Now Ve are Making Ze Party

In a situation that is 100% not surprising, all of the Americans in my office are taking tomorrow, Monday July 3rd, as a vacation day. All of the Germans are coming in to work. I'm sorry. Did I say all of the Americans? Of course I, too, will be in the office. I'm not even sure which team I'm on anymore. When Frau Foxtrot pointed out on Friday night that it would be "just us Germans" in the office Monday (uh.... hello?) they asked me if we could have a party. I envisioned my three German colleagues sitting around the conference table with me at the head, giving a brief but thorough lecture about the causes leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

"Sure," I said. "We can have a party."

"And," asked Der Man, "will you make the little cakes with sugar icing?"

I sighed. "Yes, I'll make cupcakes." Now that I think about it, no one else volunteered to bring anything.

Pictured above: chocolate peanut butter cupcakes with easy chocolate candy frosting, my own "recipie" for both. The secret ingredient in the frosting is some Hershey's English Toffee syrup.