Robicelli's

Every year I do a Thanksgiving post that mentions all the things I’m thankful for.

I don’t even know where to begin this year.

I’m of course thankful for the usual things: amazing kids, doing what I love for a living, incredible customers, and being married to an incredibly hot piece of ass. You all already know about those things. I’m also thankful that my business, while set back a tad, wasn’t completely destroyed. That Bay Ridge was spared when so many neighborhoods I love weren’t. That my family is safe.

I have lived in Brooklyn all my life, as did my father before me, and his father before him. Crazy thing about kids from Brooklyn- this isn’t a “place” to us, it’s not simple a hometown. 

It’s sticking your head out of the window and screaming at your friends on the street- many times while in a moving vehicle. Now that I’m thinking about that one, that’s really not smart. We should probably stop doing that.

The knowing everyone’s mother and grandmother. Particularly the ones who barely spoke English, but knew enough to always tell you that you “looked too skinny” and would feed you a little something.

The fact that “a little something” is a giant plate of meatballs, or stuffed cabbage, or pernil, or a nice fat slab of spanikopita.

The riceballs. Not “Oh, you don’t really know how it’s done until you go to Italy like I did when I backpacked through Europe and had authentic (say in randomly ethnic accent) arrrrr-an-CHEEEE-neeee”. Not “arancini”. RICEBAAAAAAWWWWWWWLS. Big fat stinking riceballs the size of a small child’s head, covered in globs of sauce, ricotta and mozzarella.  You hit Joe’s of Avenue U if you want to know how the f*** it’s done.

Knowing that if anyone says “Meh, Joe’s is good, but it isn’t that good”, you will punch them square in the face, and no cop in Brooklyn would blame you. This also applies to Brennan & Carr, Randazzo’s, and Lioni’s. Don’t ask about pizza unless you want to hear us yelling amongst ourselves for hours on end (though the correct answer is Totonno’s. Yeah, I said it).

Also that you pronounced the riceball description as “covered in globs of sawce, riGOAT, and MUHTzarell”. You call anyone who says different a “mar-ah-KONE”, even if your family has, like mine, been in Brooklyn 100 years.

The accent. Years of speech classes as a teenager have made mine almost disappear, but you get me angry (or drunk) enough, and I sound like an extra in a Jimmy Cagney flick. Also, you should know if you know if you ever hear my accent you are possibly in imminent danger and should run away as quickly as possible.

The hip-hop and freestyle. Especially George LaMond. I don’t care how many hardcore and metal albums are in my collection- “Bad of the Heart” comes on, and I lose it every. single time. He’s also TOTALLY playing tonight in Bay Ridge, and I am TOTALLY going to be at home on my laptop working on getting holiday ordering up for you guys (December schedule’s up by the way!)

Biohazard, Indecision, Type O Negative, Candiria, Beastie Boys, and DEBBIE FREAKING GIBSON. We also gave the world Barry Manillow and Neil Diamond. YOU’RE WELCOME, REST OF THE WORLD.

The fact that you live in a place with over 3 million people EVERYONE finds a way that the’re connected. Everyone went to school with someone’s brother, or your first cousin watches some kid after school whose grandma lives next door to your best friend. You think I’m popular? You should meet my mother. One time when I was a kid we went to Disney World, and the guy driving the train on “The Great Movie Ride” knew who she was. Woman’s not even on the internet and she has more fans than any of us ever will. She runs a dental office in Bay Ridge.

Deep down, we’re all the take-no-prisoners tough guys and gals of legend, the type who will throw down any time and any place if someone or something goes after one of our own. 

I am so thankful that in this lifetime, I get to say that I am from Brooklyn. And I am thankful for every single one of my brothers and sisters here and in Staten Island (if you didn’t know, everyone from Staten Island is originally from Brooklyn. They even have their own Joe’s of Avenue U over there!). Sandy came for us, and we are standing together and swinging back. You DO NOT mess with Brooklyn. Ever.

