Robicelli's

We had so much fun this past Tuesday at Choice Eats, and hope all of you who came did too! Now that this one is in the books, it means that we have officially kicked off the food event season for 2013, and you need to start planning which ones you’re going to spend your hard earned money on. And OF COURSE you guys are most interested in the ones Matt and I will be appearing at….RIGHT?!?!?!?!

First up:

We’ll be back for our third installment of Tasting Brooklyn on April 16th at the Green Building. If you’re kicking yourself over missing the awesomeness that Choice Eats brought, this is just the event to get you over that.  In addition to us, there will be food & drinks from Allswell, The Clover Club, Fletchers BBQ, Stone Park Cafe and more- including two of my all time personal favorites, ALC Alimentari and Tchoup Shop.  There’s only a few tickets that are still available, so I would order them immediately. IMMEDIATELY I SAY! Like right this very second!

Next one that I can officially announce is….

We are returning to Tasting Table’s Lobster Roll Rumble! We did this one two years ago and are so so SOOOOOOO unbelievably stoked to be back.  This one is a little “pricey” (God I hate that word so much), but it’s worth every single damn penny. If you’re looking for the most epic friend’s night out or can’t afford to party in the Hamptons this summer, this is your next best bet. Because:

1. You get all the damn lobster rolls you can eat for two whole hours. TWO WHOLE HOURS. And we’re not just talking local favorites Red Hook Lobster Pound or Lure Fishbar either. We’re talking lobster rolls from Maine (The Clam Shack, Cousin’s Fresh Maine Lobster and more), Boston (B&G), out east (Lunch Lobster Shack), Virginia (Ford’s), Chicago (Little Market)……even San Francisco (Waterbar). If you have ever had a dream where you were trapped in a clam shack and could eat all the lobster you could possibly dream of- that dream has come true.

2. You can drink all you want for THREE whole hours! Because what goes better with getting yourself sick off lobster than getting completely stinking drunk!

3. You can eat all the desserts you want to counteract all the alcohol you’ve drank, including whoopie pies from yours truly.

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We’ve also got several more events coming up which are going to change your entire damn life, but I’m saving those for another post. It’s HARD coming up with new material for these blogs every day out of just cupcakes and brownies and whatnot! I can’t be writing about just them and otters all the damn time!

Banoffee: Banana cake, toffee pudding, mascarpone buttercream, toffee shards

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

Blueberry Cobbler: Vanilla cake, blueberry syrup, vanilla buttercream, blueberry compote, brown sugar streusel

Hazelnut Kiss: Chocolate hazelnut cake, Nutella buttercream, roasted hazelnuts

We are one day away from the first puck drop of the 2013 Rangers season! And though as a lifelong Ranger fan I’m always hoping for the best but bracing myself for the inevitable soul-crushing disappointment, this year is different! We’re always amazing the first half of the season, then somewhere midway everything goes to hell and the amount of screaming that goes on in this household exponentially increases.

However- THIS year thanks to the contractual lockout- we’re only getting a first half of the season! By the time the Rangers reach the point they’re supposed to start sucking horribly, the season is already over! There’s no way we’re not winning the cup this year!

In other news- Matt was on Sweet Genius this past week (with a cameo from me and the boys). However it’s not online, so there’s nothing fun I can post here. Nor should I post any of my thoughts on the show here without completely torpedoing my career or whatever tenuous relationship I currently have with Food Network. Nor am I allowed to make any commentary about that photo above, or talk about the kinds of things we do at home while speaking in his accent. This is really killing me, guys.

I’ll just say if you see the episode “Sci-Fi Genius”, you should Tivo it. Matt looks super sexy (as always), and I’m very proud of him for not passing out since they filmed this in a pastry kitchen under hot lights in the middle of July. I’ll also say that both Matt, myself, and the entire Robicelli’s team ADORE Ron Ben-Israel- he’s as sweet at the cakes he makes. 

Now onto flavors- it’s been a while, but today is a BRAND SPANKING NEW FLAVOR day! Heading to stores today is Banoffee- a banana cake filled with toffee pudding, topped with mascarpone buttercream and homemade toffee candy. This is an incredibly popular kind of pie over in England, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why it isn’t on this side of the pond. Hopefully you’ll try this cupcake and agree, and perhaps some small to medium-sized riots will bread out that will force more pubs and restaurants to put this on the menu. I mean, if we can have “Cupcake Wars”, then CERTAINLY rioting over them is also appropriate.  

