City of Sisterly Love

I took a very quick trip to Philly a few weeks ago, partially for an audition, but also to get to see the wonderful and amazing Kelly.  My girl knows how to treat me well, and upon arrival, I was greeted with pork belly, roasted vegetables, and slaw!  It was amazing.  Kells is an amazing baker, but doesn't normally show off her culinary skills.  I feel so loved!

 After my audition, I spent the afternoon meandering around, and trying to remember where Philly Cupcake was!  I was so excited to eat a treat there, but, alas, they're closed on Mondays!  My pilgrimage was in vain, but still totally worth it to stare into the delightful shop.





Instead of partaking in a museum or one of the many cultural delights in Philly, I opted to go to Redding Terminal Market and eat a cheesesteak.  I have been told that, without the wizz, this wasn't a traditional cheesesteak, but as far as I'm concerned, the provolone was a much better choice.  I got this sucker loaded, with both sweet and hot peppers, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and a little mayo.  The owner made a jab at my size and bet me that I couldn't eat the whole thing.  Well, I certainly proved him wrong!!  I can't wait to eat another one of these bad boys.

Sisters hiding behind our delicious gelato

The one thing better than being reunited with my dear friend was the chance for us to have dinner with my sister that evening!  My dear darling sis works in Philly a few days a week, and I was happy to see that our schedules coincided!  We had dinner at audrey claire followed by the World's Best Gelato (according to National Geographic) at Capogiro.  Overall, I was a bit disappointed with the food at AC.  Many of the dishes lacked the proper balance of savory and sweet, except for the last small plate that we got, a roasted leek and portobello tart with goat cheese and a polenta crust.  Now, THAT was delightful.  However, this gelato was off the hook.  I got masala chai and coconut, and these two flavors were not only perfect individually, but amazing mixed together.




Because I can't resist an urge to be a bit silly, as we walked past the Rodin Museum on the way home, I just had to pose.  I'm not ashamed in the slightest.  I love Philly, when it involves two of my favorite people in the entire world!









Carmen's Famous Italian Hoagies and Cheesesteaks
www.phillycupcake.com
www.audreyclaire.com
www.capogirogelato.com/

A break from cupcakes to talk about...

Chicago pizza.  Two words that will forever shake me to my core, and fill my arteries with shame.  Over the past few weeks, I have been working at the World's Most Delightful Temp Job (TM).  Yes, the work is boring, but, the lovely gentlemen around me have taken it upon themselves to educate me about what "real pizza" is.  Apparently, my beloved New Haven style pizza is unacceptable here.  We'll see.

Visiting with my mom a few weeks ago, we tried Lou Malnati's - famous for their butter crust!  I enjoyed this pizza, and in a personal size, it wasn't overwhelming.  I enjoyed the tomato chunks, but felt as though something was still missing. (My photo was ugly.  Go to their website, or one of their many Chicagoland locations for your own experience!)

My second day on the job, a slice of Giordano's was slung into my cubicle.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that this was the most intense pizza that I've ever had.  It was like eating an open face calzone - dripping cheese, perfectly cooked peppers, crispy crust, pockets of grease.  I would not be disappointed eating this pizza again, but felt the after-effects of it for hours.  My stomach ached, and I was so full that I couldn't eat dinner. Pizza is not supposed to be a "one and done situation" like so many Syracuse players (burn), but is supposed to provide multiple slices of joy! After much reflection, I'm not sure that I'm cut out for stuffed pizza.

Now.  Yesterday's slice.  Oh.  My.  Word.

Thinking that I don't intake enough meat and that I could "afford the extra calories," the accountants ordered the "Meaty Pie" from Rosati's Pizza.  Also, knowing that I like "thin crust", they chose this specific location to continue my pizza education.  Thin crust?  THIN CRUST?!

This was no thin crust pizza.

Because the toppings themselves were so ridiculous, I will even cut and paste: "Sausage, pepperoni, bacon, Candian bacon and ground beef." Yes, you read that correctly. I might like all of these delicious meats on their own, but on one pizza?

I'm not going to lie. It wasn't awful. In fact, it was pretty tasty. But I could actually feel years come off of my life as I ate it.  However, the fried ravioli, perched on the right of my plate?  I could eat those bad boys all day long.

It is hard to judge which of these locations may be my favorite so far, as the style and toppings have varied so greatly.  I supposed that I'll just have to keep eating...

www.loumalnatis.com
www.giordanos.com
www.rosatispizza.com

Cupcake Wars, you inspire me.

Watching Cupcake Wars, as one does, you learn about many new bakeries.  And how lovely when they just happen to be in your city!

This is an awesome story, and I just adore cupcake trucks, so I cannot wait to try these delightful treats!

http://cupcakesforcourage.com/

CUPCAKE ATM IN CHICAGO!

Omg.

Cupcake ATM here in Chicago?

I'm so there.

More? Maybe not...

