Frosted Cupcakery in Long Beach

This weekend my friend from Philly happened to be in Long Beach visiting her old roommate, so I thought I'd join them for a girl's weekend of drinking, debauchery, and of course massive guilt-free sugar consumption. After a lovely evening in which we were the absolute role models to young ladies everywhere, we grabbed some lunch in Belmont Shore and decided we deserved a hard-earned sweet fix. Luckily, Frosted Cupcakery was just across the street, and came recommended by our Long Beach resident friend.

I know that right now the big fads are "fro-yo" and cupcakes (of the two weddings I have attended this year, both have had cupcakes in place of a cake) so I was interested to see just what made these cupcakes so special. They had a nice selection of about 15 different varieties out, and I can assure you that every single one looked amazing. I was torn between a few, but ultimately settled on the Cookies n' Cream cupcake.

One (of many) thing(s) that I truly enjoyed about this cupcake was their masterful application of frosting. Here in America we are trained to think bigger is better, and more more more is preferred! It's sickening to see a stale, shabby looking cupcake with a mountain of frosting to try and disguise its poor exterior and bland flavor by relying on a never-ending swirl of mediocre sugar piled on top. This cupcake was moist and obviously had homemade icing gracing the top in a perfect amount of sweet goodness to fill the mouth.

Other selections were the Chocolate/Peanut Butter Buttercream and Red Velvet/Cream Cheese cupcakes, and since I have the best, most generous friends ever, I got to sample both in the name of food blogging. All of them were equally moist, fresh, light and still filling without having to depend on cheap sugar rush or artificial flavors to satisfy my sweet tooth.

On a nerdy design note, their interior designer and product designers are to be commended for their bang-up jobs making the interior feel modern and cozy, with matching packaging that really captures the spirit of whimsy that their branding just screams. Be sure to check out their blog as well for more eye-catching stuff!

Jess Pollard didn't have to think twice about her selection. The Orange/Cream Cheese cupcake she held in her hands disappeared in less time than is appropriate. I can't judge, I was the first to finish, even with my sneaked bites!

All in all, I completely get the cupcake fad. I can only hope it's here to stay!

Frosted Cupcakery
4817 E. 2nd Street
Long Beach, CA 90803
562-987-1080

Dakin Farm

Vacation is that wonderful time when food piles over plates, drinks flow a'plenty, and calories just don't seem to count as you soak them up unabashedly and continuously in an ever-mounting cycle of piggetry. Now, if you go on vacation with Mary Lou Ivey, let's just say that dinner is multiplied by five, and every hour on the hour is snacktime of epic proportions. This is only Part One of a multi-volumed blog series about our vacation in Vermont, land of delicious cheese, smoked meats, and enthusiastic brewmasters and snackmakers.

Dakin Farm is a tourist-style working farm in South Burlington, VT that is open 7 days a week to the public. Let's just say the clouds opened and angels sang their heavenly chorus when the doors opened during my first visit to the fabled land dedicated to the fresh and delicious. This roadside attraction is a must-visit hot spot to anyone who loves 1) cheese, 2) meat, 3) fudge, 4) jam, 5) honey, 6) syrup, or just damn good eats. My mind was continuously boggled by the amazing variety of treats and snacks made just around the corner, so freshness and flavor were apparent in every offering. Everything was available to sample, so you can bet your boots I did just that. Everything was basically the best thing I'd ever had, so this cornucopia of wonder turned into a wonderland of flavor that stretched through our entire week there.


Yes, that is a maple smoked garlic meat stick that I am enjoying.


Ashton and Virginia share my enthusiasm for yum.


This is only a smidgen of the fresh meats offered.


WANT. WANT IT ALL.




Their honey is so fresh they actually pull it from the bee's bodies. THAT IS FRESH.


Dakin's jams vary from the super sweet to succulently spicy, but the common thread is fresh flavor explosion guaranteed in every morsel.




These cheeses constituted about 89% of our diet for the week, and that was in no way depressing.




Virginia is as stuck as I am in what incredible variety to buy next!


If Vermont is the land of maple syrup, we hit the mother lode.




As pretty as it was delicious on the pancakes that we also got here!


Why go small? You know you want to drink gallons of the stuff. And you are on vacation, so it doesn't count! THAT IS SO CONVENIENT!

Vegan Cobbler

Ok, I have a confession to make. I promised several vegan friends that not only would I try my hand at baking, I would take it a step further and have my first sweet attempt be a vegan one.

It didn't end up that way.

I caught the baking bug today, and untimingly found myself a lone carnivore! All of my friends are in Boston for our wonderful friends wedding, taking their animal rights and appetites with them. With no reason to spend extra money on non-dairy goods like butter and milk (really the only two things) I totally cheated and used my cruel ingredients. However, I did take the recipe from the following cookbook:

This book is chock-full of great, all natural goodies, many of which I plan on actually trying my hand at when I once again find myself surrounded by animal loving hungry friends. I used the "Blueberry Cobbler" recipe and altered it into a "Peach/Blueberry Cobbler"- inspired by Brittany and in honor of my mom, whose peach cobbler is f*!@ing out of this world. Ashton lent me a hand in the kitchen as I rolled up my sleeves and banged out what proved to be a damn good dish.