NEW! Banoffee: Banana cake, toffee pudding, mascarpone buttercream, toffee shards

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

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

Dom DeLuise: Pistachio cake, cannoli buttercream, chopped citron, pistachios and mini chocolate chips

The cupcakes have gone to stores! Yay! And Allison’s going to be back blogging on Monday! DOUBLE YAY! And our online store is open for business! TRIPLE YAY!

Dom DeLuise: Pistachio cake, cannoli cream buttercream, chopped citron, roasted pistachio, mini chocolate chips

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

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

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

It’s another one of those “I’ve been working on so many super incredibly awesome things that I’m not yet at liberty to talk about, but when you guys find out about them you’re going to be marginally excited because, let’s face it, there’s only so excited you can actually get about a bakery, I mean it’s not like we’re making talking dogs, and let me tell you THAT is something that I think we can all get behind and get super excited about, but back to the point I’m going to get really excited about them because it’s my company that’s I deal with 24 hours a day, and you’ll all be like ‘Wow, that’s pretty awesome news!’ for like three seconds and then go back to looking at Pinterest (or porn)” days!

As you can imagine, it’s very difficult for me to write Tumblr posts when I’m busting at the seams with news I can’t totally announce for super-duper-realz yet, so I’m going to fill this post with “Lite News”. Pretty much stuff you already know, but I’m just going to remind you about. Though heads up- to make all this secret magic stuff happen I’ve been skimping on the sleep, and therefore am so shot that I don’t know how to make it thrillingly exciting enough for a Friday post. In consolation, here’s a picture of an eggplant that looks like Richard Nixon to get your adrenaline pumping:

That was enjoyable, wasn’t it?

Rosh Hashana begins on Sunday night, and the last day you can get your orders in for our special L’Shanah Tovah cupcake (plus others) or Pomegranate Walnut brownie is TODAY. We’re delivering on Sunday afternoon after 3pm, pick-ups will be available at Robicelli’s at Gourmet Guild by early evening. 

If you’re looking to place an order for a party next month- the entire October schedule is already up. You may notice that even though we’re known for releasing new flavors relatively regularly, we’re pretty much not doing that at all this fall. We just have so many seasonal flavors we love- including Matt’s favorite (Pecan Pie) and mine (Butternut Spice)- and such a limited time to release them all (til Thanksgiving), that we’re putting a hold on our MASSIVE development list (because seriously, there’s a good amount of flavors still on deck)(also we’re skimping on new flavors- but NOT on parenthesis. We’re still chock full of those).  Maybe next year we’ll release a few, but this year? You guys need more opportunities to make love to Tarte Bourdelou and Sweet Potato Casserole and all those other good ones that came and went so quickly last year.

You know, it just occurred to me- what if that eggplant really was Richard Nixon? Like, one minute you’re the President of the United States, then you’re publicly disgraced, and next thing you know you get reincarnated as an eggplant and end up in some guys hero covered in tomato sauce and mozzarella.  What if this happens to all the Presidents?!?!?! Is anyone out there on the internet looking into this? (ok- it’s officially time for me to shut the laptop and get some sleep)(or it’s time to stay up all night looking for corn on the cob that looks like Gerald Ford)

Clockwise from front: Bourbon Caramel Apple, Turtle, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Tiramisu

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

Turtle: Chocolate cake, salted caramel buttercream, roasted pecans, ganache, salted caramel buttercream

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

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

Thanks to Emily Hannahan, aka Nomnivorous, for this LOLCat.

Yep, Matt and I are on vacation with our two boys in beautiful sunny Sesame Place/Philadelphia. And I am OFF THE G-DAMN GRID. Though I do need recommendations on where to eat down here because our hotel is sandwiched between an Arby’s and a Taco Bell, and I have to share a bed with Matt.

If you’ve visited Philly, lived there, loved there etc, hit me up on Facebook and tell me where to go.  As for today, I’ll be relaxing next to Count Von Count’s Splash Castle with Big Bird and Elmo, sipping on cherry slushies and eating dried out cheeseburgers. This is adulthood at it’s finest.

Hugs and kisses to our amazing staff who are taking the reins for us this week so we could spend a week being a family outside of the business. You guys are the best ever. Now go buy these cupcakes they made and tell them how much you love them, too!