On this, my last day of funemployment for a few weeks, I decided to check out another cupcakery in my new town.  Not knowing precisely which online reviews to believe, I just plan on eating my way through this delightful city in search of the perfect bakery.  If nothing else, I am learning my way around!

Today, I decided to check out more, in Gold Coast.  I was excited to check out these treats, as they seem to have a lot of interesting flavors.  However, I must say that overall, I was pretty disappointed.

Maybe I would enjoy their savory cupcakes, but I'm not sure that I will want to try again.

I will say, walking into the store is something special - the large glass display case is very attractive, and showcases their wares effectively.  Their boxes and overall branding is very attractive, as well, which was definitely appealing.  Also interesting is their "flights" of mini-cupcakes.  However, you cannot pick your own flavors, they are selected in boxes of six for you.  Kind of a bummer, but I was able to mostly get the flavors I wanted to try.

My flight today was comprised of Salted Caramel, Black and White, and their version of Red Velvet.  Also, because they have a signature cupcake, I had to try that!

As I wrote earlier, I was pretty disappointed in these cupcakes.  They all had redeeming qualities, but not enough to blow my mind.

The Salted Caramel was a nice sponge cake, with a delicious caramel filling.  The buttercream frosting had no distinguishable flavor (besides butter...), though was topped with lava salt for a nice decoration. Overall, I could've used more salt in the salted caramel - even a more savory cake would've helped.

The Black and White was my favorite of this flight.  The whole cupcake reminded me a bit of a chocolate chip cookie.  The cake itself was very moist and delicious, as was the delightful chocolate buttercream.  The decoration was delicious as well, made up of small shavings of both white and milk chocolate.

The Red Velvet.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that this might have been the worst red velvet of my life.  The overall product was quite bland, but on its own, the cake actually had too much chocolate in the mix.  The frosting wasn't cream cheese - it was again, a super buttery buttercream with no true flavor.

But!  But!  If you thought that I hated this shop entirely, you would be incorrect!  Their namesake cupcake, the "more" cupcake, is their fancier version of a Hostess Cupcake.  Now, THIS was something that I would try again.  The chocolate cake was reminiscent of my childhood, as I spent many an afternoon eating devil's food cake, and the ganache was spectacular.  The balance of cake and filling and frosting was perfect, and I was disappointed when I finished my piece.

I will probably end up trying some different flavors, but was so sad to feel disenchanted by these treats! Alas, you can't always win.

www.morecupcakes.com

I never want this cupcake to end.

Having been in Chicago for a few days now, it was decided that I should try my first cupcake in my new city.  After a rather hilarious and stressful morning, it seemed like a great idea!

My wonderful (and pregnant!) friend Jonel has generously volunteered to be my companion as I start eating my way through Chicago cupcakeries, so, on her suggestion, we meandered our way through downtown to Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique.  With so many flavors changing daily, I will most assuredly find my way back here and keep tasting.  I mean... they have "Breakfast Cupcakes."  Really?  I love this place.

Among the flavors tasted were their traditional Red Velvet, Lemon Drop, and Pistachio.  The red velvet was fine - good, but nothing to write home about, especially since I have been very spoiled in the past.  The Lemon Drop was wonderfully flavored - not overpowering in either the cake or the frosting with lemon, and deliciously moist.

But the Pistachio.  Their seasonal flavor (until Sunday.)  Holy.  Crap.

I am not kidding when I say that I will remember this cupcake for the rest of my life.  If you live in Chicago, YOU MUST GET THERE BEFORE SUNDAY AND EAT THIS CUPCAKE.  I am planning on going back tomorrow to stock up and stockpile.  Seriously.

A huge pistachio fan anyway, I cannot even begin to describe what joy this cupcake brought to me.  The cake was fluffy and had the delicious pistachio flavor, and the pistachio buttercream frosting (topped with chopped pistachios!) may be my favorite frosting of all time.

Each cupcake is decorated with their "signature Sugar Bliss bloom design," and it really is something to behold.  I can't wait to keep eating these cupcakes!  Besides being delicious and beautiful, they are also very reasonably priced.

Can't.  Wait.  For.  More.

www.sugarblisscakes.com

As promised, big news.

OKAY.  So, I moved to Chicago.

Long story short, I made the plunge to try something new, and here I am!  New city, new cupcakeries, new adventures.

Bring it on, Chi-town.

Georgetown Cupcakes: Boston Edition

Many big and exciting things happened this summer, leaving me unable to post with the frequency which I would have liked, but it is time to remedy that!  (For more deets, see next post.)

I was lucky enough to spend a humid August evening with my dear friend Korland, with whom I have shared cupcakes in the past!  Korland knows his red velvet and doesn't mess around with sweet treats, so when he told me that a Georgetown Cupcake had opened up in Boston, it was mandatory for us to find our way there - as quickly as possible.

I often try to taste the most adventurous flavors that I can find, but when we walked into this delightful shop, I was drawn to the Vanilla2.  I know, you must be thinking to yourself, "Really, Kim?  Vanilla cupcake and vanilla frosting?"  With Korland's encouragement, I stepped up to the counter and ordered, and I was definitely not disappointed by my selection.

