when the weather outside is frightful

stay in and bake! That's what my daughter and I did yesterday. Initially she was all about cupcakes but, when she thumbed through the "Magnolia Bakery Cookbook", she got her heart set on a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. So we got all the ingredients out and realized we had no buttermilk. No problem: I learned from my new fave, "The Essential New York Times Cookbook" by Amanda Hesser  - she's a genius on so many levels - that you can make your own by adding a tablespoon of white or cider vinegar to a scant cup of milk. So we sifted and stirred and shoved the pans in the oven and by afternoon tea time we were able to enjoy a delicious slice of cake, a hot cup of English Breakfast and the latest episode of "What Not to Wear".