Clockwise from front: Chocolate Caramel Pretzel, Rue McClanahan, Tiramisu, Bananas Foster

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel: Chocolate cake, salted caramel buttercream, crushed pretzels, ganache & caramel drizzles

Rue McClanahan: Peach cake, cheesecake buttercream, espresso ganache

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

Bananas Foster: Banana cake, rum-salted caramel buttercream and drizzle

This past weekend we beta launched Twilight Market at DeKalb, debuted ice cream sandwiches, and stayed up way way waaaaay past our bedtimes. The thing I love about beta launches is that it’s not as much about selling or doing but observing - watching and listening to your audience, figuring them out, learning from them to tailor your product and experience to them. 

I learned the following this weekend, and decided for the second post in a row to illustrate it in MS Paint. This isn’t going to be an every day thing, but I’m sort of on a roll with the clicking and the dragging and circle making, and with no sleep this weekend the English thing isn’t doing it too good for me right now but the stick figures are, so this seemed like the best way to make the point:

But to all the people who stuck out the freezing cold and stayed at Twilight Market, and hung out with me inside the store where we lived like kings in 56 degree temperatures, I had an incredible time with you all and can’t wait for you to come back! Absolutely the most fun I’ve had on a Saturday night in months.

Now we’re going to hang up the MS Paint for a while, as I need to conserve my awesome art skills for a very super awesome secret project I’m working on. Who could possibly want to utilize skills that mind blowing? The US Government perhaps? Mayyybeeeee…..

And yes, ice cream sandwiches were a huge success! We’ll have them all week at DeKalb, though not today as we’re closed on Mondays.  Need something sweet to make you smile at the very beginning of the work week? Who’s better at making that happen than us?

Clockwise from front: Creamsicle, Ebinger, Tiramisu, Funky Monkey

Creamsicle: Orange cake, vanilla buttercream, hand candied orange peel

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

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

Funky Monkey: Banana chocolate chip cake, peanut butter buttercream, banana chip, ganache

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Cupcakes Available At:

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market: 138 Willoughby Street, Downtown Brooklyn (CLOSED MONDAYS- open Tuesday at noon, just in time for 2 for $5 Tuesday! Woot woot!)

Aloha Grinds: 77th & 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

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

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

Cake Shop: 152 Ludlow St, Lower East Side

Simon Sips: Hidden inside 1185 6th Avenue, Midtown

Battery Place Markets: 240 Murray Street, Goldman Sachs Building, Financial District

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

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

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Whoopie Pies Available At:

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market

Red Hook Lobster Pound: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook

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

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

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Brownies:

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market

Simon Sips: Hidden inside 1185 6th Avenue, Midtown

Oaxaca Tacos: 250 4th Avenue- Park Slope Brooklyn; 251 Smith Street Cobble Hill Brooklyn; 16 Extra Place, LES Manhattan; 48 Greenwich Avenue, West Village Manhattan

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

It’s March 23rd! (Wasn’t Christmas just like 2 weeks ago?) This means:

A) we’re only a week and a half away from Tasting Brooklyn! 

B) the grand reopening of Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market is ALSO only two weeks away! AND it’s Easter/Passover weekend, so you should place your orders for pick-up!

C) then the EscapeMaker.com trade show is only THREE weeks away! We’ll be doing free tastings and selling some super-special baked goods!

D) and then the wedding of the millennium, Simon & Christina from Macaron Parlour, is FOUR weeks away! We’re making the cupcakes for it, proving once and for all that cupcakes and macarons can peacefully co-exist. It’s going to be just like the Peace of Westphalia, but with more tummyaches.

E) and finally, to end the month of April, I’m going to be headed to beautiful sunny Delaware for the weekend. If you think for a second that I’m not crazy excited about that one, you’re wrong. Matt’s going to be getting his tattoo finished with Shane O’Neil, so I’m going to hole myself up in a hotel for two days with my phone off, hide under the covers and eat an entire case of Swiss Miss pudding packs. I’ve been dreaming of a vacation just like this one all my life.

