perfect.  It has become something others, especially my children, have learned through the years to expect when something is successfully completed.  Several years ago I had a child so observant she would remind me if I became distracted and failed to say...perfect.

Yet we all know nothing is ever perfect.  Being a self-proclaimed perfectionist  I have learned through years of trying, fretting and aging I most often fail and must accept falling somewhere in-between okay and good.   My friends know me well enough to know I can and will agonize excessively over things that turn out a little less than what I expect.    I am learning and trying to accept that some pictures are going to turn out unfocused.

I am not going to catch all my typing and grammatical errors.  So when I reread and find insulted for insulated, or comment for commit (I am totally blaming auto-correct)  you may rest assured I am behind this computer screen wringing my hands wondering if it is too late to edit.  

Flowers cannot all be saved and

well-meaning words do not always come out well-meaning.
That one can keep me up at night.

And, not all peaches are beautifully ripe when you cut them open.

Life is in itself imperfect.

 I had a child this year whom I bonded with mostly because we are both hopeless perfectionist.   I understood his procrastinating, agonizing and disappointment over a mistake.  As a teacher it wasn't difficult for me to talk him through his mistakes even though I knew in my heart the pain he was feeling.

One morning we were working the worksheet in our Weekly Reader.   There were four questions to answer.   The children needed to only write in the first letter of each word.  We had already worked on the letters needed;  I was not concerned.  I asked the question, the children gave me the correct word and the letter.  I turned from writing the letter "b" on the chalkboard to find my friend with his head on the table.  I ask him what was wrong, he wouldn't answer me.  I ask the other children if they knew what was going on.  No one knew.  I knelt down next to him and told him I would like to help, but I couldn't if I didn't know the problem.  He said,  "Miss Bonnie, I wrote the wrong letter.  I wrote  "h" instead of "b".  

After looking at his paper I assured him it actually was not a problem at all.  "Look, at your letter.  You just haven't finished.  It may look like a "h", but if you finish at the bottom you will  have a "b"."    And yes once he finished his "b", I said "perfect".

I am learning it is not about being perfect (though I am sure I have many more fretful times ahead), but learning how to adapt, learn from and finish my many imperfections.   And, I'm still learning the things I need to know in kindergarten (pre-school).

I believe I read somewhere that perfect actually means finished.

With that said....I am perfect!

**********

As promised....

the perfect cake

Peach Upside-Down Cake

(Southern Living)

4 medium peaches (1 12 lbs.), unpeeled and cut into 1/3 inch wedges

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 cup cake flour (I used all purpose)

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided

3/4 cup unsalted butter, (room temp. and divided)

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (I used dark)

1 vanilla bean

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream (I used greek yogurt)

Sweetened whipped cream (optional, but really good with it)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  (I also lined my iron skillet I baked the cake in with parchment paper.)  Toss peaches with lemon juice.  Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

Cook 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a 10-inch cast iron skillet  over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes or until sugar melts and turns a deep amber color.  Remove from heat.  Immediately add 1/4 cup butter, stirring vigorously.  Spread caramelized sugar to coat bottom of skillet evenly, and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Arrange peach wedges in concentric circles over sugar mixture, overlapping as needed.

Split vanilla bean lengthwise, and scrape out seeds into bowl of a heavy-duty mixer.  Beat vanilla seeds and remaining 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter at medium speed until smooth.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.  Add sour cream, beating until blended after each addition.  Add sour cream (yogurt) beating until blended.  Gradually add sifted flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended and stopping to scrape bowl as needed.  Spoon batter over peaches in skillet, and spread to cover.  Place skillet on prepared baking sheet.

Bake at 350 F for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in skillet on a wire rack 10 minutes.  Run a knife around edge to loosen.

Carefully pour out any excess liquid from skillet into a measuring cup, and reserve.  Do be concerned if you do not have any liquid.  (I didn't have any liquid; my peaches were not completely ripened)  Carefully invert cake onto a serving plate and drizzle with any reserved liquid.  Cool slightly.  Cut with serrated knife.

Bon Appetit'