A Tale of Two Cupcakes

For starters I have to admit, I hardly ever go out for cupcakes anymore. Why? Mostly because I have been so utterly disappointed with the dry/tasteless/sugary loads of crap most people consider good. I’ve had many of the NYC standards: Magnolia’s (the frosting is crap), Cupcake Cafe (the cake is dry), Crumbs (they are too big and are overloaded with too many ‘toppings’), Buttercup Bake Shop (too sweet and always slightly stale).  After awhile, I just stopped attempting to enjoy cupcakes made by other people…until last week.

Don’t ask me why but whilst Christmas shopping I had the urge to take another stab at cupcakes so I decided to hit up 2 spots: Butter Laneand Tribeca Treats. Why these places? They were close to my shopping destinations. Here’s my review on both establishments:

Butter Lane- I walked into their temporary Soho outpost and was immediately hopeful. The atmosphere was simple yet homey. Also the cupcakes didnt look covered in goop/sprinkles but still had interesting flavors like pumpkin and blueberry. I purchased a pumpkin frosting/chocolate cake  to go and began consuming as I walked out the door. I was pleasantly surprised. I mean, they werent mind blowing but they weren’t awful. The frosting was soft but was still substantial and the cake was moist. The drawback, I didnt taste pumpkin AT ALL. I dont know where the pumpkin was or how they tried to infuse the festive flavor into the frosting but it didnt work. Boo. It wasn’t a total loss but was certainly not a win. Onto the next cupcake…

Tribeca Treats- I had avoided this place for years because my sister had insisted that it was a horrible with gross

treats/bad service and I took her word for it. The atmosphere was typically bakery-esk: a few tables, chocolate pictures on the walls, window cases filled with chocolates and baked goods, etc. Maybe it was because I went about 40 minutes before closing, but they did not have too many cupcakes to chose from which started to worry me. I decided to go with the S’more cupcake because it had everything I would want: chocolate cake with marshmallow icing and topped with graham cracker crumbs. Once again, I started consuming as soon as I stepped out the door. After the 2nd bite I knew I had found it: the cupcake of my dreams. The frosting was soft, billowy, and sweet without being cloying. The cake was moist, delicous, and fresh. The graham cracker crumbs ontop of the frosting werent stale or hard, they were soft and buttery. Better yet? Everything tasted as advertised!!  It actually TASTED like a s’mores instead of just sugary glop. I immediately called my sister while she was at work to yell at her for giving me such bad advice.

In summation: if you’re in the Financial District or Tribeca and are looking for a sweet snack – stop on into Tribeca Treats and get yourself something…no matter what your sister may tell you.

Top Chocolate Shops

I spent many years walking around the streets of Manhattan looking for a new chocolate shop. Searching for new flavors and concoctions, hoping that amongst the mediocre chocolate factories I would find gems. Indeed I did find some divine chocolate shops and now I can share my findings with the world!

1 – Jacques Torres

There is something so delightful about the combination of chocolate and chiles. Spicy and sweet at the same time – its definitely addicting. A lot of chocolate shops/cafes make spicy hot chocolate but Jacques makes just about the best one I’ve had. Its thick and creamy without being overly sweet – its also doesnt have just cinnamon and chiles in it. The Wicked Hot Chocolate Try the Wicked Hot Chocolate features allspice, cinnamon, ground, sweet ancho chili peppers, and smoked, ground chipotle chili peppers!   Their french kiss cookies are so sinful – I can’t resist. Also, Jacques still mans his stores – I’ve seen him in them working solo. Man that guys got class….

 

2 - Vosges Haut Chocolat

If you are really into exotic flavors – you are going to love Vosges. Katrina Markoff pairs chocolate with just about everyone and gets wonderful results. Boring chocolate combinations are a thing of the past with her Exotic Truffle Boxes. The Absinthe truffle shines with chinese star anise, fennel and pastis, the Black Pearl pops with ginger, wasabi, and black sesame seeds, and the Naga delights with a mix of coconut and curry. She even has truffles mixed with Taleggio cheese, Wild Tuscan pollen, Balsamic vinegar, and first pressed extra virgin olive oil. Katrina, my tastebuds love you.

 

 

3 - Maribelles

Maribelles also boasts a lot of exotic truffles but my favorites by far are the Caipirinha, Cardamom, and the Saffron. So good! Maribelles also takes hot chocolate one step further than Jacques and Vosges with 4 different flavors: Aztec Original, Aztec Dark, Mocha, and Spicy (cinnamon, nutmeg and chipotle). They are all fantastic and you could do so many different things with them! They even have mixes for Iced Hot Chocolate – in Regular‚ Spicy and Cardamom. Mmmmmmm Cardamom….

