Fussy Eater

Local Bakery Featured on Cake Wrecks

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:39:00 +0000

Holy bad Super Bowl cakes, Batman. As first pointed out by eeka and ever-so-unfortunate for Stop & Shop. Perhaps Dan Quayle can give them some spelling lessons?

Cake Wrecks: What's That Spell?

Crazy Spam

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:44:00 +0000

(Image courtesy of dѧvid // CC 2.0)

Even though I haven't been able to post in awhile, I've been working on the blog almost constantly.

You may have noticed that the comments are moderated, i.e., comments are approved by me before they are posted to the blog. I promise to publish all actual feedback for this blog or posts, the good and the bad, but not spam. I started doing this a few years back when some spammers started posting nothing but ads and "strange things" in the comments section.

So the past few weeks there has been this onslaught of spammers trying to post all sorts of crazy things. It's unfortunate that I have to spend time I could be blogging "cleaning out the comments" but so it goes.

If you have any tips for decreasing spam I'm listening!

Super Bowl XLIV Beer Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:26:00 +0000

Get 'em while they're hot!

15 Most Popular Posts of 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:52:00 +0000

(Image courtesy of roboppy // CC 2.0)

You voted with your visits - take a trip down memory lane!

Sweet Cupcakes Coming to Harvard Square
Cookie Monster's Analysis of Shakespeare (up from #3 last year)
Best Dessert in Boston (up from #7 last year)
Which Has More Calories: Hot Chocolate or a Burrito?
Whoopie for Whoopie Pies (down from #4 last year)
Bomba, Bomba, Don't You Wanta? (#6 last year too!)
A Nice Place to Chill
Fly to When Pigs Fly Bakery (down from #2 last year)
Cupcake Tea at the Ritz-Carlton
Portuguese Sweet Bread Has Arrived in Brighton (down from #1 last year)
4 Burgers and a Chipwich
Throughly Modern Milkshakes with Adam Reid Tuesday
Kocham Polski I Owoców Deserowych Pierogis
Best Hot Cocoa in Boston
Wild Maine Blueberries Near You

Cookbooks from Boston's Best Chefs All in One Place

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:06:00 +0000

If you still need holiday gifts this season, or just want to marvel at the sheer awesomeness of how many fantastic cooks we have in this town, Boston Chefs has put together a great list of cookbooks by local chefs:

Cookbooks for Everyone this Holiday Season

I'm going to resist the urge, for now, to put a piggy bank on my site to contribute to the unofficial "Help Fussy Eater Buy Cookbooks" campaign...

(Photos: The Current Fussy Eater Cookbook Collection)

Updated Lists: Boston Foodies and Venues on Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:18:00 +0000

Folks, I've been busy updating my Boston foodie and venues lists on Twitter. Did I miss anyone?
Foodies on Twitter

I know I must be missing some fun places to check out:
Boston-area Restaurants, Cafes, and other Food Venues on Twitter

Are there other lists I should be following?

(Image courtesy of carrotcreative // CC 3.0)

Karen Got a Big Ole Bundt

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:38:00 +0000

Ed Note: The following recipe for Aphrodisiac Cherry Vanilla Almond Cake has officially been entered in the Bon Appétit Blog Envy Bake-Off Contest! Please vote here (registration may be required) - voting will be over soon!

Recently I was fortunate to receive and test-drive a recipe from Chrysta Wilson and Amy Reiley's upcoming book, Kiss My Bundt, a collection of yummy bundt cake recipes. Chrysta developed the recipes while growing up in the South and perfected them at her Kiss My Bundt Bakery in Los Angeles.

I have no shame in admitting that bundt cakes take a special amount of skill to pull off and, alas, there is much for me to learn. The first lesson I learned tonight while making a bundt cake is to make sure to have a container of Baker's Joy around. Unfortunately I didn't realize that I had run out until after I had already started baking. Baker's Joy is a non-stick cooking spray with flour to ensure that your baked goods are removable from the pan. A word to the wise - using regular non-stick butter spray will not do the job. I try to "make this work" because I hate trying to dust a pan with flour. I always always do it wrong and end up with a beautiful bundt cake with white, flour-speckled polka dots. I make bundt cakes so infrequently that I always forget this so I'm hoping that by forever memorializing this experience on my blog I will never forget again!

