There are only three reason why I would rip the shirt off my body in public:
1. If a kitten were on fire and I needed to smother him, put him out, cuddle him, give him food, and make him mine forever.
2. If I discovered a bee… a ferocious, man-eating bee, down my shirt.
3. If a handsome young fireman needed my shirt to wipe his sweaty brow after saving a grandmother and her fluffy orange cat from the top of a burning tree. But even then… I’d make the fireman take his shirt off first. I have standards.
Yesterday, I ripped my shirt off in a spazzy, screaming fit on Main Street in Santa Monica. There was no kitten nor fireman in sight. There was a bee down my shirt. A live bee… buzzing down my shirt. Standing in front of a bike shop and across the street from a busy cafe, I full on FREAKED OUT and tore my shirt off my body. There was also FREAK OUT screaming involved. Then I spent another agonizing ten seconds trying to brush the bee off my body with the shirt I was supposed to be wearing.
Then I was just standing there… on the street… shirtless… in my ugly bra… the one that looks like my grandma’s sprotsbra. I just stood there, holding my shirt and staring squarely at the ground… at the bee struggling to walk away… at the bee that had rendered me shirtless. I knew that if I looked up from the ground I would be mortified times one million.
As I’m struggling with the sleeves, trying to get my shirt back on… I see a pair of feet stroll past me. I didn’t see one of those red tipped seeing eye sticks, so this person was clearly a seeing person. A witness. Ok. Carry on.
My sleeves were all wonky, I couldn’t button my shirt inside out. I was a hot mess… so I had to take my shirt off (again!) invert the spazzy sleeves and put my shirt back on. That’s twice that I’ve taken my top off… Enough!
I never did look up from the ground. I never did blush. I did, however, want to dig a whole through the concrete and tunnel home instead of putting my shirt back on and riding home. But that’s just what I did. And if anyone was pointing and laughing… well, I guess I can’t blame them. I was quite the site.
Lessons were learned. Always wear a cute bra.
In more important news, I made a lovely lemon cake.
Let me tell you about it… it’ll distract me from the humiliation.
This lemon cake is simple and unassuming. It’s combined with cornmeal and baked up in a cast iron skillet. It’s sort of like hearty Southern cornbread meets dainty lemon tea cake. The cake is topped with sweet lemon glaze while it’s still warm, and the sweetness seeps into the cake itself.
What the name of this cake doesn’t tell you is that is has browned butter in it. See? We’re friends for life.
This is not a fancy pants dessert… that’s why I call it a breakfast cake. Breakfast cakes don’t wear their pearls to the table… obvi.
Lemon Cornmeal Breakfast Cake
makes one 9-inch cake
recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2009
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus one tablespoons unsalted butter, melted until browned then cooled slightly
Lemon Glaze:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
In a 9 or 10-inch cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat until browned and fragrant. Use a potholder to grab onto the cast iron and carefully tilt back and forth so the melted butter greases the sides of the pan. Remove browned butter from the cast iron to cool, and set the buttery cast iron aside. That’s what we’re going to bake the cake in!
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, simply butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. Set aside. Brown the butter in a skillet over the stove top and incorporate into the recipe just the same.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugars, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, carefully whisk together eggs, buttermilk, lemon zest and butter. Add the wet ingredients, all at once, to the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula. Fold until very few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared buttered pan and place in the oven.
While the cake bakes, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice for the glaze. Set aside.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Use a skewer or the tines of a fork to poke holes in the bake. Sporadic holes here and there will do. Pour over the glaze, spread evenly and let rest for about 30 minutes before serving. This cake will last for up to 4 days, well wrapped, at room temperature.
338 Responses
Hi Joy,
I just wanted to say that I’ve been making this cake regularly (at least once a year or more) since you first posted it. My oldest son still refers to it as his “favorite cake” and requests it for his birthday every year! Thank you for sharing it. We all love it! PS. My little tweaks are that I add lemon oil and vanilla, and use about 1/2 cup coconut sugar (in place of the other sugars, except in the glaze). Perfect and delicious every time!
Joy, this is my husbands new favorite. I use coarsely ground corn meal (since it’s all I’ve got in quarantine), but it gives it a really nice texture. Thanks for the inspiration! Hope you’re staying safe in New Orleans.
THIS WAS soo good!!!!! the be story was funny and tramtizing i would be sooooo scared love our blog
Might one make this if one doesn’t happen to have a skillet? Or one has a skillet but doesn’t know where said skillet is (how one comes to lose a large heavy fry pan is a question better not asked)…
I just recently found your site and loved it already, but this story had me laughing so hard! I can totally sympathize – I’m sure I would have done the same thing!
Just made this today, it was SO GOOD! Thanks so much :D
I love this recipe, it is so easy! I brought this to a dinner party, it works wonderfully as a dessert and the host can eat the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. I reduced the amount of granulated sugar to 1/4 cup, and substituted 1% milk plus 1 3/4 tsp cream of tartar since I didn’t have buttermilk on hand. Also, the glaze works equally well with lime juice!
I am laughing at your bee story! sorry… I should have more compassion.. as I have a bee story of my own. Very top of a ladder… trimming a beautiful flowering hydrangea vine against the house… leaning on the vine as I merrily trimmed away.. meanwhile swatting away these nasty black and white bees… eventually they couldn’t be swatted .. there were too many.. I was leaning on their nest!!!! and had no clue… anyhooo.. they started stinging my arm.. and then one of the little nasties backed his little black striped you know what right up my nose!!!! I had to carefully step down the ladder and try not to break my neck while they made mince meat out of me.. once safely down.. I “beelined” (sorry) it out of the back yard with them in hot pursuit!! I too.. in full on FREAK OUT! Finally reached the safety of the front door.. and hubby asks.. what are you laughing at??? Hellooooo.. I AM CRYING!! We laugh now.. but it really did make me a little crazy! Thanks for all your funny stories and great recipes that I have to try! .. I am new to your blog and having a great time!
Hey Joy–
what could I sub for the buttermilk? I don’t have any right now and would love to make this recipe but won’t have time to get to the store. I have milk and some varieties of yogurt…?
Lindsay
Hi Joy!
I loved this recipe and want to try it immediately but it is not possible to find buttermilk in my country. What can i use as a substitute to buttermilk? coconot milk maybe? oor just milk?
Hi Joy! I just made this over the weekend and it was amazing! Just thought I’d let you know! Thanks for all the great recipes! (and the reminder to always wear a cute bra!)
The same thing happened to me, i got stung in the lip by the little sucker and ended up having a HUGE lip for two weeks. I was mortified #1. for freaking out and #2 for having to be allergic to bees.
I can laugh about it now. i love you recipies
rock on :)
Great balls of fire, this cake is freaking fantastic! I couldn’t wait for the lemon glaze to soak into the cake for 30 minutes, and dug in 10 minutes later while it was still warm. A. Maze. Zing.
Thanks for another fab recipe Joy!
so delicious! Mine did not look as pretty, it caved in a little due to the altitude, but it tastes amazing! Sweet and lemony, but no too much! Perfect.
This is absolutely hilarious. I managed to outrun a bee for close to a mile. On the downside, I was on a walking trail with my son in a stroller. The upside, this memory has stuck with me for a long time and is still a favorite among my family. BTW, I am not a baker but I will try your pull apart bread.
I made this with limes because it was all I had…delicious!!!!
this looks amazing as I love cornmeal anything! it is a must try!!
Your blog makes my life happy. Like I’m seriously in a better mood every time I read it. So thank you for sharing. : )
I just made this and it was amazing! It would have been prettier in an iron skillet, but I made do with my 8×8 square pan. Thanks for the recipe :)
I have no bee stories for you, so I’ll share my most embarrassing moment with you instead: I donated blood. My bladder was full. I fainted. I peed myself. I was sixteen. It was at high school. My favorite teacher had to drive me home so I could change.
Yummy cake! I just made a quick gluten-free version of it on my blog. Credited you of course! It’s here if you wish to see: https://andcinnamon.blogspot.com/2011/03/gluten-free-lemon-cornbread-cake.html
I LOVED THIS! Thanks so much for sharing this priceless moment. I know exactly where you are talking about and had a moment of my own with those bees from that cafe. I noticed lots and lots of bees buzzing around *inside* the cafe (it’s sort of an indoor/outdoor place anyway, but it looked like someone had busted open a nest. I ordered a green tea with boba. These beverages come with a lid and a thick straw for sucking the big tapioca balls up the tube. Well I was walking down the street happily slurping up my boba when suddenly one that I crunched down on had a bitter taste – I freaked out because I knew immediately I had just bitten down on a BEE! I was able to spit out the remnants onto the sidewalk but all that was left was a wing. I was completely freaking out! I was so terrified that I had swallowed the stinger and that it would be lodged in my throat and how was I supposed to get it out! Ack. I was quite beside myself for the rest of the day.
I’ve had a similar experience with bees…BUT you had a bra on and I did not….and I was in my neighbors yard chasing my puppy who got out of our yard…and I was in my pajamas….and I ran into a swarm of bees..I totally ripped of my shirt…and totally ran around like a goon trying to get those bees off of me and my girls….and I don’t know if the neighbors saw or not…yeah…….my dog got into a heck of a heap of trouble when we got back inside. lol
Okay, I love your blog, so there really wasn’t anything I could think of that would make me love it even more, but there you go–this story (and your awesome way of telling it) just made me love this blog beyond measure. And now I’m seriously reconsidering my bra collection–will need to cute-ify it up, in preparation for springtime bee disasters.
This was delicious! Yep and its pretty much gone now. I just started reading your blog and it cracks me up.
You are flat out hysterically funny! Tears have come to my eyes reading your blog which I found via the Pioneer Woman’s Tasty Kitchen site… or some such thing. Anyway, your food sounds wonderful and I would make it… if I did the animal thing but I don’t. Still. I shall read your blog to lift me up and as a secret weapon against moments of wasteful self pity. Thanks be for YOU!
