Interview with Chimere of @CleanPlateCo (An intrepid owner who started a business out of a desire to feel healthier and provide that to others.)

Chimere and I met in April 2012 at the IACP Culinary & Book Expo in SoHo. I saw her sitting alone munching on some of the great eats offered and I asked if I could join her. Immediately we struck up conversation and a bond keeping in touch over the years as Clean Plate Co. has expanded throughout New York City.

This summer I finally got to partake in Chimere's menu and had her (award-winning) Shrimp & Grits at Astoria Flea bringing my friend Frances along. She and I thoroughly enjoyed this dish and if I hadn't already been a fan of Chimere as a person I was utterly smitten with her food as a chef.

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Clean Plate Co. came out of wanting to go another direction. What was the impetus for you to pursue a culinary career and also look into an alternate way of eating? Your website notes that you “ditched the unhealthy eating habits” you became used to as a student. How easy was that switch to flip once you decided to start Clean Plate Co.?

I'd say it was fairly easy to change my eating habits. Once anyone proceeds to conquer a goal, the best thing to do is prove to yourself that you can do it. Interestingly, I didn't grasp it as "I need to" or "I better start," those words alone give pressure which makes people give up before they begin. I was young, a newlywed, expecting, laid off, bored, & just wanted to be a healthy mom, while looking to kill time during the day. Visiting farmers markets and trying cookbook recipes turned into having fun, inviting friends & family over to my place and entertaining with food! It was basically about an intimate new life, softened with a newfound interest, preparing for our first child together.

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This and last summer Clean Plate Co. was at the LIC Flea (and Astoria Flea) in Queens. And just last month you won the LIC Flea’s Best Vendor Award! Congratulations! What was the dish (or dishes) that you served as part of that contest? Did you notice a trend when it came to what was particularly popular at the LIC/Astoria Fleas?

Thanks a lot! It's our first award and we're still on Cloud 9. We wanted to make vending easy for ourselves, so we like to keep it fun and pretty much "a no brainer" when it came to selection. What do people love to eat? What would they go for on a weekend, looking for grub, during any season? Comfort food of course! But not just any, ours! We've been selling our Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese since 2010 at Hell's Kitchen Flea, so the recipe is perfected after all these years. Shrimp & Grits has been a favorite in our household for just as long and we'd begun selling it last year at the Ridgewood Market. People love witnessing the preparation, smelling the aroma of Cajun butter hitting the hot skillet in addition to fresh lemon juice and sizzling, marinated wild shrimp. It reels them in and we get a kick out of it. Those two dishes alone helped us win. It's what keep clients coming back and we're proud because we really put a lot of love and time into those dishes.

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New York City can be a tough place to distinguish yourself in regards to food. What Clean Plate Co. offers is a nice distinction and even aspects of the gourmet when it comes to dishes that also feel familiar. (Your Shrimp & Grits are dynamite, by the way. Better than ones I’ve had in NYC and in South Carolina.) How much planning and experimentation goes into getting your recipes just right and making sure they stand out as part of Clean Plate’s larger mission?

I personally love color, texture, contrast in temperature, simple presentation, yet extremely attractive. My husband and I make a great team because of the Ying & Yang factor. The balance has to be right. I know what women like and he knows men. It all matters. Our dedication to introducing local produce is crucial. It's what placed us where we are because it hits close to home. Business can be perceived as technical or very cut & dry, definitely intimidating. People aren't comfortable with that. Incorporating seasonal ingredients automatically feels like home to anyone. It's nostalgia. So is building relationships with local purveyors & butchers. I'm a mom first, everyone can relate to that. I'm self-taught, so I'm planning as if I were planning for myself. I'm trying different ideas for the client. I present tastings, which are fun and build a great rapport before the event, so you know what you've paid for. That takes time, but time I'm willing to put in because people are consuming my work. I want them to be excited & extremely satisfied with a Clean Plate Co. experience.

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When we first met, Chimere, we had talked about the lack of healthy options in various areas of NYC, particularly the Bronx. And also about how much education is necessary when it comes to low-income families and those not able to afford or be around fresh, natural ingredients without preservatives as well as being able to “ditch” their own unhealthy eating habits. What are some of your recommendations for those who may want to be more active about eating healthier but may not have the resources available to them at the moment?

With experience in Food Bank of New York's Cookshop Program, in addition to their Soup Kitchen & Pantry along with volunteering my time with both children & adults has made me realize how segregated New York City's communities are. Inaccessibility to nourishment shouldn't be possible in one of America’s most resourceful cities. Helping teach kids about the biology and preparation of healthy foods was enlightening. Some were turned off from unfamiliarity, some were excited about the new information, some were actually grateful for me just being there. Being connected to the students, I was angry making my way to and from the school. Corner stores with junk food aligned along the windows, no supermarkets in site, no fruit or vegetable stands. I used to take a cab just to buy groceries, so when there's a will, there's a way. If you want a certain lifestyle, you'll go out of your way to maintain it. For some it's not so easy. Most parents work long hours and feel like they don't have time to skip around looking for the best produce, but without eating healthy, you're actually taking years off of your life. I suggest alternatives & simple coordination. Do it together, have fun with it. There's so much offered and available, we may not be used to making the effort to get what we need because all the things we shouldn't have are so convenient. Instead of soda or sugary drinks, buy mostly water or make lemonade together. Read the contents, the ingredients. We all know salt, sugar, and fat are the most detrimental, yet they’re everywhere. Make the effort to slowly eliminate what you can and when there is time take a trip and shop with your kids. There are year-round markets in some of our communities, just take the initiative & advantage. Take breaks from fast food, set challenges for your family and see the difference in your stamina and brain function! I believe the education is also extremely important, just like any other subject. This fall, I'll be presenting a Health & Beauty Workshop at the Women Mean Business Conference in Harlem, presented by SheChef.org & I'll be doing the same for children and parents at Wee Bee Kidz Day Care Center & Brooklyn.

