Flourless Chocolate Rum Cake

In ancient Greece, Muses were beautiful goddesses who inspired great creativity in literature, painting, dance, and music. A visit from the Muses, along with their gifts of inspiration and genius, were coveted by every artist with a vision. Great poets lusted after the perfect words; artists dreamed of the right shades and subtle tones; and musicians yearned to hear lithe melodies and swelling harmonies. Inspiration was a gift the Muses bestowed upon you, often without warning. The Muses would visit as they pleased, blessing a sacred few with true beauty while ignoring the pleas of the struggling or desperate. The Muses were wild and untamed, never to be controlled or willed upon.

Nevertheless, many great poets would call upon the Muses in their work, hoping to be blessed with their gifts of wisdom and virtuoso as they put pen to paper.

"Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who traveled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy..." -Homer

After studying a great deal of Latin and, in turn, ancient Greece, I often find myself wishing for my own visit from the Muses. I imagine them lounging around above the clouds, holding in all the creativity, the genius, the beauty, that will ever be written, painted, or spoken. Shall we sweep down to Kristin and peer though her camera lens today? They will discuss among themselves. No? Perhaps tomorrow. I heard Adele is writing a new song...

Of all the gods and goddesses, the Muses were revered by the artists above all. In my own occasional pits of creative despair, I have no trouble believing this affirmation. Often my photography simply refuses to match the beautiful images I've conjured up in my mind. The beauty is lost in translation somewhere between my vision and the click of the camera's shutter.

Words escape my fingers when I sit down to write. Sometimes I imagine that if I can ever express something so succinctly, so accurately, I can hang up my apron and my work will be done. Yet, I feel the Muses grant no one that pleasure.

Even so, I feel the Muses heard Homer's call when he composed The Odyssey, blessing him with the expression "child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn." Years later, this simple phrase still sends a shiver through my mind—I could not write such a perfect description if I lived a thousand years.

Despite my personal struggles with the mythical Muses, I like to imagine they hold a real presence in this world. For anyone who pursues artistry, knowing the Muses are out there is like taking a collective sigh of relief. The Muses take away the responsibility of creativity or genius from ourselves. They bestow these gifts alone. If the words do not flow, I am not to blame. If another one of my recipes fails extraordinarily, the Muses must have certainly played a hand. And, if the photographs of this Flourless Chocolate Rum Cake don't quite measure up to the images swimming about my head, we can always blame the Muses.

Perhaps they have taken the day off.

This Flourless Chocolate Rum Cake melts in your mouth like a rich, chocolate truffle. The cake itself is flourless (this is for you, gluten-free friends!) and sets using eggs and a hint of cocoa powder. With a heavy shot of rum, this cake is not for the kids. The alcohol does not bake out of the cake and your nose may feel a little tingly after the first bite. Imagine a chocolate rum truffle, make it just a little bit lighter in texture, and you have this sinful cake.

If you want to eliminate the rum, simply substitute it with 1/3 cup water.

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Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

I am notoriously awful at hearing song lyrics correctly. I have become so good at mishearing lyrics, it's becoming something of an art form (or at least that's what I tell myself). Of course, I have no idea I'm hearing them wrong; it isn't until I sing them loud enough for others to hear do I become aware of this. Embarrassing? Yes. Humiliating? Just a bit. No one wants to be that person belting out the wrong words to a favorite song.

Let me give you a few examples. We'll start small.

Only a year ago did I learn the true lyrics to Prince's When Doves Cry. I've always heard "When the worlds collide" instead of "When Doves Cry." When Doves Cry may be the conclusion of the chorus and the name of the song, but my translation sounded so cool I didn't question it. The real lyrics are much more disappointing than my own interpretation, I think. Doves crying isn't nearly as awesome as entire worlds smashing into each other. In fact, this misheard imagery is what made me a Prince fan in the first place. Such is life.

There was a commercial when I was very young featuring Johnny Nash's I Can See Clearly Now. The song was used to sell glasses for the masses. They changed the lyrics from "I can see clearly now, I can see all obstacles in my way" to "I can see clearly now, I can see all opticals in my way." Clever advertising, but my small, undeveloped mind didn't notice this. It wasn't until I was singing this song in a car full of friends did someone point out that it wasn't opticals, but obstacles. It took me nearly 18 years to be corrected on that one. Once I actually thought about the lyrics, it seemed strange that Johnny Nash would be obsessed enough with eye health to include it in his songs.

Perhaps the most absurd misheard lyrics comes from One Republic's Apologize. Instead of "it's too late to apologize," I've always heard "it's too late to father a child." I kid you not. The first time I heard the song, these lyrics stopped me in my tracks. Too late to father a child? When is it ever too late to father a child? Why is the song called Apologize? Whenever the song played on the radio, I'd listen closely to the lyrics trying to find some context for this conclusion (of which there is none, by the way). I couldn't understand how this song was so popular despite the fact that it didn't make an ounce of sense. Eventually I brought my confusion about this up to a friend who set the record straight. To this day I struggle to hear the real lyrics whenever the song plays. It's too late to father a chiiiild, it's too laaate...

What are your best misheard lyrics?

This recipe is my first foray into gluten-free foods and I'm not disappointed. These flourless peanut butter cookies are the ultimate peanut butter cookie. The peanut butter flavor is concentrated and intense and so good. Even without flour, these cookies hold together well and do not crumble. Because I am such a sucker for chocolate, I drizzled a little on top, but this step is completely optional; the cookies don't need anything extra to taste great. If you like peanut butter cookies, make this recipe instead (trust me on this one). With only four ingredients, these cookies are a snap to make.

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