Q. What’s a cupcake without the wrapper?

There are two kinds of cupcake eaters in the world.

There are those who will not think anything is amiss with a cupcake that arrives without a paper wrapper– even a little cake without the tell-tale ridges that come from being baked in one. All cupcakes are created equal to these folks. “It is a cupcake and I shall eat it,” mumble these brave faux-cupcake eaters, mouths full of muffin. Mr. Food is part of this crowd and so are co-workers N and A, I found during an informal poll recently.

I am not one of those people.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ll still eat the cupcake; I’m not crazy and I’m not going to waste a decent piece of cake. But the absence of the wrapper signals to me that this unfortunate cakey round has been left on the fence between cupcakes and muffins. A muffcake, if you will. In my book, the two do not meet for lunch. Muffins are usually a bit sweet but should not be overly so. My favorite muffins are more of the banana or pumpkin varieties, not the chocolate chip or crazy-carrot-cake-”muffins”-masquerading-as-cupcakes-drowning-in-frosting sold here. Muffins have smooth sides and would look weird clothed in paper sheaths. Cupcakes, on the other hand are allowed to be smothered in any kind of frosting and colorful toppings that are available. For the record my preference here is for the good old yellow cake and chocolate frosting combo with any bright, little crunchy bits on top. A cupcake must be dressed in ridged paper pants. A’s husband, N, is so far my sole co-conspirator on this issue. (If there are more of you out there, speak up!)

This issue came to the forefront of my food thoughts recently after a trip to The Spotted Apron with N over lunch break. I ordered a chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting. It came with several spots on top. N wonders if they are in fact Necco wafers… I’m pretty sure they’re not, but they sure look like them. Anyway! I went to eat it and noticed its unclothed appearance. Shocking for a cupcake to be naked, I thought to myself. N was not concerned. She did not seem worried about eating hers later in the day. I ate it but it bothered me and it still does. And, to note, it was indicative of the overall quality of the “cupcake.” I won’t be doing that again.

A. It’s a muffin. End of story.

And then there were two…

We seem to have lost one of our cats! Sorry for the non-food-related digression, but one of our three, the softest, fuzziest, and most neurotic black-furred cat has flown the coop. We think Sooty Sox Schwab (she was born in the autumn of 2004) snuck out the back door on Friday sometime, we didn’t know she was going to try something like this (she always runs the other way when confronted with an open door) but the other two cats don’t seem worried, so maybe they knew this was coming? Did she get angry that we’ve been hiding the food? (Pepper is on a diet and he needs the assistance) Did she get sick of having humans around and decide to take her chances with the great outdoors and the “cat hobo train” as Mr. Food calls it? Or is she just curled up in a corner feeling sick? We think if that were the case the other two would be making a racket and leading us right to her– they way they all do when one of them is stuck in the bathroom (Sooty), the study (Toes), or the front hallway (Pepper). Instead, the others don’t even seem to remember her, life going on as normal…

We hope she has struck out to realize her own happiness, or as was said in Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, she’s just r-u-n-n-o-f-t. Sigh. We miss her already and hope to see her again. For now, we have fond memories and lots of pictures (see her, on the right in the header).  And yes, for once we feel good about never getting around to clipping her nails.  Best of luck to her and to any animal who crosses her– she’s a fiesty one.

Hawaii (III) — Shave ice

This stuff speaks for itself!  On the left: lychee (we learned that in Hawaii they pronounce it lye-chee instead of the lee-chee we are used to) and on the right: watermelon.  Unless I got another flavor.  Am I embarrassed enough that I can’t remember?  Mr. Food will know…

Hawaii (II) — Snorkeling and Shrimp trucks

On our first full day on O’ahu, our gracious hostess, S, drove us up to the north shore of the island in search of shrimp trucks, shave ice, and beaches. The header picture today is the result of that quest– taken at one of the two shrimp trucks we visited that day. We tested one… and then another… all for research purposes of course. The ones here were either spicy prawns or garlicky shrimp. Nice of them, too, to provide a little sink to wash hands afterwards– things can get quite messy otherwise! After lunch we swam at Turtle Bay and got hooked on snorkels! Next vacation will be somewhere where we can use our new masks and tubes…

Just watch where you put that thing

This just in– turns out the Chicago PD will ticket just about anyone.   I guess driving a 27-foot fiberglass replica of a meat tube does not make one immune to the law…

Hawaii (I) — Tacos and Mermaids

Hello, we’re back!  The header today is a cross-section of an amazing fish taco we I had in Kapa’a on Kauai at a place called Mermaids Cafe.  It’s unfair to say “we,” as I don’t believe Mr. Food had a bite of that first taco– though the second day when we went back for lunch, he did.  For dinner he was too busy with his ahi nori wrap and I probably was fending off his fork with my messy, taco-dripping-fingers.  The fish was local and so were the avocados.  I don’t know what they did for seasonings but it was fantastic– lime juice? curry? cumin? We couldn’t tell, even the second time around.   The lemonade, this much is sure, was enrose-d with hibiscus.