I love you, Brooklyn, and I will never stop being proud of the person you made me, and what you have always been. Even before the New York Times found out about you.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Ebinger: Chocolate cake, chocolate custard buttercream, chocolate fudge buttercream, chocolate cake crumbs

Pumpkin Spice Latte: Pumpkin cake, espresso mascarpone buttercream, chocolate espresso beans

Bourbon Caramel Apple: Apple cake, bourbon salted caramel buttercream, roasted apple, bourbon caramel drizzle

Sweet Potato Casserole: Sweet potato cake, toasted marshmallow buttercream, demerera sugar

Today is the absolutely, positively LAST day you can place a Thanksgiving order for the NYC area (our online store will start shipping out again next week).  So, you know, do that right now so I can put the Holiday ordering up and start bothering you guys about that. Seriously, Hanukkah is like 2 weeks away or something. Calendar’s all the way across the room and I don’t feel like getting up to check, but you can take my word for it.

I’m already all-in on the holidays- listening to Christmas carols, placing sugar cookie scented air fresheners all over our apartment, replacing all liquids in my diet with eggnog etc. I don’t want to hear anyone complaining about “Oh, the holidays start earlier and earlier every year! Blah blah blah Scrooge blah blah!”- there’s 47 weeks a year of the same old same old, and only FIVE where it’s all magic and sparkles and mistletoe and Hallmark Channel Christmas movies starring Candace Cameron Bure.

I LIVE FOR THIS CRAP AND I WILL NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO RUIN IT FOR ME.

As sad as it is that our fall flavors are going back into the vault for another year, we’ve now got only a few short weeks to enjoy the magic of Robicelli’s Christmas: holiday flavors like Creme Brulee & Cranberry Gingerbread, manic Tumblr posts that alternate between being swept up in the magic of Christmas and being six seconds away from selling my children to the circus, and live-tweeting lousy made-for-tv Christmas movies as if people who are reading actually have the faintest idea what I’m talking about (heads up: I will also be live-tweeting this Sunday’s world premiere of the Lindsay Lohan tour de force “Liz & Dick” if you want to follow along with me! @robicellis).

Right at this moment, let’s be happy that fall flavors are still here and eager to be eaten for a few more days til next September! They’re in lots of our locations today, so go grab one (or a few) and pre-game for Thanksgiving- or shove some in the freezer in in the event after dinner with your family on Thursday you’ll need to eat your feelings. That’s pretty much my plan every year.

Ebinger: Chocolate cake, chocolate custard buttercream, chocolate fudge buttercream, chocolate cake crumbs

Pumpkin Spice Latte: Pumpkin cake, espresso mascarpone buttercream, chocolate espresso beans

Bourbon Caramel Apple: Apple cake, bourbon salted caramel buttercream, roasted apple, bourbon caramel drizzle

Sweet Potato Casserole: Sweet potato cake, toasted marshmallow buttercream, demerera sugar

At this time two years ago Matt and I were broke, almost homeless and begging for food.  We had two clients, Hom and Blue Apron, and were selling maybe 120 cupcakes on a good week.  That Christmas, I had to ask my mom for money so I would be able to buy presents for my family.  My parents would send over leftover food so we never went hungry, and never made it seem like charity.  My extended family, who owns the building we live in, allowed us to stay rent-free until we could get back on our feet.  

This Thanksgiving, we are back on our feet.  We have a new store. We are working on a book.  We’ve in stores through Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island.  We are making jobs for this country. And we are growing faster than we can keep up sometimes.

I am incredibly thankful for my parents, who even though it pained them to watch me go to hell and back, stood behind me and supported us 100% every step of the way.  If it wasn’t for them, this company wouldn’t function.  They are always there when we need them, helping raise our kids, backing us up when we need help being in six places at the same time, letting us sleep on their floor when our apartment floods (only twice this year!), and still making sure we eat well (we’re Italian- it’s what we do).

I am thankful for all the people who have helped us believe in ourselves, lent us a hand so we could keep going, gave us an “in” where they could, and sat there and listened during every nervous breakdown and panic attack I’ve had.

I am thankful my children still love me, even though we are not typical parents, and we don’t live a typical life.  I am thankful they are turning out to be such amazing little boys, no doubt thanks not only to Matt and myself, but the vast number of people who pitch in to help raise them on a daily basis.

I am thankful to Matt for staying married to me, because I know that I’m nuts and a pain in the ass, but he still loves me.  He also makes me laugh harder than anyone on earth, challenges me as a chef and a human being, and is pretty much the best dad in the whole wide world.  I never for a second forget just how lucky I am.