Ingredients- Cobbler Biscuit Dough (all of this is unbleached, natural, dairy-free in the book- I used what I had on hand plus some fresh peaches and blueberries, so I'll skip the description. Get what you want. I'm sure Splenda would work just fine in lieu of sugar, etc.)
1 1/3 cups flour
3 tbsp sugar (divided)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 to 2 tbsp milk OR 1 to 2 tbsp butter to brush on top of dough

Ingredients- Filling
4 to 5 cups blueberries (or whatever fruit you wish- I used 2 pints blueberries and 4 medium to large fresh peaches sliced)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp grated lemon or lime zest- optional (I squirted some lemon juice in there, but I'm sure lemon zest would have been better. C'est la vie)

Preheat the oven to 375. I used a 2" deep baking pan around 9" square and sprayed with nonstick spray. For the dough, mix the flour 2 tbsp of sugar, baking powder, and salt in a deep bowl. When mixed thoroughly, add the butter and milk and stir until it forms a sticky dough. Put it aside and get to the filling!

Wash and dry the fruit, slice it if necessary, and in another large bowl combine them with the sugar, flour, and lemon zest (if using). Spread evenly in the baking dish and cover with the dough. The recipe says to use the tablespoon to spread it, but it is extraordinarily sticky and I ended up just reaching in and stretching small amounts across with my fingers. It worked well, IMHO. Brush the top of the dough with the remaining 1 or 2 tbsp of milk or butter (I opted for butter, duh) and sprinkle the remaining 1 tbsp sugar. Here's what it looked like before baking:



Bake until top is golden brown and juices are slightly thickened, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving- with ice cream! I couldn't help but take an action shot because it smelled SO GOOD:



And the final dish!



The blueberry dripping sides were so hot and gooey that it looked like giant soda bubbles blasting to the top. It was awesome!

Wish you were here?

Vegan trEATS

My dad's favorite bumper sticker is "Eat a Vegetarian". We're no down-home Texan cattle ranchin' carnivores, but as close to it as you can be coming from a suburb of Washington, D.C. Not only is my dad a total grill master with all things meat, he has christened his cherished barbeque as MOAB (Mother Of All Barbeques). I'm considered the black sheep of the family, with my wacky hair styles and art school degree, and horror of all horrors- vegetarian and vegan friends! At one point I had two roommates, one of each gastronomical persuasion. Throughout the years, I have learned, enjoyed and branched out to all sorts of culinary substitutions for animal product, and I like to think in my case it is simply an even further extension of my diet. I don't care to restrict myself in any way other than obvious healthiness, but I completely understand the vegan/vegetarian decision for purposes of animal cruelty. I could go into the reasons why being a vegan isn't necessarily "healthier" in my opinion, but that's a completely different argument.

Surprisingly, it was my sister who brought Eric McKenna to my attention with this article. A noted vegan baker in New York, her BabyCakes bakery explores the oft-snuffed world of vegan baking, which is a difficult art to flourish. in. Baking is incredibly dependent upon animal products, and while tofu and soy are often acceptable substitutes in the savory world, they just can't cut in in a cookie recipe. Her new BabyCakes cookbook is out now for every vegan with a sweet tooth to snap up in stores everywhere.

Even if you aren't a vegan or vegetarian, take a peek at some of the tasty treats she's made as simple as 1-2-3 for home baking. They're also perfect for those with sensitive food allergies, like the unfortunate gluten allergy. I have only one friend stricken with this debilitating allergy, and believe me I feel for her. Gluten-free options are becoming more common these days, but it's not a guarantee to find them at any given time. BabyCakes offers all kosher, sugar-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free, casein-free, and egg-free options, leaving only delicious flavor for us to enjoy.

Until you get your hands on her cookbook, get your tastebuds motivated with this recipe for vegan chocolate chip cookies:

Ingredients:
»1 cup coconut oil
» 6 tbsp homemade applesauce or store-bought unsweetened applesauce
» 1 tsp salt
» 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
» 1 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice
» 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
» 1/4 cup flax meal
» 1 tsp baking soda
» 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
» 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix oil, salt, applesauce, vanilla and cane juice. In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, flax meal, baking soda and xanthan gum.

Using a spatula, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until a grainy dough forms. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

With a melon baller, scoop dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing portions 1 inch apart. Press each with the heel of your palm to help them spread.

Bake cookies on center rack for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after nine minutes.

Let cookies stand on sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before covering. Makes 36.
(picture taken from expressnightout.com)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEE

Yes, 'tis true, today marks the 24th anniversary of my birth. April 30, 1985... a date which will live in infamy. I'm never one to let an event pass without some culinary exploit to mark it with, and at work we always follow the same plan. Get a cake, one that is kosher, which is plain ice cream, which is BORING, and we NEVER get anything else. Well, surprise! My bosses are in China, leaving us free to select a different cake to make to celebrate the monumental event! When asked what my cake of choice was, my immediate thought was carrot cake, but since I'd like to try my hand at making that soon, I opted for red velvet cake. Our new hire is from NYC, and at the very mention of the words "red velvet" she picked up the phone and through our questioning ordered a cake from Cake Man Raven in Brooklyn to be shipped cross country to arrive for my birthday without hesitation. This guy's cakes are world famous, especially his red velvet. His client list includes Oprah, Robert De Niro, 50 Cent, Maya Angelou, and an incredible much more. The stokeage was reaching maximum levels, and I didn't eat anything in anticipation of the sugary treat. It finally came today and we made an early lunch of it! The pictures below speak for themselves- I DID NOT RETOUCH ANY ONE OF THEM BEYOND CROPPING. The colors are true and the flavor was insane. If you ever have the opportunity to sample one of his marvelous cakes, DO IT DO IT DO IT.

Ignore the mild smush, the FedEx guy was just jealous. All it did is condense the deliciousness even more.