This Boy Elroy

I cannot cook, but I can most certainly bake and nothing brings me more enjoyment then trying out some delightful new cake or cookie recipe over the weekend. Last weekend’s adventure had me taking on a classic Southern recipe, a caramel cake. The true key to this cake is certainly the frosting, and personally I feel the sweeter the better. I have learned over time that setting out and measuring all of the ingredients in advance of actually making the cake is the best way to operate. It also makes me feel very professional, like I am hosting my own cooking show.

An important part of making the cake for this particular recipe is using buttermilk, and while I am not a big fan of the taste of buttermilk on its own when it is used in cake, pancake, biscuit, and many other kinds of recipes it results in an exceptional flavor. Learning how to properly grease and flour a pan is an under appreciated key to turning out perfect cakes every time. I love to grease by pans with butter, I really feel that it does wonders for the final taste.

The frosting recipe called for butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and powdered sugar. The first three ingredients are heated and then combined with the powdered sugar. The result is a frosting that is easy to spread, but that still ends up with the characteristic glossy finish on the cake that has made caramel cake famous. After allowing the cakes to cool it was time to assemble and enjoy, and it was absolutely delightful. The frosting recipe allowed for a nice thick layer of frosting between the cake layers, and the final result was, in a word, delicious.

When most people think of famous artists, they think in terms of one name, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Pollock, Van Gogh, and Monet are some of the names that fall from people’s lips when the subject of art is brought up. What most people don’t realize is that art isn’t always a solitary activity. Some artists found that they achieved their best work when they united with another soul. Gilbert and George are a strong example of how wonderful work can happen when one has a partner.

The pair, who married in 2008, claims to have fallen in love at first sight when they met at college. Interestingly enough, they say it wasn’t art that brought the pair together, but rather language. Gilbert, German by birth, spoke heavily accented English. He claims that during those early school years, George was the only person who could actually understand a word they said. Whether it was language or art that brought the pair together, the world can agree that the couple has created a lasting impression.

One of the first things the pair created called the Singing Sculptures. It’s a beautiful example of living art. The style the pair created with their singing sculptures has become a trademark of Gilbert and George work.

Today the couple is best known for their work in graphic design. They are the leading graphic designers in the world and the things they’ve created might not be the most beautiful art in the world, but it is certainly some of the most eye-catching. The most famous Gilbert and George work is called The Pictures. Since then, they’ve also gotten worldwide acclaim for Jack Freak Pictures, Sonofagod Pictures, and Planed.

I have to admit that most of my life I have been anti-gay rights. However, one single event has changed the way I view not just gay rights, but human rights in general. My lovely niece came clean about why her marriage came to a sudden end; she is gay.

After nearly choking I recovered my senses enough to smile and utter something to the tune of “um, oh, uh”. To say I was shocked does not come close to describing how I felt. I was not sure how I felt; she is the first in our extended family to come forth and openly express her lesbian sexuality.

That day I was able to assure her I would not desert her. My niece has a daughter from her heterosexual marriage and I found myself worrying constantly about how my great-niece would be affected at school when the news got out that her mother is gay. I worried about how my niece would be treated at work if her “secret” got out; would her employer come up with some reason to dismiss her? The safety of my niece and my great niece was a huge concern to me; I feared homophobic reaction in the form of physical assault. Then it dawned on me, I am obsessing over possible negative scenarios and I am not even gay.

All of a sudden it became clear to me what gays everywhere must feel; fear of rejection. I am not so afraid for my niece any more; she has settled into a good life with her life partner. They are happy, they love each other and they are making a good home for my great niece. They have showed me that everyone deserves to be loved regardless of their sexuality.