Packed with Care & Baked: Apple & Chia Seed Cake

Six months ago, I moved cities. It was hard, hard to leave what I knew and loved and had become used to. Here is Part 1 of many…I wrote back in October.

—–00000—–

How do you pack up memories

Happy and sad

How do you box up thoughts

Ferry them across tar and concrete

‘Cause them to take root

Become planted in another place

How do you

How do you remember the warmth

The angst, The excitement

 And put that in a brown cardboard box

How do you

Birthdays, First dates, Graduation, Masterchef Australia finals

The orange couch

That throw pillow

How do you take them with you

But somehow leave them behind

How do you

Broken glass

Torn curtains

Pictures taken down

How do you take those memories with you

Of holidays, Dinners, Breakfasts and Brunches

How do you

Pack up a home

And leave it a house

How do you? 

Someone said ‘Don’t Waste the Pain’.

I’ve decided to make it count for something, so I wrote this.

I’ve moved several times in my life. Yes, I love the discovery and exploration of new places but at the very beginning when I’m suffering from all that needs to be done, I experience something pretty close to ‘hate’ and unhappiness on a rare scale.

I am miserable. Annoyed too, and I find plenty to stir up that anger; the fact that I’m never prepared for it. For the speed with which the packers put things into boxes, but always so orderly, so nicely done and well wrapped.

For try as hard as I can, I never do as much binning as I want to. Saying that though, I’ve learned that trashing things is easier to do as you unpack in that new place, but that’s for another post.

'Packed with care'  How do you pack up memories Happy and sad How do you box up thoughts Ferry them across tar and concrete 'Cause them to take root Become planted in another place  How do you  How do you remember the warmth The angst The excitement And p

This is my third move in seven years.

During the second move in 2011, my mentor, Allan, told me that moving (according to his brother, the psychiatrist) is one of the five most stressful periods in one’s life; up there with death or dying – losing your spouse, child, or someone close, getting divorced, getting married, giving birth and getting fired.

I agree.

There is a sense of being ‘uprooted’ after taking root in a place, weathering storms, and finally finding stability, only to be transplanted. Sigh.

'Uprooted'  I used to live here Planted.  Budding Blooming Blossomed.  I used to live here In soups And stews And chutneys I used to live here Till i left Uprooted  #vscocam #vscogram #vscolife #vscodaily #vscocollections #goodbye #sayinggoodbye #househom

Each time I move, I try to prepare myself mentally at least, but I fail spectacularly every single time. And so I turn to cake; my therapy.

It is always some kind of dump-it-all of fruit and flour and thoughts and memories. Chopped, stirred, turned out, and formed into something that brings comfort.

This time I make an apple-chia seed cake with almond meal and dried persimmons soaked in vanilla liqueur, vanilla powder, cinnamon, lemon zest, sugar, yogurt and the nuttiest most caramel beurre noisette – brown butter.

The mix. The cake mix.  Flour Chia seeds Almondmeal  Dried persimmons soaked in vanilla liqueur  Chopped apples Vanilla powder Cinnamon Lemon zest  Eggs Sugar Yogurt Beurre noisette. Brown butter  #vscocam #vscogram #vscolife #vscodaily #vscocollections #

Something about combining flour, sugar, butter and eggs gives me control. Steadies me, makes me feel able to go through with it. The dining table’s packed up. One minute it was there and the next? All wrapped up. Chairs too. The kitchen and one bedroom are the only places untouched, for the moment. I hear tape pulled and ripped and stretched and my heart goes with it, on and on and on. I’m also tired. As in physically want-to-go-to-sleep-now-but-can’t tired. But the smells from the oven make it all worth it – sweet and spice and lemony goodness.

I bake. In comfortable shoes – most of the work is done on my feet so I make sure my shoes don’t pinch and bite.

'Where I Stand'  On a patch of moss The things you discover One you decide you're leaving  #vscocam #vscogram #vscolife #vscodaily #Whereistand  #feet #mocassins #shoes #whitelegs because can't be bothered to moisturise :-)

I stow away things I don’t want in the car, otherwise they’ll be packed – the packers are fiendish like that.

I stow suitcases full of clothes and underwear – or someone; a few people might pack it for you (this did not happen to me – just sharing a guide). I pack up passports, clothes and things I think I’ll need, which I know I won’t. I pack a bag with my toothbrush, keys, money, water, pens, phones, jewelry, glasses and a hairbrush.

And in three days, they’re done. They’ve done an excellent job, minus the cupboard that skipped their eyes on the last day :) – very important to do a thorough walk around and check once the house is packed. If I hadn’t, half my jewelry (not gold) would have come with me on a plane. 

Everytime i begin the process of packing up, i bake.  I say everytime but this is only the second time I've packed up like this. As in a while house.  Something about combining flour and sugar and butter and eggs that gives me control. Steadies me. Makes

So, the house is empty, the trucks are gone and I walk round before the cleaners come. Alone. In the filth and dirt and leftovers.

I look in the rooms, peering, curious to see what I’ll find. And everywhere I go, I find balls – balls of metal and wood and pearls, even if fake ones :-). That’s what I find as I walk through rooms bare, walls empty. That’s what litters the floors. I pick them up gingerly, surrounded by the dirt. I gather them, memories flooding; memories of where they came from. Necklaces at a class, a wooden Rubik-type cube bought on a cold evening in Vienna, metal balls from some birthday present. And a few coins, only a few.

