Good Tuesday morning.
As previously discussed (disclosed?), Thanksgiving isn’t my favorite holiday. I am, however, a very big fan of pie.
This is a year-round sort of a thing. There are very few pies I’ve come across that I didn’t like, though I like a double crust, because if the crust is good – flaky, crispy, buttery (no lard or Crisco here, sorry) – there can’t be too much of it, IMHO.
Fruit pies are my preference, and for those even a humble crumble top or graham cracker crust will suffice. I don’t love a cream or meringue, but wouldn’t turn it down. I think the only hard pass I can think of is mince, even though they don’t in the modern version usually contain meat.
Even though I consider pie holiday agnostic, it is most closely associated with Thanksgiving – especially pumpkin, apple, and pecan. For some reason, however, whoever it is that dreams up the “day of” calendar has decided to dedicate today to cake.
There are many different kinds of foods that incorporate the world “cake” – pancakes, hoe/johnny cakes, crab cakes, rice cakes, etc. For the purpose of this post, we are speaking of the sort of cake that is traditionally eaten for dessert. In this case, too, there are many different varieties – from dense chocolate cake to light angel food cake and everything in between.
The tradition of baking cakes dates back centuries, likely to ancient Egypt, though these early versions were likely more like what we today would consider bread, or maybe even cookies. They were unleavened, sweetened with honey, and sometimes made more flavorful with the addition of spices or nuts. The word “cake” is derived from the Norse word for flatbread, which is “kaka.”
The Greeks are credited with adding eggs, butter and leavening agents to the mix, giving cake that, well, cake-like consistency with which we can familiar. Other early versions were reminiscent of cheesecake and/or fruitcake with lots of dried fruits and nuts and perhaps even booze involved.
Icing, which in my opinion is pretty much the only reason to eat cake to begin with, used to be a mixture of sugar, egg whites, and flavorings boiled together, which sounds a little on the yuck side. This changed in the 19th century, when buttercream frosting gained in popularity.
Elaborate wedding cakes have always been fairly traditional, as cakes have long been viewed a both a treat and a cause for celebration. Also, given the fact that they were made from ingredients that could be seen as precious or extra – butter and sugar in particular – they were something more frequently enjoyed by those of means.
There are, of course, budget versions and hacks for cakes, especially when it comes to zhuzing up cake mixes to make them a little less utilitarian. One can add all sorts of things, from mayonnaise (replacing eggs, oil and/or butter) and soda to applesauce and greek yogurt.
The holiday forecast still isn’t looking terribly good. We’ll get a taste of it this morning with some rain showers and clouds, (temperatures will be in the mid-to-high 40s).
There will be a slight reprieve tomorrow, and then Thursday, well, right now it appears to be wet – in the form of rain or snow or possibly a mix of both – gray, and cold. Not great for impromptu outdoor family football games, and certainly not great for travel.
Then again, it’s upstate and things are subject to change quickly in the weather department. Also, forecasters are having a hard time pinpointing the exact timeline and direction of this Nor’easter. Black Friday, in particular, is potentially going to be very messy indeed.
Stay tuned.
In the headlines…
President-elect Donald Trump said that he will impose new tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China through an executive order on the first day of his new term next year.
In a series of posts on Truth Social, the president-elect said he would enact tariffs of 25 percent on all Canadian and Mexican goods, and add another 10 percent tariff to all Chinese goods, many already under tariffs Trump imposed during his first term.
Trump mentioned a caravan of migrants making its way to the United States from Mexico, and said he would levy the tariff by executive order until drugs and migrants stopped coming over the border.
Special counsel Jack Smith asked a federal judge to dismiss the case accusing Trump of plotting to overturn the 2020 election, citing longstanding Justice Department policy shielding presidents from prosecution while in office.
The move announced in court papers marks the end of the Justice Department’s landmark effort to hold Trump accountable for what prosecutors called a criminal conspiracy to cling to power in the run-up to his supporters’ attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
A judge dismissed the charges against Trump related to the Jan. 6 riots after Smith threw in the towel — with the president-elect bashing the case as solely “political hijacking.”
Presiding US District Judge Tanya Chutkan of Washington, DC, granted Smith’s motion seeking to dismiss the charges based on Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election and the precedent against indicting a sitting US president.
Trump’s legal team found evidence that a top adviser asked for retainer fees from potential appointees in order to promote them for jobs in the new administration, five people briefed on the matter said.
Trump, in a news release, said James Braid would serve as director of the Office of Legislative Affairs. Braid is a top aide to Vice President-elect JD Vance, having been his lead policy staffer during his two years in the Senate.
Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader, is stepping down from that post in January. He appears to be positioning himself to focus on issues that could put him at odds with Trump on policy and personnel at the dawn of his second term.
Natalie Harp, a 33-year-old former anchor on a right-wing cable show, is poised to become the primary conveyor belt for information to and from the president.
The Biden administration said that it would lend $6 billion to help Rivian build an electric car factory in Georgia, part of an effort to lock in Democratic climate policies before Trump takes office.
A blame game between the Biden administration and GOP lawmakers is underway after a key disaster loan program saw its funds run out in the middle of a destructive hurricane season.
President Joe Biden playfully swiped a Hawaiian roll from a military buffet line Monday as Cyndi Lauper’s hit “Girl Just Want to Have Fun” blasted at a Coast Guard facility on Staten Island — before reclaiming a microphone to say “I’ve been fired.”
Defense Secretary-designee Pete Hegseth is demanding a file from the Monterey County, Calif., district attorney’s office that his legal team believes may contain additional exonerating information about a 2017 sexual assault allegation against him.
