The Cupcake Chronicles

Yet another seasonal flavor from Sprinkles - salty caramel. Sadly it's already gone, it was only around for about a week. You can actually see the fleur de sel on top of the icing. Mmmm.

The Cupcake Chronicles

Add one more to the list. Caramel apple. Spiced apple cake studded with Granny Smith apples and a caramel cream cheese frosting. Actually, add two. I had another carrot cupcake earlier in the week.



Am I really supposed to be able to resist these seasonal flavors? Especially when they put cute "Boo" stickers on the bag.

The Cupcake Chronicles

Ok, I seem to have developed a bit of a problem. In the cupcake department. The problem is...I can't stop eating them. Not just cupcakes in general, cupcakes from Sprinkles.



I already wrote about Sprinkles once, when they opened. I thought - great new cupcake place, just a block away from my apartment and couple blocks from work, I'm sure I'll eat them once in awhile. But the thing is...the cupcakes are just so darn good I can't stay away. Living in New York, I was over cupcakes. I mean, as much as one can really be over cupcakes. I didn't think about them and crave them all the time like I do with Sprinkles. I've already aired my grievances with many NYC cupcakes - too much frosting, frosting is too sweet, cake sometimes isn't too fresh, and some of the places have just become more of a novelty and a tourist destination.



But Sprinkles cupcakes are just pure perfection. The cake is always moist and fresh, not too much over-the-top sugary icing, and they have different seasonal flavors - some lasting just a week, some nearly a month, some for a whole season. For example, my newest favorite is vanilla hazelnut chocolate. Vanilla cake with hazelnut chocolate icing. And it was only around for a week! How could they?!



Another part of the "problem" is that they do a free cupcake almost every day. All you have to do is look on their Twitter feed or Facebook page and learn what the secret word is, then be one of the first 25 (or sometimes 50) people to say the password and you get a free cupcake of their choice. For example: "Last day of summer! First 25 people to whisper “autumn” at each Sprinkles receive a free pumpkin adorned with a fall leaf!"

Peter told me he thinks I'll eat 100 over the next year. That seems a little drastic, but I did start keeping a tally since he said that. Here's my current standings. Lots of halves because sometimes I get two different flavors for us to share. This probably isn't something to really be proud of.

Carrot: 2 1/2
Vanilla milk chocolate: 1
Dark chocolate: 1
Lemon: 1/2
Key lime: 1
Vanilla: 1/2
Cinnamon sugar: 1
Red velvet: 1/2
Chocolate coconut: 1/2
Vanilla hazelnut chocolate: 2
Pumpkin: 1/2

Boston Trip - Sweet Tooth

I don't know who to give credit for Sweet Tooth's first appearance in my life - one of my friends brought some treats from this bakery to a mini bridal shower for me last summer, and I've been craving it ever since. Sweet Tooth is a little off the beaten path from where I usually go in Boston (it's in Southie), but we made a special trip there to pick up an order for Amy's birthday last weekend...and I finally got to go inside.



So, what exactly is inside those cases?

Humongous cookies:



"Cakebites" - a lollipop of cake dipped in chocolate:



Mini pies: blueberry, and I believe that other one is coconut cream:




And of course regular-sized pies and cakes:



Last but not least, whoopie pies. The ones on the left are red velvet.



Here's the spread we got - red velvet cupcakes (the ones with red flowers), carrot cake cupcakes (pink flower), vanilla with lemon curd (pink seashell), chocolate and vanilla marble (with the fortune cookie on top), and a few cookies and red velvet whoopie pies.



We actually had to have a second small platter for a few more cupcakes that wouldn't fit on the big one. Ahh, nothing makes me happier than things that come in pink bakery boxes.



Sweet Tooth Boston
371 W. Broadway, Boston MA 02127

Boston Trip - Mike's Pastry

I already wrote about Mike's Pastry once, when my sister made a trip to Chicago and brought some pistachio cookies with her. But now I can do the official post since I went there last week.



So, not to repeat myself...but Mike's Pastry is a big deal in Boston's North End. It's first and foremost where you go to get cannolis, but they of course have lots of other goodies. And there's no "I'll just run in real quick and grab a couple cannolis". Yeah, you and 30 other people.



I mean this in the nicest way possible - the people that work there are not amused. It's not quite to a Soup Nazi level, but you better be ready by the time you get to the counter because there's no sweet little lady in an apron willing to entertain your 20 questions about how do you make cannolis and is there lobster inside a lobster tail pastry (the answer is no).