This time, it's balls of metal and wood and pearls. Even if fake ones :-). That's what i find as i walk through rooms bare, walls empty.  That's what litters the floors. I pick them up gingerly, surrounded by the dirt. While i wait for the cleaners.  I ga

It’s amazing how what’s left behind says a lot about what’s gone before. Two coins, only two. We haven’t traveled much in the last three years, at least not to coin-using countries.

In 2011, when we packed up our house in The Netherlands, I found coins everywhere – enough to have a solid coin bank. I was shocked. I gathered each and every one up. EACH  AND EVERY ONE – they told their own story.

You don’t know where you’ve been till you leave it all behind.

The last three years in Port Harcourt, a city I’ve lived in now three times since childhood, have been a revelation. Some of the happiest times and the saddest. Till the next place, right?

I think every move defines something in your life, at least in mine. Mine always involve major changes even if the moves aren’t prompted by me but by work, mostly. And always about growth.

I’m thankful. With blurred vision right now – what’s the emoji for wry smile? Still, I’m thankful.

8 Tips For When You Move

  1. Get a tried and tested company to do it for you, if possible. Swift Movers were assigned to me by my company and I was so impressed with their services – professional and efficient. They turned up on time, did a safety assessment before they started work every day and generally got on without any guidance for me.

6 Akanbi Danmola Street, Ikoyi, Lagos

www.swiftmoversltd.co

email: info@swiftmoversltd.co

0802 313 5353; 0805 524 7031; 0809 520 0614

  1. Take stock of your personal effects with a simple inventory, which you can keep for life actually, adjusting if and when you move, useful for taking stock and for insurance purposes.
  2. Keep important things handy and out of the way. Like your keys – particularly if they need to be returned to the landlord/lady or they will be packed up. This happened to me.
  3. Don’t stress about things to get rid of. Unpacking in your new place is as good a time as any to do this. Trust me.
  4. Bin bags are handy for everything. From things to dispose of, to clothes you want to take with you.
  5. Have water handy. Drink it. Stay hydrated.
  6. Be emotional if you need to – cry. Laugh. Grieve. And say goodbye too.
  7. Ask for help from family and friends when you need it. Honestly, don’t even be shy about it. Not for a single second.

To be continued…when I am done unpacking.

Apple & Chia Seed Cake
Serves 1
This is a recipe I learnt from the landlady of an apartment we stayed at in Rome many years ago. It is a simple yogurt cake which doesn't require fancy tools - a whisk and spatula do the trick. All you have to do is combine the dry ingredients, then the wet ingredients, add dry to wet and bake at 180 deg C for half an hour or so.
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Cook Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
3231 calories
471 g
839 g
132 g
57 g
71 g
1383 g
373 g
230 g
4 g
51 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
1383g
Servings
1
Amount Per Serving
Calories 3231
Calories from Fat 1155
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 132g
203%
Saturated Fat 71g
356%
Trans Fat 4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 14g
Monounsaturated Fat 37g
Cholesterol 839mg
280%
Sodium 373mg
16%
Total Carbohydrates 471g
157%
Dietary Fiber 24g
96%
Sugars 230g
Protein 57g
Vitamin A
96%
Vitamin C
90%
Calcium
124%
Iron
56%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Dry Ingredients
  1. 200g plain flour, sifted (2 scant cups)
  2. 180g white sugar (not sure, 1+ cup)
  3. 3 tablespoons corn starch
  4. 2 to 3 tablespoons almond meal
  5. 2 to 3 tablespoons of chia seeds
  6. 3 to 4 tablespoons dried persimmons soaked in vanilla liqueur (c/raisins etc would work well)
  7. 2 to 3 teaspoons baking powder
  8. 2 small apples, peeled and chopped
  9. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon extract
  10. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  11. Zest of 1/2 a lemon and 1/2 an orange
Wet Ingredients
  1. 250 ml plain or vanilla yogurt (1 cup)
  2. 120ml Beurre noisette. Brown butter (I usually use vegetable oil but none... because moving)
  3. 3 eggs
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C ( 375 deg F)
  2. Grease and line a 9 inch cake pan or a larger pie dish
  3. Combine dry ingredients, gently tossing to coat apples
  4. Whisk together wet ingredients
  5. Add dry to wet ingredients
  6. Gently fold together with a spatula
  7. Bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven
  8. Check after 25 minutes - if a skewer comes clean, your cake is ready. Otherwise bake for another 5 minutes
  9. Let cool on a rack once out of the oven.
Notes
  1. I've done every version - cupcake, regular cake, tray bake. We've sandwiched, broken into chunks for trifles, studded with fruit - endless list really
beta
calories
3231
fat
132g
protein
57g
carbs
471g
more
Kitchen Butterfly https://www.kitchenbutterfly.com/

Things you need when you're moving:  Cake and comfortable shoes  Your underwear safely packed Stowed in your suitcase on your car Or someone, a few people might pack it for you (this did not happen to me. Just sharing a guide)  Eyes that stay dry. When yo

 Parts of this post were first published on etc.ng

[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Packed with Care & Baked: Apple & Chia Seed Cake – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]

4 Comments

  1. Great read, this took me back. It’s funny I remember all the frustration and angst of moving although it’s probably not as intense without kids. You know what though, I think I’m ready for my next move.

    That cake is on my to bake list. I can tell I’ll love love the flavours.

  2. It is a pleasure to read your articles Oz. Truly a reader’s delight. I know the pains of packing. But I have felt an explorer’s enthusiasm while shifting to a new place but ‘getting your children married’ kind of a tension while leaving the old.

    Yet the blankness in mind and heart, having left your near and dear ones until you reach the new destination is quite stressful. Happy Settling!!

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