Kamala Harris could be the next governor of the Golden State. After being defeated by Trump, the former Democratic presidential nominee has told her inner circle she will keep all options open. That could include California’s 2026 gubernatorial race.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams announced yesterday that he would resign in December, ahead of Trump taking over the White House.
“I am confident I am leaving at a time when the Office is functioning at an incredibly high level – upholding and exceeding its already high standard of excellence, integrity, and independence,” Williams said in a statement.
Jeff Blau, CEO of the New York City real estate firm Related Companies, a generous donor to Gov. Kathy Hochul, lobbied her administration on the future of a financially challenged transmission line.
Rep. Ritchie Torres sent a letter yesterday to Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams condemning the duo over the alleged murders of three city residents.
“Kathy Hochul is the new Joe Biden. She may be in denial about the depth of her vulnerabilities as a Democratic nominee,” Torres wrote Friday in a post on the social platform X.
Torres confirmed he’s considering a run for New York governor, while continuing an onslaught of attacks against fellow Democrat Hochul.
Hochul vetoed a bill that would have pushed up a deadline for bids to open a casino in or around New York City. “Changing the timeline …. would likely have the impact of helping certain bidders and hurting others,” she said in her veto message.
Hochul vetoed a bill on Friday that sought to streamline the contract and procurement process for non-profit organizations working with New York State.
The governor signed into law a bill that allows Syracuse to charge a new lodging tax to visitors who stay in hotels or motels in the city.
Hochul signed “Melanie’s Law” — which allows courts to issue orders of protection for domestic violence victims’ family members, regardless of their age — during an emotional ceremony in Poughkeepsie.
Hochul announced eight appointees to the community advisory board tasked with making recommendations to develop a plan for the financial health, viability, and sustainability of SUNY Downstate Hospital and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.
Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado wrote about the future of Democratic leadership in a New York Times op-ed and then followed that up with appearances on MSNBC.
State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins seemed to put to bed the prospect of a special session to preemptively address the upcoming Trump presidency, while avoiding specifics on what her conference will be focused on next year.
A man came to state Sen. Cordell Cleare’s Harlem office yesterday, threatening her staff that he would “shoot up” and “blow up” the office if he didn’t get to see her. He was arrested and charged with making terroristic threats, among other things.
Two auto insurance companies will pay over $11 million to New York after data from over 120,000 New York customers was leaked in a November 2020 cyberattack that allowed hackers to exploit the state’s unemployment system.
The ability of New York’s energy grid to adequately handle future electricity needs is narrowing as power plants are aging and not being replaced, demand is expected to increase, and the zero-emission mandates are looming, according to the NYISO.
Jessica Tisch was sworn in as the NYPD’s new commissioner yesterday, the fourth top cop to assume the role during Mayor Eric Adams’ first three years in office.
The new commissioner does not have uniformed police experience but has served in civilian roles within the NYPD over the years—something Adams addressed before the ceremony.
Adams praised Tisch as “someone who understands what it is to lead” before swearing her in at NYPD headquarters. Tisch’s children and mother stood with her during the ceremony as the new commissioner held her grandmother’s Bible.
“The police exist to eliminate fear and disorder…and they do a damn good job of it,” Tisch said. “We will continue to do that most important foundational work to make you safe, make you feel safe and to improve the quality of life across the city.”
Adams is facing an increasingly uncertain future as he stares down both a criminal trial and a likely fierce reelection battle next year.
Jewish students at the City University of New York recalled horrifying acts of antisemitism during a City Council hearing, as the school’s chancellor was grilled over his handling of on-campus hate.
Colleges and universities have tightened rules around protests, locked campus gates and handed down stricter punishments after the disruptions of pro-Palestinian demonstrations and encampments last spring. The efforts seem to be working.
The city Department of Transportation has installed 500 new loading zones to address double-parking and blocked bus and bike lanes, officials said.
The zones were created in response to public feedback gathered via a web platform launched last year that allows New Yorkers to report blocked bike, bus or travel lanes and instances of double-parking.
Those headed to JFK Airport ahead for Thanksgiving week travel should allow for long lines amid airport construction, Port Authority officials said.
The private equity firm Blackstone is paying some New York City renters more than $100,000 each to resolve claims that they were overcharged for rent-stabilized apartments, according to court papers and an announcement from a housing watchdog group.
The Blue Man Group, the long-standing and beloved off-Broadway show, will end its 34-year run in New York City in the new year.
Macy’s said an employee had “intentionally” misstated and hidden up to $154 million in delivery expenses over the past few years, forcing the retailer to delay a much-anticipated earnings report that Wall Street uses to gauge the strength of holiday shopping.
Macy’s made the announcement in a news release as the company shared its preliminary financial results for the third quarter of 2024.
The store said that while preparing its report of its financial statements for the fiscal quarter ending on Nov. 2, it discovered “an issue related to delivery expenses in one of its accrual accounts”, prompting the company to conduct an investigation.
Big Apple first responders and a grocery store mogul teamed up to dole out the first of a promised 10,000-holiday turkeys for seniors and the needy in the five boroughs.
A pilot who was carrying three rescue dogs to Albany was killed Sunday when his single-engine plane crashed in a remote section of the Catskill Mountains outside Windham.
The former St. John’s church on Albany’s Green Street might finally be headed toward a new future. It is among the projects the city submitted to the state as part of an application for $10 million in Downtown Revitalization Initiative funds.
The Saratoga Builders Association announced that the 2024 Saratoga Showcase of Homes raised $60,000, with proceeds benefiting Rebuilding Together Saratoga County and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren, and Washington Counties.
The superintendent of a Long Island school district was arrested Sunday night and charged with driving drunk in a serious crash in Suffolk County. Cops said Michael Hynes, 53, was driving in Sayville when he attempted to turn left and struck a motorcyclist.
Photo credit: George Fazio.