That said, the recipe itself turned out wonderfully. It was delicious and moist and, most importantly, was a cake that one could eat on its own without frosting or fancy glazes. I was surprised at first to read that Chrysta doesn't always frost or glaze her bundt cakes but after tasting one I can see why. On that note, when was the last time you had cake, be it from a cupcake, slice of cake, etc., that was worth eating? It's gotten so bad that sometimes when I see a cupcake bakery that sells small containers of frosting, the snarky part of me wants to say "thank goodness I can just eat the frosting because your cake needs flavor/texture/moisture/freshness/more time in the oven/HELP." Some readers may remember my previous post on the subject titled A Perfect Slice of Chocolate Cake. When I next have a slice of this bundt cake I might sprinkle some confectioner's sugar on top but ultimately I just want to taste the cake. The combination of almond extract and ground almonds gives the cake a pleasant texture and wonderful almond flavor that is perfectly set off by the sweetness of the cherries. And besides, doesn't it just look amazing?

Here's the recipe!

Aphrodisiac Cherry Vanilla Almond Cake

Ground almonds, fresh cherries and vanilla marry in an aphrodisiac ménage á trois. At the bakery, this cake debuted on Valentine's Day 2009 to raves.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C unsalted butter
1 3/4 C sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 C whole milk
1 C fresh, black cherries, pitted and coarsely-chopped
3 tbsp ground almonds or almond meal

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
Beat butter until soft, about 2 minutes.
Slowly add the sugar. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Crack eggs into a separate bowl and add to batter one at a time. Then beat on medium speed for an additional 2 minutes.
Add vanilla and almond extract.
Beginning and ending with the flour, mix 1/3 of the flour into the wet mixture, then 1/2 of the milk, alternating until all ingredients are mixed.
Toss cherries with the ground almonds then fold cherry mixture into the batter, being careful to fully incorporate the cherry juice.
Transfer batter to cake pan(s) that have been coated with a baker’s cooking spray that includes flour (or greased and floured), filling until cavity is about 3/4 full.
Bake cake(s) until an inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean--about 40 minutes for a big ol' bundt.
Invert cake(s) onto a cooling rack or serving plate. If cake resists, cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting. (If cake still resists, cool an additional 15 minutes in the pan.) Cool completely before frosting, at least 1 hour for a big ol’ bundt.

Highlights from the New Yorker's Food Issue

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:52:00 +0000

Find this cartoon at the New Yorker here.

I just received the latest New Yorker magazine and ladies and gents, it's the Food Issue. Here are some not-to-be-missed highlights (subscription required for some articles):

Enjoy!

Favorite Holiday Dessert Suggestions Needed!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:29:00 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/booleansplit/ / CC BY 2.0

Fussy Eater has been invited to participate in the Bon Appétit Blog Envy Bake-Off! This is our chance to highlight some of the great holiday desserts we have here in Boston and show our restaurants some much needed love for the holidays. To participate in the contest, I'll be submitting a Fussy Eater post highlighting a holiday dessert and its recipe to Bon Appétit, where voters will then select their favorite.

While I certainly have my own ideas about local favorites, I'd love to have your suggestions for your favorite holiday desserts. Who should be featured? What do you love to eat for the holidays? Please tell me your suggestions in the next few days as voting has already started.

Thanks and please help spread the word!

Happy Halloween from Julie & Julia

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Ed. Note (11/4): We're now #19 in the list - thanks so much for all your votes! :)

Ed. Note: We're now entered in the Celebrity Halloween Costumes From HuffPost Readers. Please vote for us here:

-- Posted from my iPhone

Sportello: Come for Dinner, Stay for Dessert

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:39:00 +0000

I was eager to try Sportello, a new Italian counter cafe in South Boston (Fort Point area) after hearing Barbara Lynch speak at the Boston Book Festival (full presentation description and other presenters here). In fact, there was a special Zagat guide printed just for the event:

The more I hear about her and read about her, the more I like her! According to the book jacket of her latest book, Stir: Mixing It Up in the Italian Tradition, she grew up in housing projects in South Boston. She worked with Todd English, when he was 22, at Micheala's in Cambridge and worked with him for eight years. Someone there owned a farm in Tuscany and even though she had never left South Boston, Barbara went to Tuscany, Italy for three weeks to learn how to cook there. According to Corby Kummer, food writer and blogger for the Atlantic Monthly who moderated the talk, this is the only area in Italy which draws on the French tradition of extensive use of butter in cooking. Julia Child would be proud!

