The Saturday Sip: July 5, 2025
Your etiquette tip, quote, and selected Emily Post Cookbook recipe for the week
We hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July celebration yesterday! In honor of our grandfather, Bill Post (Poppy), whose birthday was July 4th, we have a birthday tip today.
The Tip
When planning an adult birthday party, remember that gifts are not obligatory, so there is no need to give your guests a wishlist, nor do you need to put “no gifts, please” on your invitation. You can always offer gift suggestions to guests who ask about gifts directly, or if you’re leaning toward no gifts, you can use this moment to let guests know that their presence would be a wonderful present.
The Recipe
This nutty cake is indeed delicious, and we think it goes great with a heaping serving of summer berries.
Delicious Cake
pg 341 of The Emily Post Cookbook, 1951
TIME: 1 hour
MAKES: 1, two-layer cake
Ingredients
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans are best)
1 cup heavy cream
Directions
Cream butter till soft and gradually add sugar, beating till fluffy. Add in the beaten yolks l at a time, beating the mixture after each addition.
Sift flour and baking powder into the butter, sugar, and eggs and mix. Add the vanilla. Put into 2 layer-cake pans.
Beat the whites with the sugar until stiff, then spread them over the mixture in the layer-cake pans. Sprinkle on the nuts and bake 20 to 25 minutes in a 350° F. oven.
Whip the cream and cover lower layer only. Put top layer in place with no cream on top.
The Quote
“Certainly what one is, is of far greater importance than what one appears to be.” - Emily Post
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We hope you’ve enjoyed the Saturday Sip this weekend! And we hope you enjoyed a wonderful Independence Day holiday. Tell us how you like to celebrate the fourth in the comments section. Today, they are open to all! If you missed the podcast this past week, here’s a link to listen!
Have a lovely weekend!
Lizzie and Dan
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The Emily Post stamp. (Looks like dinner is being served with the salad after the main course, according to this setting.)
Some Italians serve salad as a second course.
Or, if it's an informal gathering, the fork could be for cake—the magical mystery of the place setting.