Robicelli's

Flavors: Monday, November 28th

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and we are already over a week into the Union Square Holiday Market.  As awesome as it is to see all of you (and trust me I LOVE seeing you), the fact that I barely get to see my kids at all wears on my pretty badly.

Matt and I insist that we take one day a week, Wednesdays, to do nothing but concentrate on our family (and if you are a small business owner with a family, I really feel it is absolutely mandatory that you do this as well).  You may remember saying that during Madison Square Eats we’d spend one great day with the boys, I’d tuck them into bed and say “I’ll see you next week!”, and they’d each give me six kisses for every day that I would be leaving before they woke up and coming home after they went to bed.  It was tough, and they hated it, but I promised them it would only be for a few weeks, and then they’d have more time with Mommy until the holidays started.

Like all of us, my kids weren’t thinking the holidays were going to show up so fast.

Atticus has not been happy with me at all. He doesn’t understand why Matt and I have to work all the time instead of going to the Children’s Museum or the zoo or any of the fun places we’re constantly taking them to overcompensate for our ridiculous work schedules.  He told me he didn’t want me to go back to work all the time, and then when I told him I didn’t have a choice, he told me he didn’t love me anymore.  Fortunately, Toby slid in with a “Don’t worry, Mommy- I still love you!”. So at least I have a 50% approval rating, which is nice.

Now that they’re 3 and 4 and rapidly maturing preschool students, I thought it was about time I sat them down and really explained things to them, hoping they’ll finally understand.  It’s Economics 101- surely young kids can get that, right?

“Atticus, Toby- let me ask you a question. Do you like toys?”.  Immediately their eyes light up-“YES!”.  Good, I’ve hooked them.  ”Do you like cupcakes and brownies?”, I continue. “YES!” they scream.  Now they’re precisely where I want them.

“Well, it’s Mommy & Daddy’s job to make sure that there’s enough cupcakes and stuff for people to eat. If it wasn’t for us, the world might run out of cupcakes! (side note: HAHAHAHAHAHA!) And when we make cupcakes, people give us money for them, so we can take that money and buy you more toys.  So you see, if we don’t go to work, you don’t get any toys!”.  

This is pretty cut and dry, no?  But yet they sit there and stare at me in befuddled silence, looking at me like I have six heads.  And then finally, Toby speaks:

“But Mommy, that’s silly!  We can just ask SANTA for toys! Now you can stay home with us!”.

Children: 4,212. Allison: 0

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again- there’s very few feelings worse than being outsmarted by your children.  And mine do it about 10 times a week.  

Damn you, Santa.

Clockwise from front: Pear Mascarpone, Tiramisu, Tres Leches, The Bluth

Pear Mascarpone: Pear cake, mascarpone buttercream, homemade pear chip

Tiramisu: Espresso soaked cake, mascarpone buttercream, espresso ganache, cocoa powder

Tres Leches: Three milk soaked brown butter cake, dulce de leche buttercream, caramel shards

The Bluth: Chocolate banana cake, chocolate buttercream, roasted walnuts, ganache

Available at:

Robicelli’s at Union Square Holiday Market

Robicelli’s: DeKalb Market- 138 Willoughby, Downtown Brooklyn

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery: 94th Street off Third Avenue, Bay Ridge

Aloha Grinds: 77th Street and 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Bagel Schmagel: 76th Street and 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Crespella: 9th Street & 7th Ave, Park Slope

Tazza: Clark Street off Henry AND Henry Street off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Cake Shop: Ludlow Street btwn Stanton & Rivington, LES

Joe at Columbia University: W120th Street btwn Broadway & Amsterdam, Morningside Heights

Queen City Cupcakes: Patchogue, Long Island

Red Hook Lobster Pound Whoopie Pies Only