Next installment: Malasadas and rainbows or snorkeling and shrimp trucks?  We’ll see.

Aloha!

Mr. Food and I are about to embark on our first ever tropical vacation– so I leave you with a photo of a bowl of cherries (yes, “aunt” S, these are your fruit!) and will be back shortly to post about our eating adventures. Until then…

The new style here

What do you think? The photo up top is one I took a couple years back at the best gelato place I can think of anywhere (and you could say I’ve done my share of research…) — Capogiro in Philadelphia. Now that I’ve found that my work computer (though not my home computer) will allow me to upload new photos for this template, I might just stick with it and vary the pics once in a while. Oh the foods you will see!

What we’ve been eating…

… in the last few busy weeks.

First of all, a meal lovingly prepared by Auntie N and her sister S when we visited them in New Hampshire a couple of weeks back when little L was in town. (Except she’s not so little now, still working at not growing taller than me!) You can see the zucchini, potatoes, and fish which were all featured at dinner that night. On Sunday I tried an experiment involving fresh figs (brought in by cousin T), ham sliced straight from the hock, and a drizzle of olive oil. My family wanted to replicate a dish we had tried the night before at the restaurant where cousin A works. I toothpicked the ham to the fig and gathered the bundles together on a roasting pan and cooked until the meat was browning and the fruits were leaking juice. And it worked! I mean, as far as experiments go this wasn’t novel, but for me it was. Next time I get my hands on figs I’ll do it again. Mmmm.

As the next weekend started– nearly coinciding with our 5th wedding anniversary– we were lucky enough to go to a Red Sox game. Not only that, but we had tickets (notice I didn’t say seats) on The Green Monster (thank you, thank you, to future lawyer B and her man K). We went with those crazy guys who post the big red Ks whenever Daisuke Matsuzaka is pitching so red-painted faces (and in one case, a whole bald head) made our group stand out. And at least two guys (yes, it was mostly guys in our band of 9) risked the giant monster dogs, pictured here with the evidence of the loooong rain delay in the background. But we waited it out for two hours and then watched most of the game– too bad we had to leave to catch the last train home.

Mr. Food and I got up (late) the next morning to head west for K and T’s wedding (at last!) which was in Washington, Mass. last weekend. Lunch on anniversary day was at my favorite restaurant in Amherst where we gulped down their fish tacos and funky aguas frescas (one melon and one jamaica). Next stop, milkshakes (err, I mean, frappes!) in Huntington — we stopped at the Country Store here ostensibly for directions but came away with a refreshing mint chocolate drink made thoughtfully to be “straw-able” the best way I could describe what we wanted when the kind scooper asked how she could make it for us. Sorry no photos here, we drank it before I could think to photograph…

And then the wedding– we didn’t get a picture of the cake, there really wasn’t a standard one anyway– dessert was chocolate cake or strawberry shortcake (biscuit-style!!!) or other things I can’t right now remember. The important part is that the weekend was lovely; so thanks to the newly married couple still honeymooning in Iceland and congratulations from all of us (yes, the cats too, they remember you).

Movies to eat (or, watch)

Ok, for all those of you who haven’t yet even heard of the new Pixar flick, Ratatouille, it’s time to get your head out of the stockpot and go to the theater. I won’t reiterate all the rave reviews my fellow bloggeurs and bloggeuses and just plain old critics have written on this lovely film and its realistically crazy kitchen scenes. Let’s just say: go see it.

And while you’re there, try to avoid watching the new Catherine Zeta-Jones movie, No Reservations. Sure it’s a great story and all… and I know this not because I snuck out of work to see it the day it came out when in reality I am stuck at my desk… but because the original movie, a German film called Bella Martha (known in U.S. as Mostly Martha) was so enticing. So do yourself a favor and rent that one instead. And have a feast handy because your stomach will be growling by the end of it.