Here are some photos inside Sportello:

I've heard that the desserts were cheaper from the Sportello take-out counter and offered a wider variety, so I did just that. Here's what was sampled and recommended:

Fleur de Sel Dark Chocolate - Delicious, chocolatety flavor, nicely set off by small chunks of fleur de sel, the taste of which lingers on the palette long after you've finished and which is entirely pleasant.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie - Delicious, highly recommend, two small cakes of pumpkin and spices surrounding a light, cream cheese frosting. I'm hoping these were based on the recipe from Brooklyn-based Baked's Cookbook, which retails at Sportello and I happily picked up.

Chocolate-Covered Butterscotch - Wow, just wow. Less than $5 (I think) and simply a treat, where rich dark chocolate mixes in with crunchy butterscotch.

Three-Layer Chocolate Cake - Fantastic and decadent. Somewhat complex three layer chocolate cake with chocolate ganache-inspired frosting and garnished with flecks of sea salt on top. Served with drizzled olive oil which enhances the decadent feel of this dessert. The flavors combine into a very complex taste; the sweet and salty combination will also stay on your palette long after you've finished the bite in the most pleasant of ways.

Coconut Brownie - As one sampler stated, and I quote, "It inspires a whole new relationship with food." 'Nuff said.

Overall, I give Barbara Lynch much credit for creating chocolate desserts that actually taste like chocolate. It's something of a rarity these days to find chocolate, whether in cake, candy bar, or other form, that actually has a strong chocolate flavor. Often times the chocolate flavor is somewhat watered down by other ingredients such as milk, cocoa butter or other ingredients, which has the result of diluting the flavor. Anyone who has ever been excited to sample a piece of chocolate cake and been disappointed to not taste any chocolate is aware of this unfortunately dashed expectation. And to bite into a milk chocolate bar that has an overwhelming taste of milk opposed to chocolate, is also something I find disappointing (tasters of Guttiard chocolate may know what I mean). If, however, you are searching for a very light chocolate flavor [in a bath of milk] I imagine you absolutely love Guittiard chocolate.

Will definitely be returning to Sportello!

Real Sugar is the New Sugar

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:12:00 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leonardlow/ / CC BY 2.0

No, really. At least, real sugar is the new way to savor sugar according to Corby Kummer, an Atlantic senior editor and curator of the food channel on theatlantic.com. In his article titled "Sugar and Spice," Corby is delighted to learn that our beloved Necco Wafers has some special news:

"I did find heartening Halloween news: Necco wafers, a roll of which I try always to have in my jacket pocket, are just now changing from artificial flavors and neon colors to toned-down natural flavors and lovely, muted colors."

He describes the new, natural flavors and colors as:
"much, much subtler than the ones I was used to: cinnamon less like Red Hots, lemon less like paper candy dots and more like lemon-meringue-pie filling. And the colors: I was certain that Martha Stewart, who had recently featured Necco wafers on a wedding cake (historically apt; the pièces montées that made Marie-Antoine Carême perhaps the first star chef, in the early 19th century, were made of gum tragacanth, the base of Necco wafers and still the base of many wedding-cake decorations), would be designing a line of paints around them."

I'm very much looking forward to trying them out!

American Cancer Society to be Featured on “Ace of Cakes”

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:58:00 +0000

As you may know, I am member of the American Cancer Society's Blogger Advisory Council, a small group of volunteers that advises the Society on its social media strategy. Part of our mission is to spread the word that we have power in the fight against cancer.

I'd like to alert you to a special event:

Premiere: American Cancer Society to be Featured on “Ace of Cakes”
Watch Chef Duff pick our new official
birthday cakeon the Food Network

Date: Thursday, October 8, 2009
Time: 10:00pm - 10:30pm
Location: Food Network
RSVP here:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139600998700

Tune in to Food Network on October 8 at 10 p.m. to watch the official birthday cake of the American Cancer Society be selected by Chef Duff Goldman as he hosts the Taste More Birthdays Cake Contest on his show “Ace of Cakes.”

As the official sponsor of birthdays, the American Cancer Society joined forces with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to reinvent the birthday cake. Because healthy living is key to creating a world with less cancer and more birthdays, the Society and the CIA challenged baking and pastry students to create a better-for-you birthday cake.

