New Orleans Cupcake Craze has arrived

Posted on January 16th, 2009 by Monique, under Cooking, Daily Life, Kitchen, Louisiana, New Orleans, Photography, Vegetarian, Weblog.

Who doesn’t love cupcakes?!?! I personally enjoy cupcakes, from searching for new recipes to eating them with loved ones. They are like a little special cake, just a serving and just enough. The fun thing about cupcakes are you can make them especially decadent and they disappear! Its much different from baking an entire large cake in that fashion. I know some people can huff down a chunk of chocolate cake by inhaling, but some of us like to be a little more reserved in our cupcake chowing.

In the last ten years, there has been a growing trend nation wide of cupcake specialty bakeries opening up. At a couple dollars a piece, in today’s economy almost anyone can get some change together and for less than $5 have a coffee and sweet little cupcake treat. So it is not surprising that this trend has finally hit New Orleans, who embraces such things with open arms.

I myself am a vegetarian, so when I make cupcakes I substitute all the animal products such as eggs and dairy butter and make vegetarian cupcakes. The result is still a wonderful sweet delightful treat, as seen in my cute cupcake pic below:

I was so glad to come across this article about the New Orleans cupcake craze this morning.

Zoey Devall is still pinching herself. A few months ago, she was working as vice president of external affairs for the economic development organization Greater New Orleans Inc. Today, she spends her days inside an Uptown storefront, churning out cupcakes by the hundreds.

“It’s just been an amazing response,” Devall said of customers’ reaction to her boutique cupcake bakery, Bee Sweet Cupcakes, at 5706 Magazine St.

The 375-square-foot store, with sugar sweet turquoise walls, flowery accessories and a display case filled with all varieties of cupcakes selling for $2.75 a piece, opened the day after Thanksgiving. The debut came just months after Devall decided to pursue the idea, inspired by Monday night baking sessions with her 4-year-old son and frequent trips to New York.

“We had a line,” she recalled of opening day. “And it was raining.”

Okay, so its officially Mardi Gras Carnival Season, where’s the king cupcakes!?! I will have to find some, or make some… hmmm

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Corn Harvest Time

Posted on July 8th, 2008 by Monique, under Food, Gardening, Photography.

So we grew some corn this year, it was our first time and we learned. I think I planted them way too close together, I did not want to damage the young sprouts so I did not thin them out, and this resulted in little small ears of corn. They were delicious, even so.

This was a white corn from burpee seeds, SugarPearl Hybrid Sweet Corn. It grew so fast, and we can’t wait to grow more again next year. But spaced out properly so we get big fat ears. The corn also makes a wonderful habitat for the baby anole lizards.

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Growing Cherry Tomatoes

Posted on May 20th, 2008 by Monique, under Daily Life, Food, Gardening, Nature, New Orleans, Outdoors, Photography, Vegetarian, Weblog.

We have about 10×30 feet in the backyard of fended off garden area, and are growing lots of tomatoes. Here is a picture of the cherry tomatoes. This plant has tripled in size and already making tomatoes within a month of planting it in the ground. It had a little bit of yellowing leaves at the base of the plant, but looks like it is taking off and should make us lots of salad tomatoes. Yum.

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McDonalds Caramel Sundaes on Sunday

Posted on May 18th, 2008 by Monique, under Daily Life, Food, Friends, Kitchen, New Orleans, Photography, Weblog.

On a beautiful springtime sunday in May, we went to McDonalds for sundaes. Caramel sundaes with apples pies on the side.

I want more just looking at the pics!

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What the dentist did to me

Posted on May 14th, 2008 by Monique, under Daily Life, Food, Weblog.

The dentist pulled out my wisdom tooth, thankfully. It was long overdue.

I felt relief as soon as he pulled it. Even with the discomfort, I could tell it was gone and it felt so good. Well, that and the laughing gas. Now I cannot eat solid food for a day or so, time to take it easy. At least they gave me vicodin!

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Featured Kitchen Gadget Oxo Garlic Peeler

Posted on May 6th, 2008 by Monique, under Cooking, Daily Life, Food, Gadgets, Housewares, Kitchen, Photography, Shopping, Vegetarian, Weblog.

We are vegetarians here, so when cooking I need to use non meat bases to make tasty meals. So I use a lot of garlic, and really don’t like having smelly garlic fingers all the time, so I got one of these garlic peelers.

I never knew how these things worked, not a clue, until I had one in my hand. Its very simple. The tube is very gripping and rubbery, and you basically stick a clove of garlic inside and then roll the tube between your hand and the counter. The oil in the garlic loosens the skin, and voila off it comes. Very easily, no stinky garlic fingertips. It washes easily, and I will never be without one of these things again!

I made a special page with a big image of my Oxo Garlic Peeler, and added it to my brand new Kitchen Gadgets page, where I will be adding more of my favorite kitchen things as I can.

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Velvet Ice Cream Cookies ‘n Cream

Posted on May 6th, 2008 by Monique, under Daily Life, Dessert, Food, New Orleans, Photography.

Here is another tasty local food, Brown’s Velvet Ice Cream. They have this one flavor, Creole Cream Cheese, which they were out of at the store but is absolutely delicious if you are a cheesecake fan. So we got cookies ‘n cream instead.

I almost think I want another ice cream cone!

and yes, there is nothing vegetarian about this ice cream. Cheating time.

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