Even at the end of the day, this madagascar bourbon vanilla cake was moist and fluffy, and the vanilla cream cheese frosting had a creaminess and sweetness that wasn't overpowering.  As you can see in the photo to the right, there was no lack of frosting on this cupcake, which pleased me greatly - especially since it was just so delightful.

Korland enjoyed the Chocolate2, a Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a whipped Callebaut chocolate frosting.  If I had the stomach for that much chocolate, I would have gladly shoved my face into it.  Suffice to say, neither of our cupcakes lasted very long.

In short, I can't recommend Georgetown Cupcakes enough!  Had I more time, I would have tried even more flavors, but that's a story for another post...

www.georgetowncupcake.com

HOLY CRAP

HOLY CRAP, Y'ALL.  My love of the English language and sugar addiction are sweeping the nation!  Guess I'd better start writing about all of the cupcakes I've eaten since my last update...

http://brooklyncupcake.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/cc00-cupcake-oclock/

Philly Cupcake: Where Dreams DO Come True!

One of the hardest things about growing up is when all of your friends move away.  One of the GREATEST things about growing up is having an excuse to eat lots of cupcakes in new cities because your friends have moved away.

As I'm starting to plan this summer's trip to Philly to see the lovely and delightful Kelly, I can't help but reminisce about my trip last summer.  Since I had never been to Philadelphia before (I know ... I'm a bad East Coast gal), we hit the rounds of typical tourist things - Benjamin Franklin's house, The Magic Gardens, the Liberty Bell, etc.

However, as anyone who knows either one of us can surmise, there was also a lot of eating.  And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT.  Between the cheeseburgers, sticky buns, and PBR, I'm surprised that I made it home in one piece!

Before I journeyed south, Kelly asked me how many cupcake places were "too many," to which I responded, "There are never enough."

She decided to take me to Philly Cupcake, and I was not disappointed.  In fact, as the photo below will indicate, I was SO FREAKING EXCITED.

Kells had a bit of a disappointment with her cupcake, but mine was awesome.  I don't remember what it was, but it had iridescent sprinkles and purple frosting.  It was amazing.  (I perused their menu to see if I could jolt my memory, but apparently, I had a seasonal flavor!  I guess I'll just have to rediscover it this summer...)

I also flirted with the guy working at the cupcake store and got a free cupcake.  You know, as one does.

Check them out: www.phillycupcake.com

PDX, I love your sweet treats.

Sometimes, I feel like a very lucky lady. This usually involves people bringing me cupcakes unannounced, but especially when said treats travel across the country to find their way into my belly.

Because I know a lot of people who travel, I am a frequent recipient of delicious cupcakes that have flown on planes. Most recently, I had the AWESOME treat of eating mini-cupcakes from Cupcake Jones, a bakery in Portland, Oregon.

I only have a bad picture that I hastily took in my kitchen, but that won't stop me from praising these delicious creations. While all of the cupcakes I had were delightful, my favorite was Chocolate Chip Cookie, pictured here, thanks to their delightful website. Each of these flavors were balanced well, all with fantastic frosting. I hate buttercream when it feels like I am eating lard, but this was the real deal. I will definitely be finding ways to head to PDX to try each and every flavor.

Sidenote - For those of you keeping track at home, I ate:

Velvet Painting

What's up Doc?

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Peanut Butter Cup

Lemoncello

PB & J

http://www.cupcakejones.net/

CC:00

Cupcake o'clock (or Cupcake Hour) is the best time of day. Why is that? Because I invented it!

No, but seriously, what is a better pick-me-up than a cupcake? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I even put it in urban dictionary. (Their grammatical error, not mine. Jerks.)

I'm a spoiled little sister.

For those who think that I may have just recently fallen in love with cupcakes with this new fad that has appeared over the past year or two, please know that you are horribly incorrect.

As an unashamed bratty little sister, I have had the privilege of being spoiled rotten for the past few decades by my wonderful siblings. A major perk of this has been partaking in my sister's spectacular culinary skills.

Example: Buttermilk cupcakes (full of bacon chunks) with maple syrup/bacon frosting.

Goodness gracious, these were spectacular. You should all be jealous that you don't have my sister.

Wilkommen!

Dear friends, family, and other lovers of cupcakes,

As you all know, I am obsessed with cupcakes. Cupcakes are the most perfect creation of all time, and I firmly believe that they should be consumed and enjoyed by everyone. That said, I have decided to take my love to the next level.

Some of my New Year's resolutions were to have more fun, travel, and spend time with old friends. What is the best way to combine all of these things in a delicious way? Oh yes, that's right. I will be traveling to visit friends AND EAT CUPCAKES!

Sounds crazy? Probably is.

Until my bank account will allow me to travel out of this delicious city, I will be writing about cupcakes I know and love here in Boston/Cambridge/Newton. Excited? You should be.

With lots of sugary kisses,

k