But there's more! To top off the occasion, ENTER TO WIN a poster signed by Chef Duff himself by going to http://OfficialBirthdayBlog.com and posting your thoughts on the show. Enter now by clicking here: http://officialbirthdayblog.com/aceofcakes/

A little about creating a world with more birthdays:

Everyone has a birthday, but what many of us may not realize is that a world with less cancer is a world in which more people can celebrate more birthdays, living to celebrate more of life's special moments with loved ones. That’s why the American Cancer Society is working everyday to create a world with more birthdays and less cancer. And, with 11 million cancer survivors, that’s a lot of birthdays!

RSVP here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139600998700

It's Beginning to Taste a Lot Like Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:49:00 +0000

If you find yourself near Peet's Coffee anytime soon, you lucky Brooklinite or Newtonite, I highly recommend picking up a bag of their seasonal goodies. In particular I am in love with their new Pumpkin Spice Caramel candies:

At first they seem like they will be hard candies but in fact are not. I was pleasantly surprised when I bit into one and tasted unexpected soft, buttery caramel with a delicious spiciness to it. I'd also recommend picking up a bag of locally-made Dancing Deer Baking Company maple and gingerbread cookies too.

Thirsty for apple cider yet? Highly recommend picking up some Mayer Brothers Cider. Absolutely delicious cider from my hometown in Western New York.

What do you enjoy this time of year?

Catching Up on Posting

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:27:00 +0000

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ikkoskinen/ / CC BY 2.0

I'm sorry I haven't bee posting more regularly lately. I've just started a new semester, teaching a new class and working on my dissertation feverishly. That being said, I have finally (!) gotten the photos off my cell phone for at least 4-5 different posts and will update asap! Thanks for your patience and for reading. :)

Bloggers for More Birthdays

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:48:00 +0000

I am a member of the American Cancer Society's Blogger Advisory Council, a small group of volunteers that advises the Society on its social media strategy. Part of our mission is to spread the word that we have power in the fight against cancer. The first step is to build awareness and engage women. Visibility equals power! So we have started a blog "chain" to spread the word among women bloggers. We call it Bloggers for More Birthdays.

You can help me: Join Bloggers for More Birthdays by dedicating a blog post to someone you love who's been affected by cancer. Host the badge on your site to build visibility. It's a simple way to celebrate those you love. Just write a post, host our badge, and know that whatever you write, you’re raising awareness and inspiring others to join American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer.

If you’ve posted, let The American Cancer Society know so they can feature it! Put a link to your post in the comments section here, or email your post to bloggersubmit@officialbirthdayblog.com. You’ll be showing your support for More Birthdays and bring visibility to your blog.

I will feature future blog posts related to the More Birthdays campaign soon. Please spread the word and post!

Bakery Tries to Attract Customers Using Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Just throwing this out there, you know, in case any local bakeries want social media suggestions...why don't all bakeries do this?
Bakery tries to attract customers using Twitter

(Photo by London Evening Standard)
From the article:

A bakery is trying to attract customers by using Twitter to send messages when fresh bread and cakes are ready. The Albion in Shoreditch has installed a system that lets staff update the website as goods are taken from the oven.

Sample tweets:

Baguettes, tin loaves and date and pecan bread just out of the oven, fresh for dinner

Love’s labour pulled piping hot from the oven. Gobble torn off chunks if Focaccia straight from the bag

Follow The Albion Bakery's Twitter feed here: http://twitter.com/albionsoven

My New Favorite Blog: Cake Wrecks

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:45:00 +0000

From the site: Cake Wrecks: When Professional Cakes Go Horribly, Hilariously Wrong

A sample: The Most Wonderful Time...or Back-to-School Cakes From Hell:

Article Published in North End Scene Magazine!