Don’t worry, I’ve done that before, but I was in the middle of a corn field. I also flipped out. btw did you get stung by that vicious, man eating bee?? I did…
I made this cake last weekend for a brunch with friends, and it was super yummy. I made it with spelt flour, since one of the friends has a gluten intolerance, which accented the cornmeal texture just a bit, but not in a detrimental way I also made it with white cornmeal rather than yellow because I couldn’t find yellow gluten-free cornmeal at the store at the time.
One thing I will say is to make sure, if you are using a regular cake pan, to make sure your sides are at least 2 inches high. My 9-inch pans’ sides are only 1.5 inches high, and the amount of batter was too much for it to handle.
Thanks so much. It got rave reviews.
good good tip!!
I was trolling the comments to see if anyone else tried making this without gluten. Thanks! Can’t wait to try it.
Ha! This is hilarious and if I had seen it in person I would have totally been laughing and had it up as a facebook post and telling everyone I know about it for the next 5 years. Thanks for a good laugh.
This is my first visit to your site, and that is one of the funniest columns I’ve ever read. Thanks!
Ok I am now blowing coffee out my nose…due to laughing so hard…that was freakin funny…Love the recipe too..thank you for making me laugh..
Love this recipe; such beautiful pictures. I love cornmeal and I cannot wait to try this recipe. Yummmyyy…
Have a great night.
OMG I just made this for breakfeast for the family. Very moist. I’m positive that this will become a regular for breakfeast. This reciepe was easy to follow and easy to do. Great to have also with mid afternoon tea.
I came upon your corner of the internet by chance. Man was it a great chance!!! I was trying to figure out how to make vanilla extract from scratch. I can’t wait to get started making the vanilla extract. Thanks. You have got some great yummys here and can’t wait to try some more of your reciepes.
Have a good one!!!
Your writing is always so amazing! I think I laugh out loud every time I read your posts. I probably would have done the same thing if a bee was in my shirt, you can’t just leave it there!
This cake looks so good by the way. Anything with lemon is definitely my favorite.
hahaha I love this post – because it made me laugh a much needed laugh and because it involves lemon cake. nice one!
Have been having a crappy week, so I made this for breakfast today…so glad I did…it’s amazing!
I made this a few days ago, it was yummy. I thought corn meal with lemon would be weird, but it was so good. I am shamed to admit we ate it for breakfast, lunch and after dinner. : /
Nothing to be ashamed of, let no good cake go to waste!
Oh my goodness. That’s happened to me too! Twice. Usually stories about others who live in warm places with year-round farmers markets that they can bike to make me jealous. Today I’m just grateful that I live in the Midwest on a cul-de-sac in a city with 1500 people and probably only my own two children saw the spectacle.
Good that you had bra on!
In the apartments I used to live in, there was a guy who kept snakes. One day one of the snakes got out and made himself visible to a lady who was just taking a bath. She was petrified of snakes. She stood up and ran to her next door neighbor for help. Without any clothes.
That lady wasn’t me.
I like snakes.
Your story is hilarious!
Amazing..the first time I visit your blog I am both entertained and intrigued. Entertained by your encounter with a bee and intrigued by the possibility of making this cake gluten free. Which I did. (with a mix of sorghum and brown rice flours instead of regular flour) It was wonderful! Cornbread with lemon glaze. Does life get much better?!
i just found this blog. dear lord, you are hilarious! the cake looks fantastic, too!
I made this cake and wrote a blog post about it. You can read it tomorrow, March 2nd, at https://rosemarywashington.wordpress.com. I’ve linked to your blog in my post.
Thanks for your great recipe and inspiration!
You’re awesome
I made this two nights ago and it was delicious! Thanks for sharing.
joy, i seriously think that we are twins separated at birth. girl, you CRACK me up! i would have done the exact same thing…and actually was about as embarrassed yesterday when i said “butt twitches” just as the president of the university where i work walked by. i.wanted.to.die. SO…you are not alone, and i thank you for the confirmation that i am not alone either. :)
Oh, wow! That was such an unexpected laugh… Seriously THE funniest thing I’ve read in weeks. My stomach hurts from laughing. You are a wonderful storyteller.
if any consolation, about 32 yrs ago I had same thing happen to me in a public park at Beaverton, OR city park–‘cept mine was a bee that zipped it’s buzzy little way up my wide leg, cotton, baby pink pants. Humiliation to the max–and the kids yelling, “Mommy! Mommy! whassamatter?” Ohhh, the sting hurt and then it hurt even more to realize that dang, it’s getting worse! Sure, I had to be allergic. Dang. Oh well–not the 1st embarrassment in my life and not the last… and so life goes. Yet, God is good and makes us be able to truly laugh at the memory, while we empathize with those who rip off their shirts–hahaahahaha!
amen amen.
First – let me say that I am sorry for you and I would have done the same thing. That said — that is the hardest I have laughed in days! My kids laughed just as hard. I’m sorry we laughed at your pain…but we appreciate the laughing.
Love your writing and am eager to try your recipes! Saved to Favorites!!
Just the kind of story that I needed to read in the late afternoon for a wake up laugh. Just hysterical. The visual was just priceless.
It’s in the oven now. Smells awesome!
Oh boy… Been there. On a date. Bee flew up my skirt and stung my butt at the park :-(
Had to drive home with a cup full of ice from a nearby coffee shop on my ass.Good times! Glad to meet another member of the “stripping because of bees” club!
I do feel for you honestly with the bee and all but just imagine the story he had to tell back at the beehive!! Cake looks yummy. :)
dude, i’m totally jealous of that snazzy plate.
I nearly wet my pants reading this…it reminds me of so many bad dreams. Clearly you survived and managed to talk about it, good for you! The cake looks lovely and I think I’ll try making it tomorrow…but with limes, no lemons in the house.
I don’t know about you people, but I think that I just fell in love with this very funny, talented, book writing, Crazy-Shirtless Baker.
I Bet Nobody else saw the Bee. HA
And BTW You know we want another Party… Maybe a book signing Party?
My Mom had the same thing happen to her at a yard sale-with lots of people there- but it went up her pants leg–down went the pants in front of God and everybody!!! It was a hoot, because the screaming made everyone look!!!!
Lesson for me to learn…do not read your blogs when suffering from a bad cold/cough! I laughed, then coughed uncontrollably and then cried. Too funny!
Joy-
Which is more humiliating, ripping you shirt off in a bee-freaked frenzy in front of stangers, or in front of your father-in-law? (And may I add your very conservative father-in-law). And then having your mother-in-law make a baking soda salve for the giant bee sting right on your BOOB!
At least you were wearing a bra. hehe
That cake looks magnificent. And any time the words breakfast and cake are that close together I’m a happy girl. This goes on my must make list.
i adapted this recipe to a lime version! MM!
What a story Joy! I love how your energy and personality shine through your writing and photography–and recipes, of course. Look, if a bee was in my shirt, I’d rip it off in a split second too! But just in case it ever happens to me, for now on I’m wearing a nice bra : )
I too have had major bee/flying stinger insect panics in public. Nothing says bee like running around franticly dodging an instrument of doom that no one can see while trying to hide behind people you know. In other words I’m trying to say I completely understand what drove you to that situation. The cake looks fantastic by the way and I cannot wait to make a giant mess in the kitchen making it.
Tears, I have tears in my eyes I laughed so hard. As you can see, you are not alone. Even I have a rip my shirt off while screaming in public story because of a dreaded wasp that got in and started to sting. Nine stings later with several bags of groceries strewn all over the ground and my shirt stuck up in a tree the exhausted wasp flew over to rest on the top of a car. Meanwhile, I was reduced to bending over heaving/swearing/panting on the sidewalk in front of my house with curious neighbors whom I had to see regularly watching in amazement. Thank you so much for sharing. And this cake must be made!
Reason enough! Did you ever watch Ever After with Drew Barrymore? There’s a scene where the step sister throws a fit in front of the queen at tea and simply says “A bee, Madam.” It’s classic. And this lemon teabread cake sounds divine.
The last few days I’ve been home sick with the flu (which I’ve never had before). This absolutely brightened my morning. Thank you so much for being exactly who you are.
Dear Lord, I think I just wet myself!!!! LOL! Note to self: I am going out next weekend to buy better bras. P.S. Making the cornmeal cake for breaksfast this morning and then taking onyour Vegan mushroom soup and smoked paprika biscuits for dinner. My home is going to be full of JOY today! :)
Watch out for bees!
And now I’m going in search for the Vegan Mushroom Soup and Smoked Paprika Biscuits recipes….the comments are as enJOYable as the blog itself!
Woah!! Ahahahah.. I hope this never happens to me, but I’ll remember .. cute bras, always.
:-D
Oh Joy, I had a spider-while-cooking incident recently. Like, it was creeping up my left bosom towards my face on my apron and the only thing I had to flick it off was my largest, sharpest knife. I managed to fling the apron off and thwack the very large spider with my shoe instead of giving myself a self-defence mastectomy. Although I’d rather explain that, than explain being topless in public! I’m a little surprised you didn’t make a honey-related item as some kind of revenge though….!
The cake looks awesome. Going to have to give this one a try for breakfast. If my wife looks at me like I am crazy I will hand her the recipe card. If it says breakfast in the title it is good enough for me!
Love your recipes, and a lemon cornmeal cake is something I will try! But have to say, it is also your writing that keeps me coming back. A story well told becomes an experience shared. Thanks for making my day!