You’re going to need to start training if you’re going to keep up with all the deliciousness we’re going to be bringing. I say you start now with some of these:

Clockwise from front: Tiramisu, Wild Maine Blueberry Cobbler, Banana Cream Pie, Ebinger

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

Wild Maine Blueberry Cobbler: Vanilla cake, blueberry syrup, vanilla buttercream, blueberry compute, streusel

Banana Cream Pie: Banana cake, vanilla pudding, custard buttercream, banana chip, graham cracker crumbs

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

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Cupcakes Available at:

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery: 94th Street off 3rd Avenue, Bay Ridge

Aloha Grinds: 77th & 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Bagel Schmagel: 76th & 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Hom: 88th & 3rd, Bay Ridge

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

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

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

Eastern District: Manhattan Ave off Eagle, Greenpoint

Brooklyn Standard: Nassau Street off Jewel, Greenpoint

Cake Shop: Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, LES

Battery Place Market: 240 Murray Street, Goldman Sachs Building, Financial District

Bar 5F at Bergdorf Goodman: 5th Avenue & 58th Street, 5th Floor, Manhattan

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

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Whoopie Pies Available At:

Red Hook Lobster Pound: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook

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

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

_________________________________

Brownies Available At:

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

Oaxaca Tacos: 250 4th Avenue- Park Slope Brooklyn; 251 Smith Street Cobble Hill Brooklyn; 16 Extra Place, LES Manhattan

HOLYCRAPHOLYCRAPHOLYCRAP!!!!

In the event you have not yet heard…..

…NONA BROOKLYN GOT NOMINATED FOR A JAMES FREAKING BEARD AWARD FOR BEST GROUP BLOG!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

And as I’m a columnist for Nona, by proxy I got nominated for a James Beard award myself! 

Honestly, there is no way I could be any happier for Nona creator/editor Peter Hobbs.  Peter is one of the biggest cheerleaders of local food, one of the nicest guys ever, and a saint all around. He’s also the man who reached out to me and convinced me that I could actually write, and was the one who pushed me into believing that I could write a funny cookbook.  He has given everything he could for the past two years into this, and I personally and professionally can not think of anyone more deserving.  Congrats, Peter. And thank you for bringing me along for the ride.

Now back to me. 

As a popular contributor to Nona, I’ve determined that about 7% of this nomination is mine. So here’s what 7% of me has to say.

And this is precisely why the only way I’m ever getting nominated for a Beard is by squeaking in with someone else. Fooled you, Beardy!

Clockwise from front: Banana Cream Pie, Tiramisu, Bea Arthur, Duckwalk 

Banana Cream Pie:  Banana cake, vanilla custard, custard buttercream, banana chip, graham cracker crumbs

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

Bea Arthur: Black coffee chocolate cake, cheesecake buttercream, espresso ganache

Duckwalk: Blueberry port soaked cake, blueberry port mascarpone buttercream, port simmered blueberries

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Cupcakes Available at:

Hom: Third Avenue and 88th Street, Bay Ridge

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery:  94th off 3rd, Bay Ridge

Battery Place Market: 77 Battery Place, Battery Park City AND 200 West Street, Goldman Sachs Building

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

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Whoopie Pies Available At:

Red Hook Lobster Pound: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook

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

_____________________

Brownies Available At:

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

Oaxaca Tacos: 250 4th Avenue- Park Slope Brooklyn; 251 Smith Street Cobble Hill Brooklyn; 16 Extra Place, LES Manhattan

The results of LogoSearch Round One are in, and your pick was……..

NUMBER ONE with 47% of the vote!!!! Let’s all give it up for Number One, ladies & gentlemen!!!

If you’re wondering where your horse placed, sketch #2 had 19% of the vote, and sketch #3 had 34% of the vote. Good effort guys! Unfortunately, since you lost, you’ll now immediately be deleted from my hard drive and never seen again. 

As I mentioned in Monday’s post, a lot of people said the only reason they had voted for #3 was because they liked that it said “Brooklyn”. I mentioned this to Isaac Lubow, our graphic designer, internet treasure and animal lover, and he promptly sent me the following second drafts:

See that?! He listened to your input! What a guy! But then there was this…..

CIRCLES! This isn’t the original plan! I mean, yes, it’s the same font, but now there’s all the friggin’ circles, and I’m in love with them!!! I’m sort of beginning to get nostalgic for all those past designers who consistently showed me things that I hated and just had to pick the one I could deal with.

And I haven’t even gotten into deciding on colors yet! I’ve had suggestions of dark chocolate brown with blue accents.  Navy and maroon.  Orange and blue, but those are NY Islander colors and I’d rather be slathered with honey and eaten by starving tigers than be reminded of the Islanders. Or Devils. Or Flyers.