4 - Chocolate Bar

There are a lot of things to love about the Chocolate Bar. They have a different spin on truffles called ‘ The Atomic Collection’. These are like truffles but bigger and have more fillings. Examples: the Elvis – which is homemade banana marshmallow & crunchy peanut butter enrobed in dark chocolate. Mmmmmm. They also have delicious biscotti caramel clusters – chocolate biscotti/creamy caramel enrobed in dark chocolate. So good. The only thing that gets me angry is that I can never find the place. Is it just me or are they ALWAYS moving?

 

5 – Evelyns Chocolate

This is quite possibly the oldest chocolate shop in the Financial District. I worked 3 blocks away from this place for about 2 years and would visit Evelyn and her team about once a week. You could not find nicer people. Plus, they have an awesome selection of treats. Classics like peanut clusters, coconut clusters, grand marnier truffles, caramels, orange peels, etc are positively delightful. Looking to purchase a box of chocolates for a loved one? Come here. Ya I know its in the Financial District…just come on your lunch break ok?

6 – La Maison du Chocolat

If you’re looking for super rich chocolate La Maison is for you. The ganaches are scrumptious, the pralines are yummy, and most importantly fruit pastes are divine. These are what I come here for – they taste just like the ones I got the last time I was in Paris. They arent super sweet and are made from untreated fruits. They come in 5 different flavors: red fruits, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit and mandarine.

10 Pantry Staples

There are certain foods I always keep in my pantry because they always help  me whip up a delicious last minute meal

1 – Dried Mushrooms

These are fantastic for a last minute dish. They add depth to just about anything. Stew, pastas, gravy, a roast, – you name it. There are a bunch of varieties but I always get porcini’s and if I’m really getting crazy with myself: morels.

2 – Vanilla Beans

Yes, they are expensive but a little goes a long way with these gems. They are perfect to perk up any dessert or fruit salad. A must for any kitchen.

3 – Sea Salt

Thanks to the good ol’ iodized salt we all grew up with, cases of goiters and thyroid gland problems have significantly dropped over the years…and we are all thankful. However sea salt is much more flavorful and you tend to use less of it. I’m not saying get rid of the trusted salt you use. Just try this one as well

4 –  Curry

Curry powders can add so much zing to a boring chicken/beef stew – they are worth picking up at the store. Curries usually include  – but are not limited to – turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, and red pepper. If you are one of those 10 people in the world who hate curry (and my father is one of them) you may skip this but if you are just not familiar with curry – try it.

5 – Lemons

I always get lemons every time I go food shopping and I am STILL always out of them at the end of the week. Lemons and limes add freshness to so many things: meat, poultry, fruit, vegetables, beverages, etc. Fresh lemons are much better than those ‘lemon in a jar’ bottles. Call me crazy but those bottles always taste like chemicals to me.

6 – Herbes de Provence

I’ll admit – this one can be a little costly. But its worth it in my opinion and it should last you a long time. It consists of lavender, savory, fennel thyme, and rosemary. If you are big into roasted chickens this is a must. It’ll perk up your chicken salads, roasted chicken breasts, grilled fishes, veggie stews, etc.

7 – Mustard

I’m not talking French’s Yellow Mustard – although there is nothing wrong with that. I love classic yellow mustard on hot dogs and sandwiches. But a really nice mustard  — whether its dijon (my personal fav) honey, whole grain, french/english, horseradish, chinese, or polish — can do wonders for homemade vinaigrettes, marinades, barbecue sauces, salad dressings, and glazes. Open yourself up to the wonderful world of the mustard seed.

8 – Garlic Powder

Ok, this one is almost a given but it needs to be mentioned. I’m Italian and my husband is half Puerto Rican. We use garlic powder ALL the time. Its not a replacement for fresh garlic and you shouldn’t use it as such. I do use it as a substitute for salt in mariandes, stews, dressings, rubs, etc. Always a necessity.

9 – Vinegars

I love using a dash of vinegar in many of my dishes. Whether its Apple Cider, Malt, Rice, Balsamic, or Wine, you can use them to season veggies, for mariandes, salad dressings, sauces, deglazes for gravy, etc.

10 – Low Carb Pasta

There are many nights when I don’t feel like having a  heavy meal or its late and I don’t feel like going grocery shopping. Low Carb Pasta is great for nights like these , it takes minutes to whip up and can go with anything. You can make a pasta sauce from just about anything you have laying around your house .