Love it! I have a bra story. I lived in England for a year and one of the girls I housed with was also American. We had a twenty minute walk down a busy street to class every day. One morning, it was just the two of us walking. We may have been running late. My friend walked on the outside of the sidewalk so everyone driving by or on the other side of the street could see her better than me. The entire way to our building people were smiling and making gestures to us. We started joking that we must look really hot today. We get to an intersection and start walking across the street to our building. There are two huge double glass doors and you can clearly see your reflection. As we get closer to the doors, I see something hanging from my friend’s backpack. I realized what it was at the same time one of our friends, a boy, started opened the door for us. My friend was about to shout out hi and run towards him, but in one of those slow motion lunges, I lunged towards her and yelled, “Nooooo!!!!!!!!!” as I hurtled her inside the building and onto the floor where I quickly hid the view of the bra from our friend. He looked at us like we were crazy and I told him to go away. He insisted on knowing what was up. I insisted it was nothing. He walked away. My friend looked at me like I was crazy…until I told her to look at the side of her back pack. When she picked up her back pack off her bed that morning, a massive black bra (that is so big she doesn’t even wear it) hooked itself to her bag and was on display for all to see as we walked down the street.
This is yummy. If cake and cornbread made a baby, this what it what it would taste like.
I made this breakfast cake using a gluten free flour blend and it turned out FANTASTIC! I almost cannot stop eating it~
Oh no! That is a truly harrowing tale. Thanks for sharing your story, and a great moral; you could have totally bypassed your ‘bare-it-all’ moment in this post. *runs off to buy more cute bras*
Joy, we both love this blog. Can’t wait to spend more time here!
Hahahah your posts never fail to amuse me
wow i am literally about to drool. this looks ah-maaaaaaaaazing. and you take the cutest and most colorful pictures! i just love them!
Joy you have a new fan! Actually I have been following you for a couple months….but this is the first ive commented. I cant wait till you publish your cookbook, I’ll buy a copy. Definately :)
Oh my god this lemon cake is delicious! I love that it has “breakfast” and “cornmeal” in the title to keep it from seeming like I’m eating cake for breakfast too. Yum yum and more yum.
Well, I guess the good news is that you were actually wearing one under your shirt. Something for all us women who are so small as to not need one to keep in mind in case we come across kittens, firemen, or nasty evil bees. They really are even worse than spiders!
I think I may need to get a lemon to make this cake. Do you think I can use Jiffy corn muffin mix for the cornmeal?
corn muffin mix might have sugars and baking soda that will change the recipe…. you know?
Oh no :( but only you could make this a hilarious story. I’m sorry you had to take your shirt off, twice(!), but lesson learned, for all of us. Thanks.
And I might make this cake for my friends Oscar party tomorrow. Yum.
I made your Hasselback Potatoes for a birthday dinner last Sunday. They were a huge hit. Thank- you for sharing the recipe.
Hahaha! I love you!;)
Haha! Things like this happen you know, don’t worry, I’m sure you were glamorous anyway^^
Your cake looks fabulous. So I can have some for breakfast? I won’t say no!
BEST CAKE EVER.
Totally amazing.
haha love this story! i go to school on Main St. in Santa Monica. Also, this cake sounds fabulous!
That story is HILARIOUS!! You always have me laughing at loud!
Cake for breakfast is totally my thing… too bad I already had breakfast today though. Maybe I’ll whip this up for dinner? :)
Too real. Too real. ….. If a shirtless fireman saved a kitten and his grandmother I’d do the same. And then invite him over for dinner because I’m sure he is famished from saving the world.
Thanks for teaching me a new life lesson. Now, I need to go out and buy some cute bras! Thank you for the tip!
Breakfast Cake?! Amazing. I might even have a beer on the side. :)
Excuse me for laughing… but the ugly bra part got to me. Been there…without the bee part.
LOL! I’m sorry to laugh at your expense… but the funniest things seem to happen to you, and you’re an excellent storyteller! And thanks for the breakfast cake recipe. I think I’ll make it for my hubby to make up for the fact that he painted all morning while I was enjoying a coffee tasting with girlfriends. Life is good, if not exactly fair all the time…
My love of all things lemon will entice me to try this…immediately!
Oh, and I second the breakfast + cake = awesome comment. :)
Breakfast + cake? You’re my hero.
Whenever I see those movies where people rob a bank or whatnot and the people are forced to take off their shirts and pants, I always think how my underwear isn’t cute enough for that… Glad I’ve got my priorities straight :)
Dear Joy,
There is nothing wrong with being shirtless. Especially if firemen are involved, though in this case, unfortunately, they weren’t. One good way to be shirt-less around firemen is to move across the street from a fire station. Into an apartment that has abnormally large windows that no standard-sized curtains are big enough for. And to sleep in your underpants only.
Which is exactly what I’ve been doing the past 3 months. I hope the firemen are enjoying the sight. I, in turn, have an excellent view of their gym where they, too, can sometimes be found shirt-less. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
ha. haha. haha! i’m so sorry, but your lesson will forever be stuck in my mind. and that mental pic. thanks! ;)
Sarah-Anne
Joy: Thanks for the barrel of laughs this morning!!! It simply represents the humility that life lavishes on us from time to time! While I have no “bee-boob” stories, I was taken down several notches several years ago:
I was following my teenage son at his golf tournament….you know….golf is so prim, proper, and the atmosphere is usually quite dignified. I felt that I looked pretty good that day, especially for having a 14-year old. I was around these other spectator/parents quite often, so I would certainly see them again.
Several minutes after leaving the bathroom and rejoining golf spectating, I somehow realized that I had a VERY LONG (down to my knees) “tail” of TOILET PAPER hanging down from the top of my shorts! Arrrrrgh……
Mortification extraordinaire!
We all feel your pain! Thanks for your transparency and willingness to share….after all, how boring would our “life story” be without these colorful accounts? Laughing at ourselves is an important life skill!
Now onto lemon cornmeal cake…..mmm, mmm, mmm!
Joy, I am right there with you! If bees come anywhere near me I am convinced they will fly into an article of my clothing and sting the every lovin’ daylights out of me. Keep in mind, this has never happened to me. But you just confirmed it. And for that reason alone I now need to clean out my bra drawer and do some massive overhauling.
Joy,
I love you, you my dearest are real and that is truly a treat!
OMG, I did the exact same thing one time…except I jumped out of the backseat of a car at a busy intersection and ripped my shirt off!!! Finding a huge bug on your shoulder in a dark car is NOT fun!
OMJoy. I know that it’s probably not funny to you yet, but man, you are gonna get a lot of mileage out of this story at your next cocktail party. I think that you can claim creative license and leave the part about the bra out, if you want. Lovely cake, too.
just REMEMBER to wear a bra!
i know there are some who don’t…. but that doesn’t include me! hahaha
OMG all of these comments are making me LOL i heart it
Well, now that you’ve had the worst scenario down, the other two aren’t so bad (especially the fireman one!!)
Great story, Joy!
My co-worker/friend and I think you would totally be our friend if you knew us.
hi Joy –
you always, always make my day and can’t thank you enough – this esp made me lol for a full 15 minutes. i was in an insult-to-injury situation: first i ripped off my hoodie in public, after running and sweating because i thought this moth thing got in there. and i didn’t have a bra on, just a tank top from Velvet. small window of consolation there. then, five minutes later i was in a coffee shop because i was dead thirsty from running/screaming/tearing hoodie off, you unnerstand. anyway, i drained my drink, put the cup/water glass back on the tray and carried it to the designated shelf and my arm accidentally shot out and upset about ten other cups on the other trays. total fiasco, raining china cup smithereens, etc. and all to Jack Johnson’s song playing in the background: the one about where did all the good people go. i decided that on this day some god had given me the evil eye, so just walked home sobbing and laughing. i LOVE LOVE your blog.
k.
Oh. My. Goodness! You will have some funny tales (and bra wisdom) to tell your future children! But thank you for telling us now :) I had a wasp down the back of my shirt once but it was in my own back yard. I think I beat it to death out of sheer panic from being stung repeatedly before my mom finally told me to calm down and SHE took my t-shirt off. Yours, although much more embarrassing, is way funnier! Just think of how many people whose day you brightened lol ;)
I love your blog. at least you didn’t get a bee sting and had a buzz-worthy day! :-)
Joy,
You always manage to bring a smile to my face. It would have been nice if a handsome stranger could have helped you out…oh well there is always next time.
Don’t feel bad Joy! It was worth it (in a way) because you were not stung
This post was so funny and the cake looks delicious
Cake for breakfast? Yes please!
Joy, oh my gosh! I laughed so hard I was crying!!! I am so sorry! That sounds awful and completely mortifying, but you have such a way with words! I love the part about the passerby being a “seeing person”! Ha! Thanks for the recipe! Can’t wait to try it out!
Poor Joy! I can’t say I’ve had a bee problem; but you know when you feel your hair brush your back or like that other reader, a necklace unclasps and it feels eerily like a spider? I do the freak out dance too. Not with my shirt off. Goodness no, I’m way too self-conscious for that, even for life-threatening spider/bee trauma! You’re so brave.
Thanks sharing your embarrassing story though Joy, it really does lighten everybody’s day and make us remember our own silly stories! (And I’ll be sure to try the cake too) ;)
Hahahaha… Bless your heart. I feel for ya. But I do have to say I laughed so hard when I read this post. Harder than I have laughed in a long time. I don’t have any cute bras so I would be in the same boat as you. Might need to pick one up tomorrow. You know, just in case a bee flies down my shirt and I have to rip it off in public…twice! I really enjoy your blog and recipes. Thanks for the recipes, stories and laughs! :)
I so had this happen to me…but with ants. I steop in an anthole in front of my house and then went along weeding and gardening. Felt a funny feeling and looked down and had a million..yes a million ant crawling up my legs and under my shirt. I did the whole yelling freak out thing and pulled off my shirt and sports bra. ( There were that many) then I danced around and looked up and saw that my, very creapy, older, long haired and otherwise, scary across the street neighbor was laughing at me.
Basically your post brought back some PTSD of the event. Glad that the bee did not win and that you are OK. I really feel your pain….and want your cake…mmmmm anything lemon!
Love the bee story! Also LOVE the cake recipe! I tried it tonight (needed a dessert and this was perfect) and it was absolutely delicious. Thanks for posting it!
best.story.ever.