Ok, on to the treats. The famous cannolis:



The aforementioned lobster tails (a.k.a. sfogliatelle):



And my favorite, the pistachio macaroons:



We were buying for a big group - about 15 of us - and wouldn't be getting back to the house in Scituate for a few hours so we couldn't do cannolis. Instead we bought pistachio macaroons, and assorted cookies.




The pistachio macaroons are just so, so very good. They're crispy on the outside, and soft and doughy and bright green on the inside, with big pieces of pistachios. As I said in my last post - if you're not in Boston and don't plan to travel there, you can order these treats through their website.



Mike's Pastry
300 Hanover St., Boston MA 02113

Sprinkles Cupcakes (Chicago)

Finally, the official Sprinkles Cupcakes post. I had no idea what a big deal Sprinkles is until I went. I tried to go last Saturday for the invitation-only (sounds more exclusive than it was) party, and encountered a crazy line. No thanks. Tried again on their third official day of business at lunchtime, and found a line of probably 25 people out the door. Oy. Finally I went back at about 4:30, sucked it up and waited in line (shorter than earlier that day), and got my prize.

I'm sure a big part of why it's been so busy is because it just opened, but also because it's a big Hollywood celebrity thing which I was not aware of. While you wait in line outside they have three little tvs in the wall showing clips the owner (I'm guessing?) of Sprinkles making tv appearances, and clips of celebrities mentioning Sprinkles on late night shows, MTV Cribs, the Oprah show, etc.



The line outside Magnolia on Bleecker Street can be attributed to one quick scene in Sex and the City (and of course because the cupcakes are great), but Sprinkles seems to have its own little media empire.

Once I finally got in the door I started studying the menu. They have a big menu on the wall of every flavor and a quick description, but with a little trademark Sprinkles dot next to the flavor if it's actually being served that day. Decisions, decisions.



I chose cinnamon sugar - lightly spiced buttermilk cake dusted with cinnamon sugar, and key lime - tangy key lime cake with key lime-vanilla frosting flecked with zest. It's kind of assembly line style, you walk in right in front of the cases, place your order, move down and wait for your name to be called.



Everyone working there was so happy! I guess I would be really happy if I got to make cupcakes all day, too. Really happy and really plump. This was the line by the time I left.



I brought my spoils home for an after dinner treat. Cinnamon sugar on the left, key lime on the right.



Time to break it all down. These cupcakes were...well, pretty perfect. Very fresh, soft cake and not a lot of icing. If you're an icing fan, these might not be your favorite. Here's my beef with NYC cupcakes from Magnolia, Billy's, etc: way too much icing. A veritable mountain of icing. I always have to scrape some off, especially if it's vanilla buttercream icing because there's just too darn much and it's very sugary. Even though that key lime cupcake looks like it's got a pile of icing on top, it's really mostly cake under there. Exhibit A:



I can't wait to go back and try the carrot and chocolate peanut butter. And all the other flavors.

And now, I must say goodbye. No, not forever! Just for a week. Actually, a little over a week. Come on, a girl's gotta take a vacation once in awhile! I'm going to a very exotic place called Massachusetts. So yes, I am taking a brief hiatus from writing...but not from eating delicious food. So don't worry, there will be lots of things for me to share when I get back.

Odds and Ends

I know, I know. I've been slacking. Between a busy work schedule and lots of friends in town, I haven't had much time to cook or write. This is going to be kind of a mish-mosh of a post, but better than nothing - right? I'll go in chronological order here.

In preparation for the opening of Sprinkles Cupcakes in Chicago, last week there was a Sprinkles truck in Chicago serving up a preview of what's to come. I didn't actually see it, but Peter did and got us a couple cupcakes. Aww.



That's red velvet on the left and chocolate coconut on the right. They were so, so good. The cake part was really fresh and soft, and the icing was perfect. If I'm eating a Magnolia or Billy's cupcake with their traditional vanilla buttercream icing, I often scrape part of it off because it's just too rich and sugary to eat the whole heap they put on each cupcake. But the Sprinkles icing was really fluffy and not too sweet. They had an opening party last Saturday afternoon that was by invitation/RSVP. I found out about it on Facebook so it's not like it was that exclusive, but I didn't think it would be as crazy as it was. We walked over there about halfway through and it was such a madhouse we just turned around. They are officially open for business now so I'll try to go back soon.

