crazy for cupcakes

I read today on "Between Meals" from SF Chronicle's Michael Bauer that there is a meatball craze going on. Maybe one day I'll jump on that bandwagon but for now I'm trying to catch up with the cupcake craze. When I was planning my wedding three years ago, cupcakes were hot so you'd think they would be passé by now. But judging by all the cupcake specialty shops and items in the shape of cupcakes (such as this silly cupcake hot spot), they might still have some useful life left in their stardom.

I've heard moans and groans about Sprinkles and Sibby's. For my birthday last year we opted for Sweet Things, another great bakery. But now I have a new favorite: Kara's Cupcakes. Truth be told, I had a roommate in college and a coworker named Kara both of whom were not my best friends. Something else besides the name would have to draw me in.

Last Friday we scored an amazing parking spot on Chestnut Street. Who would have thought that for such a happening spot in the daytime that Friday night was dead. Having parked right away, we had time to kill and a little tri-fold sign with bubble gum pink and brown lettering which looked like the sign for a yarn store caught my eyes. At closer inspection, the sign read "Kara's Cupcakes". Yes, now I recalled that I had heard moans and groans about them too so we had to stop in and pick up cupcakes before our wine tasting event. We planned on eating them the next day with coffee.

For a quiet night on Chestnut & Scott Streets, Kara's was crowded. Little kids smudging the window display hoping to finger away at the cupcakes through the glass, while adults could not decide whether to cave in to their intellectual side while reading the menus above or let their inner child come out and grovel the displays. Coconut and Fleur de Sel respectively caught our eyes. Shortly, a white cupcake adorned with coconut sprinkles was packaged carefully next to a deep dark chocolate cupcake filled with fleur de sel caramel and topped with chocolate ganache. The box even had a spot for the cupcakes to rest their tush. If my cupcake could go home and have its own seat, then I was willing to pay $3.25 for one.

Wine tasting that night was delightful but we had barely stepped into the car that I suggested we forgo tomorrow's coffee and indulge in the rich cupcakes for dessert the same night. Sadly the ride home was bumpy and the coconut had turned to mush in its cupcake holder but the fleur de sel caramel still looked almost like it did in the display, except I can swear it had a moist sheen on top. It must have been at the perfect right temperature. Perfect is right because this is how chocolate cupcakes must be made... rich with chocolate ganache, not overly sweet, creamy topping, and moist bites revealing a gooey caramel filling, balanced with the salty flavor of the sprinkles on top. Dark, decadent and divine!

Now I truly understand why this craze is still alive.

where to find:

Click on shop for more information on where to find Kara's Cupcakes. Happy Shopping!

paulette macarons

Anyone who’s been to Paris has surely paid well over 5,00 € for a macaroon from the famed Ladurée shops on avenue des Champs Elysées or rue Royale. Theirs is the most delightful Parisian almond-based treat made to perfection.

Last time I checked airfares to Paris had dropped but adding up the airfare and macaroon price would make this one very pricey treat. In comes Paulette to the rescue. Located in Hayes Valley, Paulette Macarons is one of the latest additions to the row of shops, cafés, and restaurants in this trendy hip San Francisco neighborhood. While there is one less “o” in the name than one would expect, it is made up by the “oh” one exclaims with the first bite of macaron… moist, fresh, delicate, and balanced. My absolute favorite is carribean chocolate but with flavors like rose, salted caramel, lemon, Sicilian pistachio, violet cassis, Madagascar vanilla, and several others you can’t go wrong.

The atmosphere is modern with limited seating in the shop. The macaroon counter is sleek and sparse. Check out the steel large pieces in the shop which are actual airplane parts that have been turned into objects of art. My box of 12 macarons for $19 also looked like a piece of art. And a bargain compared to Ladurée.

A note from their website:
“After purchase we recommend keeping Paulette macarons in the refrigerator; let them come to room temperature before serving—about 10 minutes. For best degustation, our macarons should be consumed within 3 days.”

suggestions:

If you opt to hop on that plane over to Paris, stop in at Ladurée for lunch and do not skip the dessert. To find the shop locations, visit their website and don't forget to bring some back for me.

where to find:
Click on shop for information on where to find Paulette Macarons. Happy Shopping!