Believe me Joy no one who witnessed you screaming and ripping off your shirt noticed your bra. I find myself torn between thinking this is hilarious and being mortified for you! Here is a similar story of humiliation to comfort you: I was a senior in high school (many, many, too many years ago) and I used to love to wear dresses. I was walking down the hall and was thinking “hey this is going to be a good day”, because so many people were greeting me and saying hi, ect. When I had walked the length of the longest hallway in the school I ducked in to the girls restroom before class started to find that I had left half of the back of my dress in my pantyhose that morning when I left for school and in those days I didn’t wear panties under my pantyhose. So yeah I was walking around with my ass hanging out of the back of my dress. I removed my dress from my pantyhose waited for the bell to ring, walked out of the school and didn’t come back for two days. From that day on I always wear panties when I am wearing a dress. Lesson learned my friend….Lesson Learned…
Your lemon cornmeal breakfast cake reminds me a lovely recipe I have for an orange blueberry pound cake. A little bit of crunch, a little bit of orange and occasional bursts of blueberry…
oh my god, i feel bad for you but you’re story is so funny. i would take my shirt off for a hot firefighter too lolz.
I love stories with morals and this one was one of the most important: always wear a cute bra. Another one? Always make sure you have cute/clean undies on. Just sayin’
“Breakfast cakes don’t wear their pearls to the table… obvi.” or take their shirts off in public. poor lamb. that’s one of those ‘most embarrassing moments’ that you will look back and laugh about after the second martini.
i’ll never forget the time that i was at church camp. jr high. everything was embarrassing annnnddd…i got my period while i was there. completely unprepared. had to go to the little store with an extremely limited feminine hygiene section. all they had was this ginormous box of super sized maxi pads. to top it off – there was a guy working the cash register – a really cute guy. can you say mortified?
Yeah, shirtless in public…whatever. I want this cake like NOW!!
I have to say Joy, I literally laughed out loud upon reading your post. Aww, I’m soo sorry! I can’t say that I have had a bee down my shirt anytime recently, but if I had then I would have without a doubt done the exact same thing. Except I would have probobly looked up. :( Thanks so much for sharing your story and the wonderful advice; I will keep that in mind! The Breakfast Cake looks delish by the way!! :)
There’s nothing I like better than seeing the words “breakfast” and “cake” together.
Amen! And this sounds like a lovely recipe. I can’t wait to try it!
Wow, I think if I were to rip my shirt off in public (think nursed-four-children-boobs) it would be more of a nightmare for onlookers than myself! But, still I would not look up either. Anyway – I am afraid my poor children are going to have to suffer through this cake for breakfast. I think my kids might be spoiled – they actually complain at times when I experiment with yet another pancake recipe. “Can’t we just have cereal mom?????” They have no idea how lucky they are – I guess they will when they’re in college and eating top ramen for breakfast. Thanks for the recipe! Can’t wait to torture my kids with it!!
hehe, how embarrassing!! I totally wouldn’t have looked up either.
But this lemon cornmeal happyness looks amazing!!
I stumbled across your blog the other day and I have to say … you are marvelous! Your recipes look delicious (I haven’t tried any yet) and I am totally amused by your adventures. The bee down the top … I actually LOL’d. Thanks for making my day a little brighter! =)
… and sorry about the indecent exposure. ;)
OMG I nearly wet myself reading this post!! Laughed so hard I couldnt breathe and had tears in my eyes! I dont mean to make light of your predicament, I just completely understand! I was out and about ON A DATE no less when I felt something crawl down the back of my shirt! convinced it was a spider, I ripped of my blouse and immediately did that crazy, yelling hooting spider/bee down your shirt dance…..only to find it was just my necklace that came unclasped and slid down the back of my shirt! meanwhile there I am, standing n front of a cute boy I really like, shirtless, (cute bra though) all crazy jumping around and screaming like mad. oh, and did I mention it was a busy street in pasadena in front of other rest. patrons milling about on THE PATIO! yeah…..to my dates credit, he said “ok then, ready for a drink?” and laughed it off.not a proud moment for me.
at least yours was an actual bee!
You are the funniest! Who are you? As soon as I finish this comment, I’m going straight to your “about “page to find out, then I’m going to another post in hopes to read more funny stuff. Congratulations. Now, on to the cake. Was that meant to be funny too, to serve cake for breakfast? It got my attention.
Oh, I have done that, except that it was in my kitchen, not in public, which certainly makes a huge difference.
I felt a sting on my elbow, and FREAKED OUT, yanked my shirt off, felt a wet spot on my shirt and could only imagine that it was venom or blood or pus, frantically searched for the black widow or scorpion or brown recluse, found nothing.
Turns out, I’d accidentally dipped my elbow into my mug of hot tea.
HAHAHAH!!!!
That is hilarious :D
brilliant punch line i must add :)
Sorry there was no hot fireman involved. But yay for not getting stung!
Girl, you are just my kind of crazy.
That story is the best. Painful. But the best. ;)
Hilarious, if only because we’ve all been there one way or another – and who doesn’t hope for a fireman?
Meanwhile, consider hosting your very own underwear amnesty day. That’s when you throw away all of your sad unmentionables (be ruthless!) and replace them with lovely, silky, new ones that fit and do all they promise to do when it comes to lifting and separating. A very happy day, is my point, and one fit for celebrating with a comfy and yummy lemon cornmeal cake!
looks great!
see, this is what makes you the best! the fearless wonder! you’re my role model.
Joy, I love your blog and have been a follower for some time now. Thank you for sharing your hilarious and yet, humiliating, story with us and then sweetening the whole post even more with such a deelish sounding recipe. I love how you never allowed yourself to look up!
We all have a story or two where we acted in hilarious but potentially embarrasing ways in public and it’s great to know that we’re not alone and share a giggle or two together as blogging friends ;-P
Your blog is definitely a bright spot in my week! junemoon
Can I say, at least you’d just done the cleanse, and probably had a flat little belly out for all to see? Priceless! : )
omg, joy. you just can’t make that shit up!
Now, if you lived in New England where snow still blankets everything, and it was 18 degrees out yesterday, there would be no BEE to attack you at this time of year! My bee down the shirt happened in the backseat of a taxi cab where I cried for the driver to unlock the door and let me out – I think the scream made his ears bleed!
Joy
A similar thing happened to me a while back. A female friend of mine and I were clearing out some brush when we disturbed a hornets nest. Suddenly, a great swarm was heading towards us !Without thinking, I tore off her shirt and used it to swat at the hornets. She was wearing a very sexy Victoria Secrets bra that was so stunning I forgot all about the hornets, swept her off her feet and carried her inside to safety. Before I could say “blueberry pie” we were going at it with great vigor. Such mammor….er-
memories !! Thank You so much for reminding me of such a wonderful time !
Whoa. What romance novel do you live in?
Sasha, I have tears from laughing so hard. Blueberry pie?! This is the funniest thing I’ve read all year!
Hehehehe….rofl dude…u just made that up…u perverse!!
hahaha this is worse than sweet valley! tsk robert!
This looks delicious! Perfect for the brunch I’m going to on Sunday!
I love it. What a great story. The cake looks and sounds fantastic.
Too bad it wasn’t the fireman scenario…
JOY I have a very similar story! Except mine goes something like this…
We’re doing some spring yardwork – I’m piling up some wood. I feel a tickle in my cleavage and when I gaze down I see this gigantic pine beetle about to attack my bosom. My natural instinct was to run like a maniac and rip my clothes off… except for I was doing my yardwork next to a very busy highway… so I can only imagine what passerbys were thinking. During this embarrassing dabocle, my mom was also on the sidelines and she had a good chuckle. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
OMG…this was one of your funniest posts. I laughed out loud and at the same time, felt your pain. Thanks for sharing the recipe as well as your womderful perspective!
Don’t feel to bad. Today I fell down a flight of stone steps in 3 inch heels in front of my male boss on the way to a meeting. I gouged my shin bone and had to hold back the tears in front of him. I had to shake it off and attend the 3 HOUR meeting!!!! I am back at work with my leg elevated and throbbing on my trash can under my desk!
Your a tough one Joy!! You make us all laugh and we’re glad to be here for you everyday! : )
So did you go home and purge your delicates of anything you wouldn’t want to be caught wearing out in public? That’s a heck of a lesson to learn. Glad you made it through (and I hope it doesn’t turn up on facebook or youtube anytime soon). Eek!
This cake looks so great! I love that it’s baked in a cast iron pan, and that it has a lemon icing, and that you’ve sanctioned it as a breakfast food. Yea! What I want to know is… Is that a scoop of ice cream I see perched perkily on top of the cake in that first photo?
I had to comment because a very similar thing happened to me a few years ago. While I was at work. I worked at a hardware store at the time, and was a cashier. I was standing at the front of the store, where any customers could see me, and also anyone walking by on the sidewalk as there was a giant window. I stopped thinking and ripped off my shirt in front of all them. While I was at work, supposed to be acting…kind of professional. And wearing clothes. And I was wearing an ugly flesh colored bra that was at least 5 years old and practically falling apart. i try my best not to think about that day.
At least you had a bra on!
hahahaha! That was my first thought as well!
My thoughts exactly. ;-)
Sorry about the bee issue. Great lesson to learn :) Got it, cute bras! haha
Love the breakfast cake, so beautiful and I bet yummy too!
Oh bless your heart !! How horrible for you !
I am allergic to bee stings so I am so totally there with you and hearing those screams and feeling that mortifying embarrassment when the damn bee is gone and you are just standing there, finished with your fit .. ( or so that is the way the rest of the world sees it)
But thanks to my husband who gives not one hoot for anyone’s opinions ( except maybe mine) I am able to make a fool of myself now and then and laugh about it after .. knowing that I still looked good , they wished the had boobs like those, even if the bra wasn’t all Victoria’s Secret or something and they are doubly glad that they weren’t on hand to see me fall down frothing at the mouth or some such horror if the damn thing had stung me.