Friday night we ventured out to a new place called Rootstock. It's near Humboldt Park. I can't take credit for finding it, we met up with Jacquilyn and a bunch of other people who decided to go there. We had a great table outside, enjoyed some drinks and appetizers, placed an order for dinner, and then the storm of the century arrived (almost 8 inches of rain!!!) and we made a dash for inside.



Sorry, no pictures of food. It was very dark at both our table outdoors and inside, plus I didn't want to freak out my new acquaintances with my food photography. But the food was great - charcuterie, small flatbread pizzas, a great burger, PEI mussels, delicious fries, and lots of other goodies. It was a fun to try a new place that I never would have found on my own.

After the restaurant we made a mad dash through the monsoon to the California Clipper, a bar just across the intersection. It turned into one of those great nights you just can't plan for, and couldn't recreate if you tried. We all got to the bar soaking wet, and because of the rain it was pretty empty which was nice. They had a great country band playing, and then to top it off this man in a rain slicker carrying a small cooler walked in. What was in the cooler, you ask?



Oh, just some amazing tamales. $5 for a baggie of 5 cheese and poblano pepper tamales, with some green salsa.

Last Sunday we went to the Publican for brunch. I had only been for dinner and was excited for a different experience there. And it didn't disappoint. I ordered red wine poached eggs over sourdough toast, with bearnaise sauce and prosciutto.



Oh man. I ate everything on my plate.

And Sunday night we went to Table Fifty-Two. I didn't get any photos of food, it's a real classy joint plus we had a big group. I did take a photo of the outside of the restaurant because it's a cute little house. I guess I have a thing for restaurants in houses.



I feel like only showing the outside of the restaurant is like saying "I have a secret but I'm not going to tell you". I'll just say that a couple of my favorite things I ate there were fried green tomatoes, fried pickles, and a vegetable and manchengo wood fired pizza. I guess I'll have to take one for the team and go back so I can get more photos.

Wow, busy weekend. All this eating has left me wiped out.

Levain Bakery

Peter went out to the Hamptons over Memorial Day weekend, and as soon as he made his plans to go I told him he had to bring me a cookie from Levain Bakery. It wasn't a polite request, it was a demand. Where do I start...Levain Bakery cookies are easily the best cookies I've ever had. Without a doubt. They come in four flavors - chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip.




If I only he could have figured out a way to get that whole cart on the plane...



Yes, the cookies are $4. That may seem a little steep, but these cookies are HUGE. I think they probably weigh half a pound each. I usually eat them in stages, not all at once. Besides, can you really put a price tag on the best cookie you'll ever eat in your life? Here's one of their cookies next to one of the chocolate peanut butter cookies I made last week.



They are barely crispy on the outside, and unbelievably soft in the middle - almost raw once you get to the center.



Seriously, seriously the best cookie ever. They make me so happy. They have lots of other goodies like bread, little pizzas, and cinnamon buns that won some kind of cinnamon bun contest on Oprah last year. Levain has locations in East Hampton and in Manhattan on West 74th Street. And for those of you not in New York, you can order their cookies online.

Mike's Pastry Pistachio Cookies

As if it wasn't enough that my sister surprised me with a trip to Chicago last weekend, she brought Mike's Pastry with her! Mike's Pastry is an institution in Boston. It's an Italian pastry shop in the North End neighborhood, and there's pretty much always a line out the door. They are most famous for their cannoli, and rightfully so. If you're not in Boston, don't worry - you can order a cannoli kit online! We've done it before. They deliver the shells carefully packaged, the filling packed with cold packs, and chopped pistachios and chocolate chips to dip them in once you've filled them.



I had never had anything other than cannoli from Mike's, until a couple years ago (which is crazy, because they have so many amazing things). My family was having dinner at our favorite restaurant in the North End, Il Panino, which is right around the corner from Mike's. After dinner they served us a plate of these bright green cookies covered in powdered sugar. They were pistachio macaroons from Mike's. They became an instant favorite. So, that's what my sister brought for me.




I told you they were bright green. Like, neon Shrek green. They are just a little crispy on the outside, and really soft on the inside with lots of big pieces of pistachio. We ordered them to be served as part of our wedding dessert (in addition to Jeni's ice cream sandwiches).


photo courtesy: Jim Sanders Photography

Sprinkles Cupcakes Is Coming To Chicago!