A friend of mine has been going on and on and on and on about the colors like if I pick the wrong one, the entire company is going to immediately implode (though she is a marketing executive or something like that. I don’t know- she said it once….I wasn’t really paying attention). She’s been lobbying HARD for the color orange, which to be honest, has never been my favorite. Of course, as an overachieving fellow mother, it’s not enough just to have an argument. She has provided an entire report of cold hard facts on my Facebook page to beat all the other color choices into submission!

“Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. It is associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics. Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation. (note: I had NO IDEA that all this was going on in color! What else are you compelling me to do, orange?!?!? I’m onto you now, you bastard!!!)

To the human eye, orange is a very hot color, so it gives the sensation of heat. Nevertheless, orange is not as aggressive as red. Orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an invigorating effect, and stimulates mental activity. It is highly accepted among young people. As a citrus color, orange is associated with healthy food and stimulates appetite. Orange is the color of fall and harvest. In heraldry, orange is symbolic of strength and endurance. (note: look up “heraldry” and see if this statement is a reference to porn)

Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch attention and highlight the most important elements of your design. Orange is very effective for promoting food products and toys.” - From ColorWheelPro.com

Me? I don’t know what to think.  Right now, I’m sort of feeling very violated by every color on the wheel. They’re just sitting there, reflecting their rays of light, shooting them straight into my retinas thinking they can manipulate me to do their bidding. 

But really, Heather is right.  Picking a color isn’t just about something I like or think looks cool.  This is pure, hard science - the science that ties all of us and everything we see together into one entity.  This is not an occult science. This is not one of those crazy systems of divination and astrology. That stuff’s hooey, and you’ve got to have a screw loose to go in for that sort of thing. This science is fairly commonplace and simple to understand. Humankind is simply materialized color operating on the 49th vibration. You would make that conclusion walking down the street or going to the store. 

This week, come join the discussion on Facebook. Isaac and I will be listening to all your ideas and opinions as we go on from this point. And you know what will help you come up with good ideas? CUPCAKES IN YOUR MOUTH.

Clockwise from front: Tiramisu, Bea Arthur, Southern Belle, Oatmeal Cream Pie

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

Bea Arthur: Black coffee chocolate cake, cheesecake buttercream, espresso ganache

Southern Belle: Banana cake, vanilla buttercream, brown butter bourbon glazed pecans

Oatmeal Cream Pie: Brown sugar oat cake, marshmallow buttercream, oat crisp

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Cupcakes Available at:

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery: 94th Street off 3rd Avenue, Bay Ridge

Aloha Grinds: 77th & 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Bagel Schmagel: 76th & 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

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

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

Eastern District: Manhattan Ave off Eagle, Greenpoint

Brooklyn Standard: Nassau Street off Jewel, Greenpoint

Cake Shop: Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, LES

Brooklyneer: 220 West Houston Street, West Village

Bar 5F at Bergdorf Goodman: 5th Avenue & 58th Street, 5th Floor, Manhattan

Queen City Cupcakes: Patchogue, Long Island

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Whoopie Pies Available At:

Red Hook Lobster Pound: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook

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

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

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Brownies Available At:

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

Oaxaca Tacos: 250 4th Avenue- Park Slope Brooklyn; 251 Smith Street Cobble Hill Brooklyn; 16 Extra Place, LES Manhattan

I hate to freak you guys out, but Valentine’s Day is a little more than three weeks away. AND we’ve already started booking up.  The way I see it, you have two options:

#1: Place your Valentine’s Day order now.  For $50, you get a dozen cupcakes or brownies, some pretty ribbon wrapping, delivery to your loved ones home or office, and a card with your personalized message handwritten by moi

-or-

#2: You wait three weeks, realize you have nothing, panic, end up buying a crappy last minute gift at Duane Reade, disappoint your significant other, and have to hear about the time you bought them a box of Entenmann’s Pop-ums and hair gel for Valentine’s Day for the rest of your freaking life.

So pretty much, if you just order now and get it over with, you can relax for the next few weeks, then sit back and watch all your friends and coworkers freak out! SUCKAS!

(PS: That pic above is from a wedding we did last Valentine’s Day. Want our cupcakes at your wedding/Sweet 16/Bat Mitzvah/Corporate Event/46th Birthday Party/Oscar-night shindig/President’s Day kegger?  Click here to make it happen!)

One of the flavors from our Valentine’s rotation, the Ebinger, is on today’s rotation for you to try. It’s our “Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake”- the perfect gift for, well, anyone who’s not allergic to chocolate. Or better yet, the perfect gift for yourself. Right? Right. Go reward yourself for surviving the week!

