The Almighty A1 Bottle

     It was our family birthday tradition; something looked forward to year after year- angel food cake. Whenever a birthday drew near, we knew any day now we would walk through the door welcomed by the sweet aroma of cake; the distinct scent only an angel food cake yields. We were also greeted with the stern warning that a slammed door meant a fallen cake!
      Angel food cakes are strange and amazing concoctions. Eggs beaten soundly into submission, infused with bits of sugar and a hint of vanilla and oozed into a pan that always scared me half to death. I have always been thoroughly convinced that one day the batter would find a way to creep out of the bottom..since the bottom is not actually attached to the sides. To this day I hold my breath every time the cake batter goes into the pan- every time. Issues..I know.
       One thing I could never figure out was the A1 bottle. No matter which family member seemed to be making angel food cake, the same item was used for the all important upside down cooling. As soon as the cratered cloud top began to sport brown peaks the all important, all mighty A1 bottle was called forth to higher service. No longer just a condiment for savory meat meals, the A1 bottle performed the amazing feat of supporting a ginormous, piping hot cake until the magical cooling time.
       With out fail the cake always come out just right, the bottle never wavered under its task, and the cake made it to the table heartily topped with seven minute icing. I suppose there must be some grand scientific, algebraic answer to the reason A1 bottles perform such amazing feats; I sure haven't discovered it. Either way, these days, I make the angel food cake..and with out fail my breath is held every time..and the A1 bottle comes into service faithfully serving with Atlas-like strength. Here's to birthdays, blessings, and the almighty A1 bottle.