So remember that … and wear pretty underwear at all times … next time it might not be a bee … but a fire that you will have to put out , with your shirt , in front of a pretty fireman .. or policeman .. or lawyer .. or doctor .. yeah :)
Don’t feel bad about the Bee incident. When we were girls, my best friend, Kelli and I were camping, and my monstrous brother found a three inch, hideous bug that he flung at Kelli to scare her. It scared her alright. It landed right on Kelli’s chest, and hissed and fluttered, but wouldn’t let go. I have never seen anyone freak out like that before or since. Needless to say, after we finally got free of the bug, we made my brother sorry…that is, as soon as we had calmed down enough.
Sad, I hate doing embarrassing things in public. Although I can’t remember the last thing embarrassing thing I did because I tend block them out and pretend nothing even happened. At least you have a delicious cake and cake fixes everything :)
I can totally relate! Only mine involved a water bug, a sleep shirt and my roommate falling off the couch laughing at me when I yanked it off in one sweep running around butt naked.
Hilarious and painful! I was driving my car one day when I realized there was a bee in my shirt. I managed to pull over, jumped out, shook that little pecker out and then stamped on it for about 5 minutes. I had to turn the car around and head straight back home and honestly, i was freaked out for quite some time! Glad you survived and then managed to share this lovely recipe! CAn’t wait to try it. Thanks for making me laugh out loud this Friday afternoon!
I feel your pain. Two summers ago, when my now husband and I were walking into the Brookfield Zoo a bee stung my left…ahem…girl part right near my arm. It hurt! A lot! And it was pretty embarrassing having to ask for free ice to put down my shirt to cool the pain.
Best story eva! And “always wear a cute bra” is a life lesson all girls need to hear.
Breakfast + cake! Joy you are my hero. Sorry about the bee.
I’m in tears at my desk, praying coworkers aren’t listening…but kinda hoping they are so I can show them this post. You poor thing! I love that you have such a great sense of humor. :) PS – the cake looks amazing.
If this had blueberries in it, you would’ve been reading my mind for the last few days. Totally craving summer via cake form and I think this is it. Or as close as I’ll get to it during February in Massachusetts.
A handful of years ago I was on a huge bike ride, and barreling down a hill at about 35mph. The day was hot, so my jersey was unzipped and I happened to be wearing one of my lower-neckline sports bras. And then a wasp, who has the amazing ability to STING MULTIPLE TIMES (mother-effers) flew into my sports bra. I couldn’t slow down because one of my friends was drafting off my rear wheel by only a few inches. So I reached my hand down my bra (while traveling 35mph on my skinny-tired road bike, mind you) and tried to grab that stupid’ wasp. He got me 3 times on my boobies before I got him out! And of course there was a huge group of cyclists climbing slowly up the hill in the other direction who got to see me groping myself while riding recklessly. I’m sure that vision made their day. ; )
The positive outcomes: The pain from the stings kept my mind off the ache in my legs over the remaining 60 miles of my ride. And from that point forward, I have always worn a base layer under my jersey and a high-necked sports bra, especially on hot days when I know it’s likely my jersey will be unzipped at some point.
Damn stinging creatures.
u are so right. like really, do they have any legit reason to be doing that??!? are they all freaking perverts or something?!?!
now i’m really freaked out cause spring is coming. victoria secret- here i comeeEEE!
— after a huge bite of this cake… murrrrr
Oh, Joy. That is one hilarious story! I’m sorry you were mortified, but at least you came out alive! I could share a few stories about me humiliating myself in front of strangers, but, well, I’d be humiliating myself in front of strangers by doing so. Rest assured, you are not alone! And this cake looks totally awesome (like, fer sure!). I love lemon and my kids love cornbread so it’s a win-win! Thanks for sharing.
Oh…Joy! What a funny story! Laughing still. The cake sounds and looks good. I’ll just add this to my long list of goods to bake.
Um can you say delicious? And who wouldn’t want cake for breakfast. This is going in my “planning to bake at some point when I have time” folder for sure.
I totally would have ripped my shirt off if there was a bee down it. Unfortunately, my physique is not, um, well I’m just not very cute without any clothes on (most days, I barely qualify as “presentable” let alone cute – even with clothes one!). So kudos to you for getting a look (and not a pointing & laughing-at) – even with your ugly bra ;)
Totally making the cake for Saturday morning breakfast this weekend. I heart desserts for breakfast! (this may explain the extra jigglies & wigglies that render my body unfit for public viewings!).
So I’ve been eating cake for breakfast and this whole time, there’s a cake specifically for breakfast??
Ok two things.
1. between the high colonic description and this bee freak out I think that you are going to be responsible for me spontaneously developing a 6 pack of major abs from laughing so much.
2. If it makes you feel any better when I was a child I witnessed my father, a full grown man (who looks a little like a cross between Grizzly Adams and Santa(he has Santa cheeks)), do a full on strip to his undies bee freak out squeeling like an angry piglet. He was lucky enough to be in the woods at the time but the whole family was watching and believe me, we have never let him forget his Bee Dance.
Ahhh Joy I love you!! ^_^ I haven’t laughed like that in a loonnnngg time :D I’m sure any witnesses were probably jealous you had a reason to take off your shirt and they didnt ^_~ jk
That cake looks amaaazzzinnnnggg!!! I’ll need to make this asap :D
Mowing the front lawn in my shorts, wasp flew up my shorts and after a rather hectic dance ended up with no clothes at all. Junior College across the street and class was out, received a great round of applause but would rather not repeat the performance.
You poor thing! If it soothes any of the embarrassment, I would have totally done the same. When there’s a bee within a three foot radius, you pretty much have to let your personal dignity fall by the wayside and swat away.
Oh, and this whole “breakfast cake” concept? Brilliant. :D
That was absolutely hilarious. Being a guy I rarely worry about what bra I’m wearing. If I ever do I think I will have something more pressing to be concerned about :). I love the idea of a cornmeal cake, and this is something I have been actually looking for the last few days since I have been on a bit of a cornbread tear recently.
I have to say, I’ve been reading your blog for over a year and while I do love everything about it… I’ve never felt as inclined to comment as I do now…
Joy, you are fabulous. This post made me smile so huge. You are an amazing person and an even better writer. Keep doing what you’re doing!
Thank you for sharing that story! As embarrasing as it was for you, it definitely got a smile and a laugh out of me. It reminds me of the time a June beetle (I hate those big, crunchy things!) flew up my pant leg…and I suppose you could guess what happened next…those pants were off in less than 1.569249 seconds! Luckily, I was at my own home so only my immediate family witnessed the hysteria!
Oh man, that’s brutal. I was once in a 400-person lecture in university and a bee flew on me. I should mention that I am allergic to bee stings and also that insects freak me out. I started trying to whack it with my textbook, but that made it made and everyone in the lecture hall ended up staring at me, including the professor. I didn’t know what to do so I grabbed my stuff and hightailed it out of there. I might not have been half-naked, but trust me, I understand bee-related embarrassment.
Plus, it’s a really funny story! Have some hot chocolate with Bailey’s… always makes me feel better.
so funny! I’m glad you weren’t harmed by the bee! That cake looks good.
This is some funny stuff! Maybe next time you bike down to Main St. let me know, I’ll stand in front of you just in case you need someone blocking the rest of the world from seeing. Don’t live too far, so I can be there in a jiffy…..
Also, it could have been much worse… what if you had chosen to got bra-less? See the ugly bra wasn’t so bad after all.
I just had to comment and say I read this via my blackberry while laying in bed at 6am today (I know, pathetic – I could actually get up and start my day but..) and laughed out loud while reading this. I then had to wake up my boyfriend to repeat the story (only I’m a bad storyteller) and he just moaned in annoyance that I woke him up but I HAD to! So funny! Thanks for starting my day out with a laugh!
i have so done the ripping of my shirt, panic screaming all the way…it was a spider though. also, once there was a bee in my soda can and i drank it. it was buzzing in my mouth…I screamed/spit it out onto my grandmother’s white carpet. i did not like it.
i do like cake. esp for breakfast. amen.
Not sure which I love more…the bee story or the recipe.
I’m going to say the bee story. Granted, I wish there was a hot fireman involved. LOL
Ah, but you see, if that had happened in the middle of the boardwalk in Venice, people might have thought you were a performance artist and given you money. I hope you escaped unstung! One question about the cake (which looks delightful) – can you use another type of pan for baking? Maybe a springform?
Oh Joy. What if you did stand up comedy and passed around lemon cornmeal breakfast cake during your shows?! I would be FIRST in line for that. For serious.
#1 I’m glad you’re okay #2 Bee’s sting people #3 That reminds me of the time I went for a jog in my new sports bra and this thin yellow shirt. I ran by a man – he smiled, I smiled back. I’m nice. I ran by another man – he smiled and kind of pointed to my shirt. I thought, whatever, he must like the color of my shirt? No. He was kindly trying to tell me that one of my boobs was showing. An entire boob had slipped out of my bra, just one, and was completely visible through my thin (why do I own such a thin, thin) shirt. I didn’t realize until I returned to the Joey Ray and saw myself in the hall of mirrors. I was mortified. I think I ran by a family? Oh dear .. Anyways, lessons learned: make sure your boobs are in lock down & for God’s sake wear a shirt with a decent thread count. Ugh!
oh dear indeed! those boobies down their have a mind of their own and men- stop staring and help trap those babies!
cheers to your utter confidence and ice cream on a cake for breakfast! you are so inspiring and this time- not joking. oh yeh, and bees suck. not your fault :P
I feel your pain, Joy. I have also ripped my shirt off in a screaming fit of hysteria to remove a wayward wasp. It was humiliating.
Hilarious story! Thanks for sharing…now I’ll make sure to always wear a cute bra (or cute undergarments, in general).
Oh, lordy. I would have turned purple if that happened to me! But I think I’d have gone with the possibility of a bee sting. So your bra wasn’t cute, but the more important lesson learned here is that at least you were wearing one, right?