Clockwise from front: The Ebinger, Tiramisu, The Duckwalk, Dom DeLuise

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

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

Duckwalk: Blueberry port soaked cake, blueberry port mascarpone buttercream, port simmered blueberries

Dom DeLuise: Pistachio cake, cannoli cream buttercream, pistachios, candied citron, mini chocolate chips

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Cupcakes Available at:

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery: 94th Street off 3rd Avenue, Bay Ridge

Aloha Grinds: 77th & 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Bagel Schmagel: 76th & 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

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

Tazza Cafes: Clark St off Henry AND Henry St off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

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

Court Street Grocers: Court Street off Luquer, Carroll Gardens

Eastern District: Manhattan Ave off Eagle, Greenpoint

Brooklyn Standard: Nassau Street off Jewel, Greenpoint

Cake Shop: Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, LES

The Brooklyneer: 220 West Houston Street, West Village

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

Queen City Cupcakes: Patchogue, Long Island

Whoopie Pies Available At:

Red Hook Lobster Pound: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook

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

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

Brownies Available At:

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

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

Oaxaca Tacos: 250 4th Avenue- Park Slope Brooklyn; 251 Smith Street Cobble Hill Brooklyn; 16 Extra Place, LES Manhattan

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

Our first fall flavor is here!!!!  Our first fall flavor is here!!! Oh my goodness, can you stand the excitement!  

Fall is hands down, without question, my favorite season.  I love the produce, our seasonal flavors, the crisp weather and the changing leaves.  I love sweaters- in fact, I’ve been wearing the only sweater my children haven’t yet destroyed since September 1st, even though I was sweating like a pig all week. Right now I’m counting down to our 5th wedding anniversary (October 7th) and our family’s “Apple Picking Day” (the MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF MY ENTIRE YEAR), and inside I feel like a little girl waiting for Christmas.

Today, we’re celebrating the first day of school with an apple peanut butter cupcake. Like most of you, one of the first things I ever “cooked” in my life was a peanut butter stuffed apple- you remember those, don’t you?  When you’d cut the core from an apple, fill the middle with peanut butter, then slice it up so you have perfect cross sections with a circle of PB in the center.  

I was SO GOOD at making these. 

So to welcome all of you back to class, or to make all you grown-ups feel like a kid again, we’ve brought back our delicious seasonal apple cake and topped it with our peanut butter buttercream and pieces of homemade peanut brittle for a little something special.  Really, there’s nothing better than something that makes you feel like you’re 7 years old all over again. Except if it’s Chicken Pox, because that sucked something awful. July 1987, you were a cruel and itchy month.

Coming up in the next few weeks, you’re going to start seeing more maple, more pumpkin, apples, figs, sweet potatoes and a lot more.  And now that the summer’s over, Cinnamon Bun is back, too!  Get excited! I am!

Clockwise from front: Cinnamon Bun, Tiramisu, Apple Peanut Butter, Duckwalk

NEW! Apple Peanut Butter: Apple cake, peanut butter buttercream, crushed homemade peanut brittle

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

Duckwalk: Vanilla cake, blueberry port syrup, blueberry port mascarpone buttercream, port simmered blueberries

Cinnamon Bun: Cinnamon sugar spotted cake, cream cheese buttercream, cinnamon butterscotch, streusel topping

Available at:

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market: Flatbush & Willoughby, Downtown Brooklyn

Bagel Schmagel: Third Avenue btwn 75th and 76th, Bay Ridge

Hom: 88th and Third Avenue, Bay Ridge

The Cupcake Stand: Fifth Avenue between 60th and 61st, Sunset Park

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

Happy Labor Day everyone!  Just because it’s a holiday doesn’t mean we have a day off- cupcakes ARE going to stores today, and the shop at DeKalb Market open with the beer garden in full swing!  

However, the blog gets a day off because, well, I just felt like it.  But it’s not like I’d leave you all with nothing: Behold, my favorite video of cats doing funny and/or adorable things OF ALL TIME!

Thank you, America’s Funniest Home Videos, for consistently pushing the awesome factor of this nation above and beyond anything our Founding Fathers were able to dream.

And here’s some cupcakes! Enjoy!