And most of all, I am thankful for YOU. Because you guys are our everything.  Seriously.  You have been supporting us, rooting for us, inspiring us and making us believe we could do this since day one.  We want to be the best at what we do because you deserve nothing but the best- I don’t think we’ll ever stop being in awe of the fact that people are fanatical about the food that we make.  It is a gigantic honor to be allowed to feed someone, and we are humbled by it.

We love you guys so much. Happy Thanksgiving.

Clockwise from front: The Ebinger, Pumpkin Pie, Bourbon Caramel Apple, Sweet Potato Casserole, Pumpkin Spice Latte

NEW! Sweet Potato Casserole: Sweet potato cake, toasted marshmallow buttercream, turbinado sugar

Pumpkin Pie: Pumpkin cake, vanilla buttercream, crushed pie dough

Bourbon Caramel Apple: Apple cake, bourbon salted caramel buttercream, roasted apple, bourbon caramel sauce

Pumpkin Spice Latte: Pumpkin cake, espresso mascarpone buttercream, fall spiced chocolate covered espresso beans

The Ebinger: Chocolate cake, chocolate custard buttercream, chocolate fudge, cake crumbs

AVAILABLE AT:

Robicelli’s at Union Square Holiday Market

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market: 138 Willoughby Street, Downtown Brooklyn

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

Bagel Schmagel: 76th Street and Third Avenue, Bay Ridge

Hom: Third Avenue & 88th Street, Bay Ridge

Crespella: 7th Avenue off 9th Street, Park Slope

Blue Apron Foods: Union Street off 7th Avenue, Park Slope

Battery Place Market: 77 Battery Place, Battery Park City

Joe Columbia University: West 120th Street btwn Broadway & Amsterdam, Morningside Heights

Red Hook Lobster Pound (Whoopie Pies Only)

Queen City Cupcakes: 62 West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

It’s that time of year again, folks!

THANKSGIVING IS ONLY A FEW WEEKS AWAY!!!!

And while so many of you are going “NOOOOOOO!!!!!  NOT READY YET!!!!”, we here at Robicelli’s ARE getting ready, and have officially opened up Thanksgiving Pre-Ordering.  See that bit at the top of the page that says “Thanksgiving Ordering 2011”? Whenever you’re done emotionally preparing yourself for the imminence of the holiday season, click over there for details on how to order.  Here’s the Cliff Notes version for you all:

-We’ll have five flavors available: Pumpkin Spice Latter, Pumpkin Pie, The Ebinger, Bourbon Caramel Apple, and a NEW one we’re introducing that week- SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE.  That’s sweet potato cake with toasted marshmallow buttercream and a bit of sugar on top. Let’s not kid ourselves with the whole “sweet potatoes covered in butter, syrup and marshmallows is totally a side dish and therefore healthy” lie any longer.  It’s dessert- it’s rich, it’s decadent, and now in cupcake form, it’s portion controlled.  And delicious- did we mention delicious?

-We will have brownies and whoopie pies available for the first Thanksgiving ever! We debuted the Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pie this past Sunday at the Grub Street Food Festival, and it sold out by 2pm.  Not only that, half the people who bought one came back to buy a second. So if you were one of the people who waited on line only to learn they were sold out, you can blame those people for ruining your life.

-We’ll be doing a very limited number of deliveries in Brooklyn, so early bird gets the worm if you want a spot on the list (FYI- two dozen minimum on delivery).  Otherwise, orders will be available for pick-up at either our shop at DeKalb Market, or at our booth at the Union Square Holiday Market.  There are NO DELIVERIES IN MANHATTAN the day before Thanksgiving, because with traffic the way it’s been, you’re likely to receive your stuff at 4am.  Aside from Union Square and our usual places, we will have a brand spanking new location in Manhattan where you can pick up your stuff. You’ll have to tune in tomorrow for details on that though, because I like suspense and excitement. Can you feel the suspense? IT’S PALPABLE! 

-You can preorder 4 dozen cupcakes, you can preorder 4 cupcakes- it doesn’t matter.  What’s important is that we HIGHLY RECOMMEND PREORDERING, whether it’s though us via email, in person at DeKalb, or with one of the shops we wholesale to.  We recommended this last year, no one preordered, and thus many of our locations didn’t order any cupcakes at all.  And then I got dozens of angry emails and tweets from people who went to their local Robicelli’s outlets only to find no cupcakes, and having to go dinner empty handed.  Thanksgiving should not be about disappointment! It should be about getting so bloated you have to secretly unbutton your pants under the table, or passing out on the couch while watching football and covered in Ritz cracker crumbs!

IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH YOU ARE PREORDERING- IT CAN BE ANY AMOUNT. EVEN TWO.  We will be baking as many cupcakes, brownies and whoopie pies as we can so that there will be some available for the last minute types- but if you don’t preorder, there are no guarantees that you’ll get your dessert.  Safety first, people.

-It is cold enough at this point of the year where you don’t have to worry about transporting the cupcakes.  We should be good from now til May at least.  Another reason I love this weather.

-Thanksgiving flavors will be available from Monday through Wednesday at all our locations, so if you’re leaving a day or two before Thanksgiving, you’ll be able to pick them up.  They freeze wonderfully in their boxes, which I would recommend if you’re picking them up on Monday or Tuesday.  If you’re grabbing them Wednesday, you can just keep them in the fridge overnight. 

That’s about all I can think of right now.  Any questions? Want more info? Hit us up on Facebook.

But enough about the future- let’s live in the now, particularly regarding these awesome cupcakes that are being delivered to stores as we speak!  Today we introduce the Pecan Pie cupcake, which Matt is now proclaiming to be his new favorite cupcake! And did he bring one home for me to try? Of course he didn’t!  Let me know how it is!

Clockwise from front: Pumpkin Caramel, Caramel Apple, Brandy Alexander, Pecan Pie

NEW! Pecan Pie: Pecan molasses cake, vanilla buttercream, molasses glazed pecans

Caramel Apple: Apple cake, salted caramel buttercream, cinnamon sugar roasted apple, caramel drizzle

Brandy Alexander: Chocolate brandy cake, brandy mascarpone buttercream, chocolate dipped brandy snap cookie

Pumpkin Caramel: Pumpkin cake, salted caramel buttercream, candied pumpkin seeds

Available at:

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market: 138 Willoughby Street, Unit #18, Downtown Brooklyn

Hom: Third Avenue and 88th Street, Bay Ridge

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

Blue Apron Foods: Union Street off 7th Avenue, Park Slope

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

Radish: Bedford Avenue off North 8th, Williamsburg

The Brooklyneer: 220 West Houston Street, West Village

Battery Place Market: 77 Battery Place, Battery Park City

Joe- Columbia University: West 120th Street btwn Broadway & Amsterdam, Morninside Heights

Queen City Cupcakes: 62 Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

Red Hook Lobster Pound: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook (Whoopie Pies Only)

I am thankful that I am married to the most wonderful man in the world, and that I get to do what I love for a living with the person I love most.  He is the greatest father in history, the most romantic husband, and the best friend I have ever had.

I am thankful for the two perfect children we have together, Atticus (3) and Toby (2).  There are absolutely no words to describe the way we love these two boys, but any of you who are parents get it.  I wasn’t truly alive before them- they are our whole universe, our very reason for existing. 

I am thankful for our troops overseas, and all my childhood friends who have become cops and firefighters.  I pray for your safety every day.

I am thankful for the doctors and nurses who cured the cancer that was killing me 9 years ago.  I am thankful that I was able to have children, even though I was told it would never happen.  I am thankful for Robbie, and all the friends who saw me through it all.

I am thankful to my Grandma, Great-Aunt Jo, and their entire generation.  They instilled in me a love of family, community, food and everything that is wonderful about being Italian.  I lost the last of them, my Grandmother, this July.  I know you’re all up there watching over us, talking loudly (NOT yelling), and smiling.  But I miss you more than I could ever say.

I am thankful for our food friends, the love they put into what they do, and the fact that we are finally able to relate to people who are as nuts as we are.  Jen & Liz, The NachosNY crew, Simon & Christina, Anton & Erica, and all the rest of you.  It’s an honor to be considered in the same vein as people as wonderful as you all. 

Most of all, I am thankful for everyone who has had faith in us and supported us this past year: Erica Reitman & Greg, Chris SkintyMcGoo, Rob & Amber Blatt, NineDaves, Jack “Skippy” McFadden, Heather Dunsmoor, Amy Cao, Jenny Miller, Nichelle Stevens & Co, Stacie Joy, Yvo Sin, Nicole Davis & Annaliese Griffin, Siobhan & Alex, Rachel Wharton, Liza deGuia, and most of all, YOU.  We’ve been struggling uphill since the very beginning over two years ago- fighting naysayers, rumors, internet trolls, a stock market crash…….basically everything you could throw at two people has been thrown at us.  I want to say it’s been easy to just fight on through and shrug it all off, but its tested every bit of us- our marriage, our resolve, our morals and values.  We are proud of how far we’ve come, and it’s because of all of you that it’s been possible.

