A Tutti Frutti For The 4th Of July

We’re almost ready. The car is getting loaded, swim towels washed, sun screen tucked into beach bags.  We’ll be leaving in the twilight hours so we can start our yearly trek to the Table Rock Lakes of southern Missouri.  Once on the road, we sip on hot coffee in the wee hours of the morning, waiting for  the first subtle rosiness of the sky to fill the landscape with pink haziness.

I had made this almond cake with fresh fruit during the week because I have been enjoying desserts with almond flour lately.  “Mom, you should make this cake for up at the lake for the 4th” the kids suggested after tucking into their first bites.  “You think I should?” I queried “Yes, this would be a nice dessert for the holiday.”

Nectarines, peaches, and cherries are bursting in the markets at present.  A simple, moist almond cake with a topping of these ripe jewels of the summer,  showcase the season’s bounty.  We’ll be crossing the bulk of Texas, rolling up and down over the hills of Arkansas and crunching down windy roads to the lake house in the Ozark Mountain area of southern Missouri.

Deep in the heart of the Ozarks, sparkle the beautiful Table Rock Lakes.  Each year, on 4th of July, families and friends wait patiently for the sun to begin its gentle descent into the shimmering waters.  As the ashy haze of dusk envelops the myriad of lakes and coves, thousands of small boats churn through the waters and quietly arrive at the Kimberling City Bridge.

Boats of all sizes bob up and down in the water, each turning off their engines and letting the quiet of the night roll across the unfolding scene.

As the haze of dusk turns into the inky blackness of night, colors burst up and punch into the night sky.  The small lights on each boat reflect and playfully dance in between the shimmering streams of fireworks that cascade downwards.

Ever since my children were babies, wrapped up tight from the cool lake breezes, this scene plays out each year. Good food, the smell of sunscreen, catching up with other lake families that we haven’t seen since the previous visit, all culminate in our Fourth of July celebrations.

Tutti Frutti Almond Cake will be enjoyed this year up at the lake house.

However, there is another perennial favorite that my husband’s family cannot go without.  Rootbeer Floats are the sweet drink of choice in his family.  Along with this moist and delicious almond cake, I am sure to see this classic American treat making its yearly appearance as well!