Clockwise from front: Tiramisu, CPB, Duckwalk, Toasted Almond

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

CPB: Chocolate cake, peanut butter buttercream, peanuts, ganache

Duckwalk: Vanilla cake, blueberry port syrup, blueberry port mascarpone buttercream, port simmered blueberries

Toasted Almond: Almond cake, vanilla buttercream, roasted salted almonds

AVAILABLE AT:

ROBICELLI’S AT DEKALB MARKET: Flatbush Ave Extension & Willoughby Street, Downtown Brooklyn

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

BAGEL SCHMAGEL:  Third Avenue btwn Bay Ridge Pkway & 76th Street, Bay Ridge

ALOHA GRINDS: Third Avenue and 77th Street, Bay Ridge

THE CUPCAKE STAND: Fifth Avenue between 60th and 61st, Sunset Park

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

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

RED HOOK LOBSTER POUND: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook and Roving Food Truck *Whoopie Pies only*

CAKESHOP- Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, Lower East Side 

BATTERY PLACE MARKET:  77 Battery Place, Battery Park City

*sigh*

We’re back from vacation.

We love you guys and everything, but three days just isn’t long enough, especially when you own a small business and don’t spend enough time with your kids.  And even though vacation was far from relaxing (Atticus took a bad fall within our first hour at Sesame Place, meaninghe had a fat black lip all week, was in a lot of pain and totally miserable, AND didn’t get to take his picture with Elmo because he looked like Bubba from Forest Gump but a tad more scabby- and white.), it was still incredible to not be able to talk about work for a few days and just concentrate on being a family.  We are really, really lucky to have two wonderful understanding little boys who love us.  I’m still shocked that they’re ours and still managing to turn out so well. 

Anyways- we came straight from vacation to the kitchen to bake, and we’ve got some exciting flavors for you!  First is the only new flavor we’ll be doing all month: Frutti di Bosco!  When I was a kid, when we had some leftover ricotta in the house from making a ziti or something, I’d take a bit and mix it with a little powdered sugar, and it would taste like a big bowl of cannoli cream.  My mother and grandmother were insisted I’d get some fresh fruit to go along with it, so lots of times it would be blueberries, strawberries or the like.  Matt and I have mixed blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries and made a compote, placed it atop a cupcake brushed with a little of the berry juices and frosted with ricotta buttercream, then sprinkled on some streusel crumbs for a bit of crunch.  It makes me feel like I’m five years old all over again.

Also today- Strawberry Balsamic returns from the vault after almost two years!  This morning we picked up a beautiful bottle of strawberry infused balsamic vinegar from one of our favorite stores, Carter & Cavero Olive Oil Company, in Princeton, NJ to macerate our strawberries in, and really couldn’t be happier with the way they came out. 

We also have TWO new locations today- one is our first foray into lower Manhattan by way of Battery Park City, and another one in Bay Ridge in the 70’s.  We know that the 80’s and 90’s are a long way for you to walk, Bay Ridge.  We’re from there too- we understand. 

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Clockwise from front: Strawberry Balsamic, Ebinger, Frutti di Bosco, Tiramisu

NEW!!!  FRUTTI DI BOSCO:  Vanilla cake, ricotta buttercream, mixed berry compote, streusel crumbs

STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC:  Vanilla cake, mascarpone buttercream, balsamic macerated strawberries, strawberry balsamic drizzle

EBINGER:  Chocolate cake, chocolate custard buttercream, chocolate fudge glaze, cake crumbs

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

Available at:

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

HOM- Third Avenue and 88th Street, Bay Ridge

NEW! BAGEL SCHMAGEL:  Third Avenue btwn Bay Ridge Pkway & 76th Street, Bay Ridge

THE CUPCAKE STAND: Fifth Avenue between 60th and 61st, Sunset Park

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

BLUE APRON FOODS- Union Street off 7th Avenue, Park Slope

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

COURT STREET GROCERS: 485 Court Street, Carroll Gardens

RADISH- Bedford Ave off N8th, Williamsburg

EASTERN DISTRICT- Manhattan Ave off Eagle St, Greenpoint

BROOKLYN STANDARD:  Nassau Ave & Jewel St, Greenpoint

RED HOOK LOBSTER POUND: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook and Roving Food Truck *Whoopie Pies only*

CAKESHOP- Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, Lower East Side 

LINK CAFE @ THE SHERATON TRIBECA: 307 Canal Street, Tribeca

NEW!!! BATTERY PLACE MARKET:  77 Battery Place, Battery Park City

There are cupcakes in fewer places today than there normally are, since the weather has been effing abysmal and all our clients got soaked this week (ugh- unintentional pun.  Now I feel bad about myself- let’s move on).  Go spend some money at a small business today, even if it’s not on our cupcakes.  They could really use the pick me up this week. 