Cake for breakfast is A+, especially when there is lemon and brown butter in the picture. I have skillet envy.
You have me totally cracking up and laughing while sitting at my computer! And, it reminded me of that old mom comment to always wear clean underwear in case you’re in a car accident and have to go to the hospital. On second thought, that’s pretty morbid and I should probably stop going out wearing a sweater over the tshirt I sleep in.
This made me crack up! Thanks for sharing your stories. It’s nice to find a fantastic cooking blog that is a pleasure to read as well. :)
this looks yum. after making whole wheat molasses bread with cornmeal 12 times, i am also in love with chewy filling cornmeal. can’t wait to try this! sorry about the bee incident by the way. i got stung on the eyelid once, and two days later i couldn’t open my eye. apparently i am allergic to bees. whoops
The good news is that with all your thrashing around and keeping your head down, I’m sure no one recognized you. And you didn’t get stung. :) Hopefully your lemon cake made you feel better. I know it would me! :) Lemon is like liquid sunshine, and cornmeal is comforting. I’m sure it was just what you needed to make you feel better! :)
my dress definitely blew up over my head one time when i wasn’t wearing underwear. during rush hour. on a weekday. in the city. clearly, i haven’t done that since.
the lemon breakfast cake would definitely help my humiliation as would the beloved. doused with plentiful lemon juice and powered sugar.
I have done something similar. The only differences between yours and mine is that 1) I was on a boat with family and 2) it was a huge wasp not a bee.
I remember my brother behind me panicking because I had a wasp on the back of my shirt. Fortunately, the wasp was so heavy that it dragged the shirt away from my body. He kept trying to get it off me without success. I finally, in a fit of panic, stripped that shirt right off of me and threw it down on the bottom of the boat. There I sat – with a bra on of course. Everyone, including me, was in a state of shock. Do I have to mention that it was all three of my brothers and my Dad present? And, that I was the only female on board? We were all grown ups too?
I remember Dad saying something along the lines of “you shouldn’t have done that”. I remember responding back immediately with something like “better that than me getting stung and possibly going to the ER”.
My brother picked up the shirt and opened it up over the water and the wasp fell out and I wished with all my heart it drowned. (My brother later told me that he could see that wasp repeatedly trying to sting me – yikes!) I calmly put the shirt back on. And, we went on fishing. At least, I didn’t get stung and because of that, our day was not ruined.
At least you have a good story to laugh about in the future. That’s how you have to look at these things, right? :-)
What, you put ice cream on your BREAKFAST cake?
So it went like this:
Juice cleanse one day – oh, yeah, the beet juice, I had so much energy, felt great, jeans fit!
Next day: Ice cream on cake for breakfast …
We could totally be friends….
I fell in a lake last summer. In front of God and everyone – it was a busy hiking trail. One minute, I was standing on the shoreline looking out at the water, the next I was sitting in the mud in chest-deep water. My dog sat on the shore and barked at me like “What the eff? Why are you in the lake? Don’t you know its WET?” To this day, I have no idea how it happened. Then I had to walk a mile back to my car soaking wet, covered in mud, and with squishy tennis shoes. On the busy hiking trail, leaving a wet puddle trailing behind me.
I tell you so that you will know you are not alone.
*fist bump*
Honestly Joy, I don’t know if it’s more awesome that you actually did freak out like that or if it’s more awesome that you wrote about it for all of us to enjoy. Either way you are amazing & I love your blog more and more each day :)
I would be mortified! Thank you for the lesson…I need to revamp my bra collection. The bees will be out soon.
The cake looks delicious! Your story had me literally LOL!
I have not laughed so hard in years! Tears are streaming down my face from laughing and I’m catching my breath! Thank you, thank you, thank you! What a great story. The recipe drew me in…we love cornbread here in our house, but you really put the icing on the cake with your story! I sorely needed a good stress relieving laugh this morning and I found it as topping to a wonderful recipe in your blog. (cleansing breath). What a wonderful surprise You made my day! A great laugh and a wonderful recipe. Stellar!
Blessings,
After spending the first 32 years of my life living in Santa Monica (only a few blocks from Main Street), I am here to agree with Ali that I am sure no one noticed your bee incident. Especially these days, unless the people around you were tourists, Main Street is filled with too many people involved only in themselves to notice anything like that.
Can’t wait to try your recipe this weekend!
I am peeing my pants reading this story; not funny that it happened to you but I could only imagine, arms a flapping, shirt being ripped off and people standing there, not offering to help. I have always said … wear nice underwear, you never know when you may be exposed!!!! ;)
Joy, I also, love the idea of breakfast cake; after all it includes pretty much all of the necessary healthy components!!! Thanks for feeding me this morning.
Yikes! Bees! Sigh. No fireman, or anyone else, to rescue you…
But cake for breakfast, that’s good! Especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
Take care, Joy. Watch out for bees…firemen…and a sale on a pretty bra!
Luv it. The cake and the story. But not the bee.
In my experience, bees are one of the few teeny small things that can reduce even the brawniest fireman to a steaming hot, screaming mess. So you are in good company. Plus, I’m sure that you looked a lot better freaking out than a brawny fireman would. I mean seriously, that would just be disturbing.
Thanks for the recipe – have an awesome, bee-less weekend.
Lol. Loved how you put two words that really shouldn’t be together – breakfast and cake (just as bad as breakfast and chocolate, something I’m not a stranger to).
2. Man, I still remember the time I clung to shot gun because a wasp decided to hang out in the back seat. My mom would not stop the car even though there was no traffic in the neighborhood.
I am deathly afraid of wasps, because everyone in my (immediate) family has been stung – even my dog (poor guy got stung on his eyelid). So I think that would be the only reason (well, I can’t think of anything else because I’m so preoccupied with this one).
3. I’m soooo glad your standards are like mine ?
So glad that you survived another day to make another delicious cake. Thanks!
yesterday i was volunteering at a soup kitchen, and at some point must have splashed something on my face, because when i got home two hours later, i had a mysterious white substance on my glasses and my nose and eye brow. it had to have been soup, but honestly, it looked like something else. that explains the weird looks i was getting from the homeless guys.
Twice recently, I have blushed so hard that my ears were red. I loved your story!
Oh, and the recipe — sounds amazing — thanks for that too!
I have just changed my bra :) Thanks for the tip!
Thanks, once again, for making me laugh out loud : )
I was just wondering what to do with my corn meal other than keep using it to dust my pizza stone! I’m in love with this cake – well sight love. Taste love will come soon!
Also, your story truly made me LOL – in all the right ways – not the laughing AT YOU ways. :) I’m sure you looked fine – shirtless/grandma-sports-bra and all!
A joke.
How do you scare a bee?
Boo-bee! (and this is where you pinch the joke recipient’s nip.)
P.S. Sorry about the bee drama. Bless your heart! I got stung by a wasp one time and I was mortified later that I had exclaimed, “It stang me! It stang me!” over and over again, in front of a load of people I knew. Pain apparently stifles my ability to conjugate verbs correctly. Oh, the horror. Seriously.
That is hilarious, and I would totally do the same thing! Thanks for the funny visual. I love the way you write!
Ten minutes away from pulling this out of the oven! It sounded too good not to make it right away. =) I admit, I tasted the batter and the glaze…and therefore, I’ve already filed this under “Recipes I Love.” Hasty? Maybe…but I’m betting not. ;)
My best friend got stung by a bee riding her bike when we were 10…My first bee string story involves me freaking out over a bee on my shoulder, squashing it, and winding up in the nurses office so they can get the stinger out….
I feel your pain about the bee… I had one fly in my open window while I was driving and land in my lap. I slammed on the brakes, jumped out of the car, and started screaming, “Bee on my lap! Bee on my lap!” However, I wasn’t stung, so I fully stand by my methods. :)
I bet you made for a good story for a lot of people that day. I’m surprised nobody came over to help you out though? Maybe they just didn’t want to end up with their shirt off too! What they don’t know is that you have amazing baking skills and they just lost a chance at the possibility of some of this lemon cornmeal cake!
Joy, I feel like this story is why we should be friends. I have had any number of mortifying experiences and can relate to exactly how you felt. That said, I’m incredibly jealous that you are someplace warm enough to have bees in February- Ohio is enjoying yet another snowstorm.
Also, I think if you’d looked at that person walking by you might’ve made a new friend with an awesome “this is how we met” story. :)
Oh, Joy! I am blushing for you.
But hey, at least you:
1) Don’t have a bee sting and
2) DO have a delicious lemon corn cake.
All is well!
I love your bee story! I would absolutely do that! Absolutely!
Wow, I feel your mortifiedness, is that a word? I lost my shirt in the middle of an intersection during rush hour traffic in Orange County on my way to college. Well it was actually ripped off me by a bike rack hook just after the van that hit me and my bike slammed on it’s brakes. I WISH I had been wearing a granny bra. But it was the 80’s, don’t judge me. The wonderfully understanding driver gave me his shirt to cover my boobies, my bike was toast though. So was my photography homework. I had tunnel vision too, but it was after falling off the bike rack and opening my eyes to see the tire of his van almost touching my nose. Mortified in so many ways. Didn’t help that it was my fault for being in the wrong lane.
On a side note, I had a boyfriend that used to sit on his porch when he was little and pick bees off the bushes by their wings and kiss their heads and let them go.
*love*
Coby, I can’t believe you didn’t marry that boyfriend. He sounds lovely. I love bees.
Note the part where I said *when he was little* he grew into a honey-lipped man that many MANY women have kissed. I am happily married to the man of my dreams now though! Thanks Elle!
*love*
Hay joy wow I am sorry about the bee, what a story ! the lemon cornmeal breakfast cake looks so good I love corn bread and I thinking abut that with lemon just awesome. thanks for this post!
hahahaha, the shirt story reminds me of the time I mooned Wal-Mart because there was a bug up my skirt. Very unfortunate day to be wearing a thong. I can’t wait to try the breakfast cake. It looks amazing.