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:59:00 +0000

If you find yourself wandering around the North End this summer, and you know will because you're going to the St. Anthony's Feast next weekend, pick up a copy of the North End Scene magazine. I've written an article titled "Sweet Treats for Summertime" and profiled some fun North End desserts. And no, that model in the picture included with the article is not me and no, I don't have her contact information. As soon as the article is posted online I'll link to it but here is a sample until then:

Summertime is finally upon us and I know what you’re thinking – where is the best gelato in the North End? The answer, however, is not so simple. It’s important to take a step back to find out what makes gelato different from other frozen summertime desserts so we can discern the lackluster from the truly great. Gelato is essentially an Italian variation of ice cream. According to Caffé Gelato in Delaware, gelato has much less fat than ice cream that results in a much deeper, richer flavor than ice cream. This feature also gives gelato a faster, more satisfying melt-in-your-mouth experience. Traditional gelato comes in a variety of fruit and nut flavors including strawberry, vanilla, mint, and pistachio. And while I have seen nontraditional flavors such as Reeses Peanut Butter Cup gelato, they really don’t compare to the more traditional flavors no matter how decadent.

When you're walking around the feast and ready for a sweet treat, I'd also recommend the chocolate covered s'mores at Mike's Pastry. While available year-round they are quite delightful this time of year:

Cook's Illustrated Featured in Boston Globe Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:36:00 +0000

I'm such a huge, huge fan of Cook's Illustrated Magazine and their program America's Test Kitchen. Much like what Julia Child tried to do with her "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" book, Cook's Illustrated is about the how and why of cooking, not just the recipes. Let's face it - no visit to a kitchen store or book store in this day and age is complete without perusing the shelves and shelves of cookbooks and yet, how many of them are just redundancies from one author to the next up-and-coming author? This is the main reason I hardly post recipes on this blog; recipes are a dime a dozen. But recipes worth making that have been tested? Those are recipes are worth every dime.

And unless you come prepackaged in this life with riches beyond imagination and all the time in the world to enjoy life, humans were never designed to somehow decipher between 100 competing recipes for pound cake. However, this is exactly the approach the fine folks at Cook's Illustrated undertake by sifting through all the recipes and trying them out to discover the absolute best-tasting way to make a dish that you can actually replicate at home. Even better, usually once or twice a year Cook's Illustrated will host an open house at their studio in Brookline Village (sign up for their email list to get notifications of special events) and I highly, highly recommend checking it out. Typically at these events their fabulous cookbooks will be offered at a discount as well.

So without further ado I strongly encourage you to check out the Boston Globe Magazine profile of Cook's Illustrated. Bon appétit!

Scharffen Berger Makes Their Chocolate More Accessible

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:16:00 +0000

Huzzah! Hold your credit cards tight, Scharffen Berger has officially opened an online store and is offering a 10% discount to boot! From their email newsletter:

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker is always looking for ways to bring you the finest tasting chocolate in America, and we've recently launched a NEW webstore that we hope will make it easier to buy your favorite Scharffen Berger® chocolates online.

As a welcome to our new store, we're offering you a 10% discount on your next online purchase. Please click on the link below and simply enter SCH89 in the "Offer Code" section during checkout to automatically receive this discount. Offer expires August 31, 2009.

To celebrate, I humbly post the following from my tour of the Scharffen Berger factory outside San Francisco. You would wear a hideous hairnet to visit chocolate happy land too...right? And yes, that is a cacao bean in my partner's mouth:

Most Accurate Pie Chart EVER

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:05:00 +0000

Chart Of The Day - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

A Tribute to Julia Child, Via Web Round-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:05:00 +0000

PBS: Julia Child: Lessons with Master Chefs.

Julia Child Cooking Videos on PBS.

Bon Appétit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian.

Julia Child - Archive of American Television Interview.

From the Cosby Show.

Lulu's Gone?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:04:00 +0000

ED Update, as tweeted by Ashley Parker:
Its essentially the same concept (cookies, cupcakes and other baked goods), but different owners.

While walking in the North End this weekend, taking my family from out of town for their mandatory Mike's Pastry run, I noticed that Lulu's Bake Shoppe was gone. Their old web site is no longer working either with no redirect. The shop had another name and looked like it had changed its appearance as well. Possible new owners? Or perhaps a new concept for the owners? I didn't have time to stop by and get the scoop. What have you heard?

Make Flour Bakery + Cafe's Oreo Cookie

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Zgoda) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:07:00 +0000

(Photo by Misunderstood Bella)
YES! The Boston Globe has published a recipe for homemade Oreo cookies "adapted from Flour Bakery + Cafe." These cookies get me every time I go into Flour; I am, literally, unable to resist them they are so good. I usually walk out with one or twelve or...whatever. The recipe sounds very labor intensive so I'm not convinced I would actually make them at home but perhaps if I do, I will tell you about it here!