I’ll be posting more about Craftacular later today, Bust Magazine’s ONE DAY ONLY food and craft extravaganza in Soho that’s going to knock your socks off.  There will be Chicken n’Waffles, Peach Ghost Chili, Ionas, Car Bombs, Ebingers and so so so so much more, so make sure your Saturday plans include that.  In the meantime, we have something very, very serious to talk about.

Earlier this week, the CDC posted thier awareness and reponse strategy in the event of a zombie apocolypse.  I’m not really into zombies, mostly because I realize that popular notions of both zombie infection and termination are COMPLETELY WRONG, meaning that when they finally come, everyone is going to freaking die thanks to Hollywood.  And it seems that those yutzes over at the CDC are planning their response based on some old B-Movies, meaning you are all screwed.

Here’s what’s up with zombies:

MYTH:  Zombies are created by a virus that attacks the nervous system, reanimating dead tissue.

FACT:  That’s the stupidest thing I have ever heard of.  If you’re dead, no virus is going to reanimate you, especially if you’re embalmed.  The only way the dead can be reanimated is by a supernatural act of God, or by a futuristic zombie ray shot to the earth by alien invaders, who will control the bodies of the undead remotely to destroy the human race, therefore leaving our planet open to either re habitation by their citizens, or allowing them to steal our resources.  This is common sense stuff, people.  Sheesh.

MYTH:  To kill a zombie, either shoot or dismember the head, or sever the brainstem.

FACT:  And THEN you’re going to end up with a whole bunch of undead bodies without head running around everywhere and ripping you apart with their bare hands.  Nice work, smarty pants.

The only way we can stop zombies is with man’s most awesome weapon- fire.  The CDC should be encouraging everyone to be purchasing flamethrowers, and storing massive amounts of accelerants in their house to create a flaming perimeter around their underground zombie shelters.  If you see a zombie, set him on fire and run.  Yes, there will be lots of undead torches running around, so it’s going to be pretty dangerous outside for a good long while.  But eventually they’ll all burn out, so all God or our eventual alien overlords will be able to do is reanimate their ashes, which we can avoid by wearing ventilators, or hanging up wet sheets everywhere to catch said ashes.  Of course, then we might eventually be attacked by the sheets, but we can burn those, too.

Also, if we make it past Saturday, we should ward off future zombie scares by passing legislation mandating all people must be cremated, then have their ashes shot into space.  The worst that can happen is that all those ashes eventually coalesce together, form a sort of asteroid, and then the evil supernatural power sends it hurtling towards earth.  Oh my God, I just figured out what happened to the dinosaurs.

See what happens when you stop and think a little, CDC?

And in the event there’s nothing we can do about zombies or the end of the world, eat some cupcakes so you go out on a high note.

Clockwise from front:Tiramisu, Dom DeLuise, Ebinger, Duckwalk

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

DOM DELUISE:  Pistachio cake, cannoli buttercream, roasted pistachios, candied citron, miniature chocolate chips

THE EBINGER:  Chocolate cake, chocolate custard buttercream, chocolate fudge, chocolate cake crumbs

DUCKWALK:  Vanilla cake, blueberry port & mascarpone buttercream, port simmered blueberries

Available at:

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

THE CUPCAKE STAND: Fifth Avenue between 60th and 61st, Sunset Park

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

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

COURT STREET GROCERS: 485 Court Street, Carroll Gardens

RADISH- Bedford Ave off N8th, Williamsburg

EASTERN DISTRICT- Manhattan Ave off Eagle St, Greenpoint

BROOKLYN STANDARD:  Nassau Ave & Jewel St, Greenpoint

RED HOOK LOBSTER POUND: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook and Roving Food Truck *Whoopie Pies and Wild Maine Blueberry Cobbler cupcakes only*

CAKESHOP- Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, Lower East Side 

LINK CAFE @ THE SHERATON TRIBECA: 307 Canal Street, Tribeca

JOE: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY-  W. 120th btwn Broadway & Amsterdam Avenue

*Note: Not all locations receive all flavors.  The flavors recieved are determined by each store’s management, not by us.  If there’s something in the upcoming rotation you want to see, let them know directly