Way back in the winter I went to run an errand at Sur La Table around the corner, only to find it had closed! I went to Williams Sonoma instead. Ironically, I think I was looking for some Valentine's sprinkles for cookies. I mentioned that their competitor down the street had closed, and the salesperson said she thought Sprinkles might be going into that location (50 East Walton Street). Walking by there today I saw this, which confirmed it:



Score! I've never actually had Sprinkles. I've had Magnolia, Crumbs, Billy's, and Buttercup in New York...not to mention More, which is pretty much in the lobby of my building. All I know is that Sprinkles is based in Los Angeles, and they claim to be "the progenitor of the haute cupcake craze" - a statement I'm sure Magnolia would debate.

Opening is scheduled for "Summer 2010" and according to the website they'll have key lime cupcakes starting May 28 through September 6. I just hope there are no delays in opening, I'll be very sad if I miss out on that flavor!

Sweet Mandy B's

I was in the mood for an adventure yesterday, so I decided to go up to Lincoln Park to go to this fish market I found online. You know how when you type an address into Google maps, businesses and restaurants near by pop up on the map? Well, Sweet Mandy B's came up just a couple blocks from the fish market. Of course, I had to go. I knew about Sweet Mandy B's because Abby, my bakery connoisseur friend who used to live here, told me that SMB is one of her favorite bakeries. And I don't take her suggestions lightly, so no question that I should stop by. I texted Abby for some advice:

me: Hey I think I'm going to sweet mandy b's today, what should I get? What's good besides cupcakes?

Abby: Oh, so jealous! Def a whoopie pie if they have them. Otherwise, pb choc rice krispie, iced molasses, choc gingerbread or iced sugar cookie. Let me know what u get!!!

Wowie. I tried to find their website, but they don't have one so I had to rely on Menu Pages and Yelp. Every review on Yelp was all about the cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcakes, and more cupcakes. Don't get me wrong, I love cupcakes, but that's why I asked Abby what else I should get. Given the choice, I prefer cookies/bars/brownies to cupcakes. So, off I went.

A block away from the bakery, I saw this in a store window. There was no sign so I have no idea what the shop was called, and I couldn't see in the door or windows because of big dark shutters...but this was so great I had to take a picture.



I took it as foreshadowing of what I would look like after my bakery visit. And finally, Sweet Mandy B's:



The part on the left is the actual shop, and on the right is the sit-down part where you can bring your goodies to eat on the spot. My plan of attack was to get a couple things to bring home for after dinner, and to get one thing to eat as I strolled to the fish market since it was so nice out. Here are the bakery cases, kind of in the order you see them as you walk in:





Ohhhhhh my goodness. What should I get? I didn't see any whoopie pies, but one of the first things I came upon was the mintrageous chocolate cookie, as you can see in the first picture. Anything with mint and chocolate...and I'm sold. What else...I saw the rice krispie treats, but with all those lovely cookies I couldn't sacrifice a spot on my line-up to a rice krispie treat. No offense, rice krispies. I asked where the iced molasses cookies were because I couldn't find them, and the girl pointed them out - they weren't labeled. They're in that second picture on the top shelf in the middle. The ones with lots of white frosting. They looked amazing, and Abby recommended them so I decided to go for it.




I couldn't stop at just two cookies, and so many Yelp reviewers raved about the cupcakes, so I moved along to the cupcake department. So many choices...carrot cake, orange, Reese's...I chose the almond cupcake with vanilla icing because I remembered a reviewer on Yelp said it was her favorite. I thought I should stop there, but I easily could have kept going. The grand total for my treats - $6.24. Amazing! Considering cupcakes at More cost $4, three treats for only $6 was a great deal.

Bye, Sweet Mandy B's! I'll be back again soon.



The cookies were so lovely and big I didn't think it would do them justice to eat one while walking, so I decided to save them all for after dinner. Fast forward to 9pm:



Baked goods platter! There's nothing better. We cut everything in half to share. First up, the chocolate mint cookie.



Mmmm. Really chewy, lots of chocolate chips, good mint flavor. Kind of like a mint brownie in cookie form. Next up, the iced molasses.



Holy cow...this cookie was AMAZING. So soft, chewy, and the vanilla frosting was really wonderful. The cookie tasted like it had spices in it similar to a pumpkin pie, probably cinnamon and nutmeg and plenty other things I couldn't distinguish. Still one more thing to taste - the almond cupcake.



Cupcakes can sometimes be not so fresh and just kind of so-so, but not the case here. The cake was moist and fluffy, and the frosting was light. The cake had a subtle almond taste, and I loved the slivered almonds on top.

The consensus: iced molasses was the winner. I mean, they were really all winners...but the iced molasses cookie was our favorite. Commence sugar coma.