JOy, you crack me up and share great recipes of course! Thanks for making me smile this morning :-)
Well your story certainly made my day! lol I don’t think I could even take my shirt off even if a bee was buzzing away down it! So props for that! And I’m really excited to try out this recipe. It has like everything I love! Cornbread. Lemon. Breakfast. And the lemon is a glaze! Even better :) SO EXCITED!!! Thank you Joy :)
Breakfast cake sounds like a great all day cake for me. I think I’m pretty simple and unassuming…in a good way because for some reason, that doesn’t seem like a positive description of myself haha.
I used to work in Santa Monica. I can assure you that you were quite normal and drew no attention to yourself. I mean, have you SEEN the people in Santa Monica? Especially on the Promenade? Normal, you are completely normal.
Hahahahahaha….Joy’s post combined with Ali’s comment just made my morning!!!
OMG!!! I am freaking out with you! I too would have torn off my shirt and ran around like a mad woman and would probably been taken away in a straight jacket by men in white coats!!! I have an irrational fear of bees!!!
Cake looks yummy BTW!
your shirt story made me laugh. i totally relate. i once was travelling with my family and we got a flat and stopped to fix at this old tire place with a “cafe” attached. my kids were little and i was holding one and chasing another and trying to keep them from the “cafe” which had video strip poker games. i noted everyone kept staring, but thought because we were strangers. Then I realized the son I was holding had some how manged to pull my shirt open and i was walking around in a lovely nursing bra (think 1980s nursing bra -UGLY) for who knows how long. Chin up, it could have been worse. No bra or bee stung you. thanks for the smile today. going to make the cake also at my next breakfast thing with company.
What a thing to read right after I put on the ugliest, beige-est, least attractive bra I own. Luckily, there aren’t too many bees in Chicago right now. And very few things would compel me to take of my shirt-chemical spill is the only thing I can think of right now.
Also, cake for breakfast? Yes please.
My goodness woman!
Sounds amazing – for breakfast…
Thank you for giving me my laugh for the day……….honestly not sure what I’d do, but removing my shirt I don’t think would enter my mind……I’m older and not as fit I fear………….good for you, all embarrassment aside.
That happened to me in college! I somehow had a wasp fly up my dress and got stuck there — I got stung four or five times before I got my dress off! Our health center almost made me go to the hospital (even though I’m not allergic!) so there’s a bright side for your story! Or maybe two bright sides — the cake too. :-)
That was hilarious and terribly horrifying at the same time!! How did the bee even get in your shirt, anway? But you have my admiration, you were brave :)
Awww. That must have been horrible. I would have freaked out too, so don’t worry. I freakout when there’s a bee outside of the car even, so you are not alone and I’m sure the people weren’t laughing at you, just conserned for your mental stability if they couldn’t see the bee. But luckily you probably will never see those people again, right? :)
Lovely cake by the way. I want to buy a cask iron skillet just for it haha.
I love you! You are hilarious! You made me laugh so hard I cried, sorry!
The breakfast cake looks good.
I love you, joy! you remind all your fortunate readers that it’s ok to be human. :)
sorry there was no one there to give you their shirt. where’s a hunky fireman when you need one?
I love the long posts at the moment! Please keep that going, I love your writing :) And I can totally feel with you, I guess it’s like when you dream that you are at school naked… except it’s not a dream, which makes it *slightly* worse :D
Good job not blushing or looking up. I surely would have done both, thus making the shirtless shame much, much worse.
Please know that I love lemon, cornmeal, breakfast, and cake…. so to combined all four… ooo wee, can’t wait!
Can you believe I was just proclaiming my love for cornbread 5 minutes ago? Therefore I know I’d love this cake more than I’d love a bee minding it’s own business.
But that bee story is a funny one, and I feel like I can relate to you with the humiliation. I am one who’s good at falling out doors and stuff. Way to not blush though! High five for being awesome!
Your story reminds me of the scene in “Ever After” where the evil step-sister finds out that “Cinderella” has been wooing the prince and she gets up and FREAKS OUT in a fit of jealously. When she returns the Queen asks her, “Oh my. Are you quite alright?” and she responds, ever so demurely, “There was a bee.”
Your story justifies her actions.
I just snorted hot coffee out my nose. Well done.
Can’t wait to try the cake. It will make up for the burnt nostrils.
psdeepdish.blogspot.com
I would have been a tomato face for sure! Thank you for continuously cracking me up every morning, I LOVE your blog. Keep doin what you’re doin!
Haha, that’s tooo funny. I’m sorry, I can’t help but laugh! I think averting your gaze was def the was to pull through the episode with dignity. Too bad you didn’t get to remove your shirt for reason #3…I think i’d gladly do that AND make full eye contact ;)
You are hilarious. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us! And the cake looks absolutely delicious…
I read this on my Google Reader (at work) and you had me in tears I was laughing so hard. I freak out at bees, too. I have been stung approximately 10 times, including one directly beneath my eye in the soft spot above the bone. If that f***ing bee had been down my shirt, I would have probably done the same thing.
Also, I think you need to write a novel in addition to a cookbook. Or a series of essays, whatever. Your writing style is amazing. So funny and honest. In most blogs, I don’t read most of the entry, just skip to the recipe. Not true with you! :)
AAAHH! I’ve had a bee sting me on the same place underneath my eye! IT SUCKS!
I also stuck my hand into an old garden glove once and there was a bee hiding in the thumb. It stung me UNDER my fingernail. You know how bad that hurts? I walked around with my thumb in ince water for 2 days.
This is the first time I’ve ever replied to something I’ve read – a bloggin’ virgin! There are a few of us left out there…..aren’t there?! I’ve just discovered your wonderful site and the story this morning cheered up a grey and dreary winter’s day in England where, to be frank, it’s so damn cold you’d keep your shirt on even if you had a whole hive of bees in your shirt. Am so looking forward to trying out more of your yummy recipes….is it possible to convert the weights and measures to English ones? Is there a site which will do this for me – remember, I’m a newbie at this game!
You know why I love your blog? Because you post a recipe called “breakfast cake” and show it with a scoop of ice-cream on it – my kind of breakfast!! Hey, it’s dairy!
I think this happened to Stephanie Plum in a Janet Evanovich novel one time. Terrifically funny, fact or fiction!
I like the “good deed” aspect of it. That’s the way to go.
I’m sorry to say this, since you are clearly mortified, but I just laughed out loud. Thanks for that. I’m happy to see that I’m not the only lady who freaks out over little things like that. When I worked at a zoo, my boss told me they would watch me through the window sometimes because me and the bugs were putting on a comedy show. Trust me, I have been there.
Thats story just made my morning…hysterically laughing right now. I too have what some people may call an irrational and overreacting fear of bees. I think i black out when one is around me and have no idea what my actions are until someone tells me later and impersonates me running around like a doofus screaming my head off.
….oh yea and the cake looks divine :]
At least you didn’t have ants in your pants. Having old, dingy, holey underwear is equally as emBARE-ASSing, for sure. ;)
So that’s why our moms always told us never to leave the house in dirty underwear! Sorry to hear about your misfortunes! We all have a story (or two, if you’re me) like that! That cake looks wonderful, a great way to end a not-so-great day!
I so understand you! I was stung by a bee once. I was at the gym, working out in the chest press machine wearing a very petite top, when I felt a tickling on my chest. when I touched it, it was a bee and it stung me. I screamed so loud!!! All the men stopped and looked at me, some came over to see what’d happened, and I felt so embarassed…
It hurt a lot for several hours after, so if I was in your situation I would do exactly the same thing you did!
I’m taking your advice… always wear nice underwear.
And the cake looks very good, I’m making it this weekend. (I just have to go buy an iron skillet first… i’ve been collecting excuses to buy one)
The only reason why I’m not laughing hysterically out loud at this is because #1)I should be working not reading this :) and #2) I could see this happening to me. I love that you can share this kind of stuff.
Something about the phrase “breakfast cake” means all is right with the world.
What humiliation…? :)
all of these posts and not one saw the connection between your cleanse and attraction to bees. Bees love beet juice, I hear. MY MORAL is don’t cleanse. But Elle, your grandmother was right: you just never know……
Oh Joy that story is so funny and so brilliantly told. I bet the dude walking past you thought – wow a pretty girl without her top on – and it probably made his day. So think of your shirt taking off as a good deed.
Also now I am taking your advice on the pretty bra front :) Just in case
xxxx
There’s a cake you can eat for breakfast? Legitimately? I’m already making it…
Lesson learned: always wear a cute bra… This cake looks sooo good!
Oh my gosh, you poor thing! Not to laugh at your expense, but I’ve been up since 3am for a flight and your post is the only thing that could put a smile on my face.
So I’ve definitely had bees down by shirt before. I was in Costa Rica, standing in the middle of a river doing water sampling. In front of 10 male scientist, I ripped my shirt off and ran towards the shore. They all doubled over laughing, telling me to calm down because the bees were only biting bees, not stinging bees. Um, it still hurt. A lot.
Have a good day, Joy! Try to forget about this! :)
Oh, NOW I see the temp. Giggle! Thanks, Joy!!
Joy-You make me laugh early in the morning. That’s why this is my fave blog! I am baking this cake RIGHT NOW for my kids…then break the news to them that they have to do Saturday chores today. Going to take a wild guess and bake @350…. Thanks for the laughs and the recipes~I am feeling your pain!
Now, Joy, where was the fireman to take off his shirt to save you?? I wouldn’t have looked up either. I had my dress blow over my head once while walking in downtown Boston – believe I was wearing granny pants. I was tempted to jump in the harbor. But a big piece of this cake would make the world right again. Digging out the skillet now . . .
That was a great story, Joy. Thanks for the laugh.
HAHAHAHA amazing story!! I’ve never had to take my shirt off in public thank goodness, but if a bee were down my shirt I would do exactly what you did.
