Soup's ON!

It's fall and I'm only interested in participating in 3 major food groups: Soup, Cider, and Donuts. Monday I ate donuts for dinner and every night since I've eaten soup. Some at home, some at friends, and some at Asia Cuisine. Here's this week's soup in review:

Fish stew and crusty bread at home. Courtesy of Rachel.

Chicken noodle soup at Mandy and Fuzz's. Thanks Fuzz!!!

Jam Bong at Asia cuisine.

Good Bye Cupcakes

My friend Meg left for Ohio last weekend. At various moments during the day I find myself wondering where she is and what she's doing. Did she leave NY yet? Stop at a Flying J for fuel? Settle into her new apartment? Go grocery shopping for the first time at a new store that's hard to navigate now but will be old hat within a few weeks?

Before she left we traded sweets for a hair cut. I requested bangs and she requested vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting. I love trades and I miss Meg.

Tiki Birthday Mayhem!!!!!

My friend ordered this for her husband's birthday and I had an absolute blast making it. The cake is chocolate and coffee.


There have been many sweet things since my last post. More photos coming soon. More cupcakes baking tomorrow.

85th Birthday Celebration

This was a vanilla bean cake with alternating layers of chocolate ganache and cherry conserve. Charlotte, the fun, beautiful, energetic woman celebrating 85 years (!), loves to be outside. A simple cake inspired by her flowers was requested.

Somewhat Hazelnut Cake Makes It's Way To New Jersey

I made a cake for a birthday party in the garden state. Cake remnants, accompanied by champagne, are probably being eaten as I write this.
Or at least I'd like to hope.


On the outside - a wood grain desk with an open notebook and a tea cup on it. On the inside - alternating layers of: vanilla bean butter cake, bittersweet chocolate ganache, chocolate hazelnut butter cream, and hazelnut and almond meringue.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These cupcakes were inspired by my good friend Mandy. Word on the street is that her mom, Marg, makes the best cream cheese frosting this side of the Mississippi. I'm not one to argue fact. I will just say that these were made lovingly, with Mandy and Marg in mind.

Cupcakes
1 -1/2 cups pastry or ap flour
1/2 cup alkalized unsweetend cocoa
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400. Yield 1 dozen cupcakes.
Whisk dry ingredients in bowl. Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl. Add wet to dry, mixing just until wet and dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Batter will be stiff. Spoon equally into 12 cupcake liners. Bake until tops spring back.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter - room temp
8oz cream cheese - cold
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 pound confectioners sugar

Beat butter until creamy, add cold cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add vanilla, mix until combined. Add powdered sugar, all at once. Mix on LOW until the mixture is starting to pull together and looking almost dough-like. Turn mixer to high and beat until light and creamy.

Happy rainy Monday.

VD: A Belated Post

Valentines Day  just happened to follow friday the 13th this year. Why didn't Hallmark cash in on that one? I would much prefer to give friends "Happy Friday the 13th" cards than any other kind. Maybe I should make greeting cards instead of cakes and coffee. Good idea, n'est-ce pas? 

Since cookies seem to be the only appropriate way to celebrate VD, I marked the 14th by making a few sweets for the sweet ones in my life. Shiny pink hearts and whoopie pies (of course).

I used to make these whoopie pies at a cafe I baked for once upon a time in San Francisco. I owe, with love, all of the credit for the delicious perfection of these cookies to Ray, my former employer and chef and owner of the cafe. Without his push I'm not sure it ever would have occurred to me to make a whoopie pie. Now I can't imagine a Valentines Day with out them. They are SO good that I avoid making them with out someplace to send them.