This is my entry for Along the Brandywine's April Inklings link-up!
The prompt was a scene with a cake from a book or movie.
I chose two connected scenes from Big Little Island by Valenti Angelo.
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| The illustrations in this book are so beautiful! |
It is a children's book written in 1955 about the Italian American Leoni family, who run a bakery in New York. Their nephew Lorenzo has to adjust to his new life in the United States after the Leoni parents take him in when he is orphaned in WWII.
The two scenes I chose to share show Lorenzo using his artistic abilities to decorate cakes.
And the Leoni's youngest son Peter comes up with a plan to show kindness to his older brother Nick, who is leaving the family soon to join the navy.
Lorenzo went right to work. He pressed the container gently with his hand, and a thin white string of icing flowed from the spout onto the cake. As he guided the spout round and round the cake, the thought ran through his mind, "I must do it well. Peter is watching, and so is my uncle." He made a crisscross pattern of lines over the top of the cake. In its center, by turning the spout in circles, he spun three nests.
He looked up.
"Those are for the doves,'' he told Peter.
Both Peter and his father were amazed at Lorenzo's handiwork.
"By donkey! You are almost professional, said his uncle. "You will make a first-class, A-number-one cake decorator. It's the truth. Angelina! Come here. Take a look at this- Oh, I remember, she went shopping. Is she going to be surprised!"
There was no end to Papa Leoni's praise. "Here. Try another cake, Lorenzo."
"Wait, I am not finished." Lorenzo zigzagged a pattern along the side. "There."
Peter said, "I'll get the doves and put em on." He laughed. That much I can do."
Rosie hurried downstairs into the bakery. She said, "Papa, I've sold all the almond slices. I'm running short of cakes too, Everything is going like hot cakes. Whew!"
Then she saw Lorenzo at work.
"Why, I didn't know you could do that. Lorenzo, you're super! Where did you ever learn to decorate cakes like that?"
"From your father," he replied, and went on with his work.
From that moment Papa Leoni pronounced him chief cake decorator of the Leoni Baking Company. And to make the event even more regal, he went to a closet and returned with a snow-white baker's cap, which he placed on Lorenzo's head. "This will make it legal," he said.
"Oh, Dad," said Rosie, "don't make a fool out of him."
Lorenzo said, "I do not feel foolish, Rosie. I like it. I do."
Papa Leoni went up to the shop with Rosie, to see what was needed, Peter stayed to watch his cousin. He stood beside him, admiring Lorenzo's work and offering advice and suggestions.
"Write 'Happy Easter' on the next one, Lorenzo. Can you write with the squeezer? Can you?"
"Sure," said Lorenzo. And Lorenzo wrote, "Happy Easter to Everybody."
"I'll tell you what," said Peter. "Nick is going to camp next week, see?" He looked around the room to see if his father had returned. "'We-I mean you-ought to decorate a special cake for Nick."
"That will be very, very nice, Peter. Something special, yes?"
"Yes. Let me think." Peter scratched his head. "I think he likes chocolate layer cake, I'm not really sure. Maybe it's vanilla. Or is it butter-cream-pecan?"
Peter searched through the cakes and picked out the largest. He lifted the top layer. The white frosting on its top wrinkled a little. This one is vanilla. It'll have to do. Go ahead, start."
"What shall I write?" asked Lorenzo.
"Let me see. Write: NICK LEONI, U.S. NAVY, BON VOYAGE."
"That is French, is it not?"
"Just the "bon voyage' is French."
"That is quite a lot to put on, Peter. How do you spell 'bon voyage'?"
Peter spelled out the words. "And don't forget the flag and stars. I wish we could have a battleship on it. That would be perfect."
"I do not think I can do it, Peter. This cake is too, too small."
"Never mind then. Do the best you can. But make it good."
As luck would have it, Papa Leoni came back in time to see Lorenzo putting on the finishing touches. He looked at the cake a long time, Then he cleared his throat and he said, "It is a fine thing you have done, boys, a very fine and thoughtful thing. I know that Nick will appreciate it very much."
~~~~
Then everyone sang.
"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Peter-rrr. Happy birthday to you-u-u-u."
When Peter saw Nick wheeling a red bicyele into the room he was speechless. Finally he found his tongue.
"Thanks a million, Dad. Oh boy! Thanks!""You must thank everyone, Peter," said his father. "All of us donated."
"Thanks, Rosie and Lorenzo and Nick and Ma and Dad. Thanks a lot."
After examining and admiring every detail of the new bicycle, Peter sat down, and with a single puff he blew out the twelve candles on his cake. Then suddenly he stood up again. "Hey! Wait a minute," he cried, "Nick is in on this deal too."
He turned to Lorenzo.
"Okay. You know what I mean. Go after it."
"What's the deal?" said Nick. He looked at his younger brother. "It's your birthday, not mine."
Lorenzo disappeared down the basement stairs. Peter grinned at his brother. "You'll see," he said.
Mama Leoni looked away, smiling. Papa Leoni took a sip of wine, then coughed more than was nccessary. Rosie was undecided whether to wait for Lorenzo or start cutting the cake. When Lorenzo dashed into the room Peter stood up. His eyes were aglow.
"Put it down here, Lorenzo. Quick!" Then he looked at his brother Nick. "For you, from all of us," he said proudly. "I hope you like it."
For all his eighteen years, Nick Leoni was a child at heart. He looked at the cake Lorenzo had decorated, and its greeting, and he hardly knew what to say.
"It's--it's swell. Well-you know what I mean," he stammered.
"Yes, we know what you mean, Nick." Papa Leoni spoke for the others. ""Well, now which cake shall we cut?"
"Cut Nick's, Dad. It's the best."
Papa Leoni arched his eyebrows. "What do you mean, Peter? All of my cakes are the best." Then he cut a thick slice of Nick's cake for each of them.
"Let me tell you, son, I doubt if you'll find baking of this caliber in the Navy," he boasted. "Eat up."
Although Nick was fonder of chocolate cake than of vanilla, he consumed two large pieces without saying a word.
I really appreciate the kind, loving families that are found in Angelo's books!