This cake would sure make me feel better. Mmmm.
Lol, oh Joy. I can so imagine this because it happened to my mom when she was driving our old 1970’s motor home down the freeway when I was a kid. The small triangle window flap was open on the driver’s side and a big bee hit it just right and flew straight down my mom’s shirt. She yelled, screeched to a stop on the side of the freeway, ran out the driver’s door and ripped her shirt off with cars and trucks flying by. I do believe a trucker or two honked as they went past. =) I can still see her standing there freaking out, shirtless, by the side of the freeway.
Is that ice cream on top of the cake, or whipped cream in the picture at the top?
Love your story… and the cake recipe. Honey would have been another great addition to the recipe… in honor of the bee :)
Yeah, payback time.
Joy, I so loved your honesty and your great storytelling. When my now-husband first stayed a weekend at my parents’ home, my Dad kept bees. My husband has curly hair and while he was with Dad in the garden, he felt a bee crawl into his hair. The bee was apparently regretting his choice. T ran uncontrollably down the path towards me, yelling like a lunatic. That was when Dad boomed out, ‘don’t panic, they only sting you if they’re trapped.’
I think we are proving that we are not responsible for our actions in a bee encounter!
Have a great weekend.
OMG, well as long as you didn’t get stung then it had to be worth it!
Oh dear… I’m so sorry, but this made me laugh. A LOT.
The cake looks gorgeous though, and cake for breakfast is always a good thing.
I’m allergic to bees, so I was conditioned from an early age to remain calm and move slowly when a bee is spotted. One time when I was about eight I was drinking Kool-Aid from an insulated travel mug — the kind with a plastic lid with a hole on one side to drink from — and when I took a drink I felt a bee grab onto my tongue. Seriously, I felt all six of its legs holding on [it’s 20 years later & I still remember what that felt like… it’s NOT pleasant]. I spit it out and Kool-Aid went all over the kitchen table. I screamed and screamed. Evidently the bee had crawled into the hole to drink. To this day I still don’t drink from cups with opaque lids.
I think I’m jealous that the state you are in you only had one shirt on- so therefore only had to take one layer off. If this had happened where I live in Maine I would have had to take off my bulky vest, jacket, sweatshirt, long sleeve shirt, and then kill the bee. But even then there wouldn’t be any bees cuz its SO FREAKING COLD!
So there’s always a bright side- at least you live where it’s warm- i might even go shirtless for a whole day if it would just magically be warm here.
I am glad that your experience led you to make this amazing cake. Ill make it this weekend!
You poor thing, Joy! I think a bee down your shirt is perfect justification for ripping your shirt off in public, ugly bra or no. I’m glad you didn’t get stung! (And the cake looks delicious. I’m thinking of making it for friends.)
i guess that’s why my momma always said to wear nice panties when you leave the house. you never know when you might be in a car accident. i suppose the same goes for bees and bras…..
Life lessons, Joy, that’s why I keep coming back. Off to Victoria’s Secret I go.
I love the lesson from this ripping story “always wear a cute bra!!” Had a hearty laugh after ages…sorry for that. Since I am on the other side of the scene, can’t imagine what would I do in such circumstances :(
Lovely cornmeal cake, had baked a similar one in the oven.
Joy this cake looks absolutely yummy ! I am not from the States, so not that clear on what yellow cornmeal is. Is it like polenta or is it like the more fine yellow stuff I call corn flour (not refering to corn starch here)? Thanks so much !
I had a bee fly down the back of my shirt WHILE DRIVING. The yellow and black mean thing stung me. I managed to steer the car to safety and address the bee situation. And this has happened to me twice. I now drive with the windows closed. Always.
I will make the humiliation cake. Meyer lemons might be good too. Lovely cake.
Next time have a fireman around.
I’m with Chihiro in this one – there is no way a bee could get under all those layers where I live. In fact, there are no bees at this time of year because it is TOO COLD. But your hot and sunny climate is probably not worth that kind of naked-in-public trauma. Also, breakfast cake? I don’t need any more excuses for eating cake at all times of the day, but this is definitely the best excuse so far!
ahh… there there…. you can always tell the story without recollection of the ugly bra…. that cake looks fantastic… am making it today
My poor dear! That horrible bee! and no hunky fireman to save you in sight… sigh.
My grandma taught me to always ALWAYS wear nice underwear in case i’m hit by a car or something and taken by ambulance to a hospital and a nice, handsome & available doctor is treating me in the ER… grandmothers are wise about such things.
This cake will so be mine! I will love it and squeeze it and call it George and then I will EAT it!
(I don’t have a horrible fascination and love for all things lemon. Nosiree. Nothing to see here. Move along.)
I love you, i love you blog and love that u are original and REAL! Sorry about the bee and lovely cake! :o)
There is something so very right about the words ‘breakfast’ and ‘cake’ in the same sentence.
I’m thinking of getting some bees this year, so I may now have to review my underwear drawer in the light of your recent bee-drama.
Oh thank you so much for making this sick girl laugh this morning!!! I had a similar but not total rip the shirt off experience with a moth…now I am terrified of moths all together…but lovely cake recipe…I have to go buy an iron skillet now to try this lovely breakfast cake…my co-workers will love you!!
I feel for you. Once I was sitting outside my apartment on a very busy street putting fresh soil into a pot for a new plant. I was using my hands and all of a sudden I realized I had a hand full of 1 giant worm. I screamed blue murder (that’s very loud) and whipped the dirt and worm at a parked car in front of me. 3 people walking by were stunned and not sure what to do. I still cringe and can not to this day handle bagged dirt.
Joy, you know I should strangle you. I woke up with this in my inbox and almost died. sigh, I guess I will have to try to make when I come of my anti-candida diet. You know how much I love lemon. Ok so maybe you don’t but that was an evil thing to do, sending this to my inbox.. :D
It looks beautiful and yummy.. love this blog!
Oh Joy,
I EMPATHIZE with your bee experience- I had one of my own while on the final leg of the bike portion of my first (and only) triathalon…coming into the transition area with family cheering, boyfriend watching~ bee flies down my sports bra, I slam on the brakes, flip over my handlebars (crash, of course) and THEN rip off my shirt and part of my bra (I may have trumped you in the humiliation department). Lemon cornmeal breakfast cake sounds lovely and much less traumatic. Thank you as always for making me smile!
Oh my! The same thing happened to me-when I was in the car! Thankfully, I had just pulled into a parking lot and was able to park…and the bee was a tiny little sweat bee. Did sting me, but got him out. How does a bee manage to do that? (And my car had the a/c running and the windows closed!)
Glad you survived. The lemon cake I will try! It sounds lovely! Do you think instead of the all-purpose flour I could substitute something else to make it gluten-free? It would be fine for me, but I have many close family members who can’t tolerate gluten at all. Thanks!
Oh MY. This made me laugh – very loudly. I wondered what I would have done in your shoes – maybe take my top off, but definitely swear like a fishmonger’s wife until I got the bee off! And thanks for posting this recipe. We have TWO cash iron pans, both impulse buys. Haven’t used it much apart from frying up chops and searing steak. Now I can try out this cake in it! Yay!!
I’m sorry for laughing (twas a funny story), but I would do the exact same thing in that situation. Once I was driving and there was a huntsman spider climbing up my windscreen (on the inside naturally) and I shrieked, pulled into the nearest driveway which was a gas station and jumped out screaming. But I did have my clothes on ;)
And that cake is right up my alley, I adore lemon cakes :D
Oh my. I can so picture this happening to me. I once managed to be attacked by a bee and be startled so heavily that I jumped backwards, into a pond. Granted, I didn’t take off my shirt, but I am pretty sure it didn’t really matter. Everything that could have been showing was showing. Argh.
The cake looks delicious!
Oh my gosh! Joy, you are awesome! This story (while not funny at the time, I’m sure!) just made me laugh so hard…there may have been a tear or two! I only laugh because I have been there. Dang bees. However mine was not a button down shirt, it was a tshirt. A tshirt that got stuck on my sunglasses and therefore stuck on my head. Dang tight tshirts. Imagine that mess. And mine was fully observed. Oh yes. And most of them were “friends”. I put friends in quotes because their status was all in question that night after not one of them helped me because they were too busy laughing hysterically. Oh yes. Such fun.
So, feel good that you had but one observer! and you made someone smile :D
Funny, you certainly gave the bee a real shock, he/she will never do this again in the short life they have.
THAT WAS YOU??
jk. If I had been there, I would have held up my beach towel to cover you, like if you were at the beach. Which you basically were. Just think of it that way.
I was nodding in agreement to your list of reasons to take off shirt and calculating how long it would take to strip down to my bra (poofy coat, muffler, sweater…)
And only then did I process:
It was warm enough yesterday to be outside in one. single. layer?
I want to relocate.
(loved this post. sorry about the bee!)
You are so funny! I don’t blame you at all. I think I would have have done the same thing. Or stopped, dropped and rolled?
Mmm cake.
In college my roommate had a similar experience. Only it was a giant flying roach under her shirt. She was carrying groceries, so she dropped them, tore off her shirt and came running into the apartment screaming. Unfortunately we had guy friends over, so she ended up shirtless in front of them (and there was still a live roach in her wadded up shirt in the apartment). Overall, it was very traumatic. Cake would have made things better.
I really appreciate when people own up to things like this. This made me laugh, mostly because I can picture myself doing the same thing.
And I love cake for breakfast. Or any time of the day. This is just another reason why I need a cast iron skillet.
I LOVE this story… hilarious! I’m very impressed you didn’t blush, because I’m positive my face would be purple. Good on you!
I adore your blog. Please keep up the awesome posts! :)
I would probably do the same if I found a bee down my shirt. There was a bumble bee in my car once, and I had to pull over and jump out as quickly as possible and wait for it to amble out on its own. I don’t mind bees, I just don’t want them to sting me!
Oh well, that cake looks fantastic. And I love that it’s meant for breakfast.