Birthday Surprise!

It was my birthday last week and I was still on Lent. Although I broke away from my Anglican connections decades ago, I still practise the 46 day test of will power that is Lent. Each year I give up sugar and caffeine, and some years I add an additional challenge: no packaged snacks (I came to realize that my Cheezie habit was more pronounced than I had thought - embarassing), getting up early (the least successful of all my Lent commitments - frustrating) and extra exercise (this year I worked out 4 days a week - exhausting and very rewarding).

So, when I was invited upstairs on the morning of my Birthday, you might guess that I would be surprised to see this:

Had Rhonda forgotten that I was off sugar? She assured me she hadn't, but I was confused.

I looked closer and...

realized the garnish was anchovies and capers! She had made a savoury bread pudding with zuchinni, eggplants and mushrooms and had "iced" it in mashed potatoes!!! and the "Happy Birthday" was piped on with balsamic vinegar reduction! She popped it in the oven for a few minutes and we had hot birthday cake for breakfast - amazing!