You don’t know how important it is to know that people believe in you, especially in times you’re losing faith in yourself.  We will never stop being grateful for all you have given us.  Happy Thanksgiving guys.

Thanksgiving has finally arrived, and so marks the unofficial end of fall.  We’ve had good one, filled with lots of happy memories, and lots of great seasonal flavors.  This is the last time you’ll be seeing most of these until next year, so make sure you enjoy them before they go back in the vault!

We are doing ALL of our deliveries today, so that we can spend the next few days with our kids putting up the tree, hanging our stockings, and stuffing our faces before the madness of the holiday season begins.  We’ll be back to our normal delivery schedule on Monday, and posting our holiday market schedule very soon (you’ll be seeing TONS of us from now until Christmas). 

Aaaannnnd I forgot to take pictures of these before I left the kitchen tonight.  I had a really long day.  I mean, we did six flavors and close to 1,000 cupcakes, just the two of us!  It’s a miracle I’m typing relatively coherently right now.  I fully expected this post to be 95% misspelled, peppered with curse words and threats against the Church of Scientology (you know, for funzies).  Just close your eyes and envision the beauty of the cupcakes- trust me, they’re sexy as all hell.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE:  pumpkin cake, cheesecake buttercream, chocolate ganache dip

SWEET POTATO PIE:  sweet potato cake, vanilla buttercream, bourbon glazed pecans

MAPLE WALNUT:  maple walnut cake, maple-spiked buttercream, maple glazed walnuts

BUTTERNUT SPICE:  butternut squash cake, vanilla buttercream, spiced pumpkin seeds, butternut squash seed oil

APPLE MAPLE CRISP:  apple spice cake, vanilla buttercream, roasted apple butter, oat crisp, pure Vermont maple syrup

BEA ARTHUR: black coffee infused chocolate cake, cheesecake buttercream, espresso ganache

Available at:

HOM- 88th St and 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

CAFE AT SAM’S BAKERY-  94th Street off 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

BLUE APRON FOODS- Union St. off 7th Ave, Park Slope

CAFE 474- 4th Ave off 11th St, Park Slope

CRESPELLA CREPE & ESPRESSO BAR- 321  7th Avenue at 9th Street, Park Slope

MARKET- Cortelyou Road btwn Westminster & Argyle, Ditmas Park

FARMACY- Corner of Henry and Sackett, Carroll Gardens

TAZZA CAFES- Henry off Atlantic and Clark off Henry, Brooklyn Heights

CAKESHOP- Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, Lower East Side

LILY O’BRIEN’S AT BRYANT PARK-  E40th btwn 5th and 6th, Midtown

A Very Brooklyn Thanksgiving!

If you haven’t been subscribing to Nona Brooklyn, you’re missing out.  Their site and blog has been my go-to for keeping up with everything that’s going on with all my fellow Brooklyn small food businesses, and I anxiously await their newsletter in my inbox every week.

Earlier this month, they asked us if we could share some of our favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, and we happily complied.  We’re in some prestigious company- we’re featured along such geniuses as Brent from The Meat Hook, Cathy Erway, our good friends at Radish, and the amazing ladies from Four & Twenty Blackbirds.  We hope you enjoy the piece!

The Brooklyn Paper did a nice write-up about our Thanksgiving cupcakes- thanks guys!  Get your orders in quick!

The holidays are beginning, meaning it’s menu planning time!  And what better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than with an assortment of our seasonal cupcakes?  Thanksgiving will the the last hurrah for many of these flavors, so grab a few dozen and stuff your gobs!

Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake:  Pumpkin cake with cheesecake buttercream, dipped in chocolate ganache

Sweet Potato Pie:  Sweet potato cake with vanilla buttercream and brown butter-bourbon pecans

Butternut Spice:  Butternut squash cake with vanilla buttercream and spiced pumpkin seeds

Apple Maple Crisp:  Apple spice cake with vanilla buttercream, roasted apple butter, oat crisp and locally sourced maple syrup

Bea Arthur:  Black coffee infused chocolate cake with cheesecake buttercream and espresso ganache

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