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You don’t only create/offer savory goods. You do sweets as well. You’ve catered for events for Time Out New York and at Lincoln Center, to name a couple. When it comes to sweets what’s part of your criteria for making a good dessert? Do you still try to be healthy or really focus on it being good. For me, good includes a decent amount of butter.

There's plenty of ingredient options in baking, especially now that there's gluten issues climbing & more vegan requests. Adaptation is everything. A vegan client is not willing to sacrifice their diet for a baked good because they don't have to. There are options everywhere, sugar-free desserts, you name it. When I first began catering, it was mostly for baked goods, which meant experimenting & eating a lot of it. I knew I was in for a problem if I didn't offer options, business wise & personally. Consuming fluffy cupcakes or gooey chocolate chip cookies late at night or for lunch every other day, isn't going to help you maintain a sensible diet. Versatility is key. You can indulge once in a blue, but trying a muffin prepared with applesauce & canola oil or a cake made with coconut flour is just as delicious & not so harmful if enjoyed often.

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When you do customized parties/private dinners, how do you create the menu? Do new items come about after speaking with those that hired you or do you provide a list/taste of your offerings that may fit in line with the type of event/meal that they want? How much of it is seeing what fits for the client and making it fit for the client?

Customizing and creating menus are my favorite task. I usually "free-style," thinking of taste and colors. What flavors go together, what dishes & seasonal produce are appropriate for the event. Clients may request a dish they've tasted at a market or event. Some like our ideas, usually. We offer a variety, we also have experience in vast cultural cuisine. New items come to us after traveling, shopping around, or simply trying new dishes at home. If possible, I like to meet with the client and check out the season's best together, which is always fun. If it sounds good, clients have enough faith in us to deliver the rest. I'm so happy about that, it makes things easier on both ends.

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You’re online (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram). Are there other online venues or ways that you can be reached via social media? Are there any additional food fairs/events you’ll be appearing at soon in NYC or nearby? 

Yes, I'm also on Tumblr, CaterCow.com, Fiestah.com, Thumbtack.com, I'm working on YouTube cooking segments with my pals over at MelimeL Digital Art Design—called 'Seasonal Comfort' which focuses on comforting meals using local ingredients of the season. We anticipate holiday market vending & are really expanding for catering duties. Growing and getting better is my main goal. I converted from sole proprietor to an LLC and am ready to hire soon! So be on the lookout for all, but in the meantime, let us cater your upcoming events. Small or large, you'll have a newfound perspective on catering for sure!

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A Celebration of "Fried & True" at Ginny's Supperclub

On June 24th, a tinted and lavish Ginny's Supper Club, under the often bustling Red Rooster in Harlem, hosted a launch to the public and local press for Fried & True: 50 Recipes for America's Best Fried Chicken and Sides compiled by Lee Brian Schrager (with Adeena Sussman). Fried & True features about 100 recipes from chefs/restaurateurs/cooks around the country offering their take on fried chicken in addition to side pairings reflecting the variations of what people of different backgrounds think of when it comes to a historic dish that is steadily becoming part of the "new wave" of food trends.

Fried & True's origins stem from Lee's complete and utter love of fried chicken. Growing up on Long Island it was a staple meal in his home and also a treat purchased and delivered when his parents went out. In the Introduction Lee states that he often orders fried chicken whenever he's out rather than making it himself to taste what others have to offer and how they reflect a change in the perceived tried and true way to make this American classic. Lee's involvement and background in so many aspects of the culinary world, including being the founder of the NY Food & Wine Festival and Food Network South Beach Wine & Food festival, make him a huge name in the industry and someone with an enviable palate.

Fried & True now out from Clarkson Potter

Three NYC based chefs were featured at the Fried & True celebration, as were their contributions to the book for the evening's menu. Marcus Samuelsson (owner and chef of Red Rooster) who not only greeted attendees but was also working, Elizabeth Karmel of Hill Country BBQ & Hill Country Chicken, and Harlem native with Southern roots Charles Gabriel whose restaurant Charles' Country Pan Fried Chicken was lauded by Lee and Marcus as being the best fried chicken in Harlem, let alone New York City.

Guests received a copy of the book along with tote bags from sponsor Mastercard. But the only way to get a real sense of Fried & True was in the food itself. Attendees got to try recipes from Samuelsson including his coconut fried chicken on a bed of shredded bok choy claw with toasted peanuts, pickled jalapeno, and fried chickpeas; in addition to Elizabeth Karmel's garlic cheese grits with candied country ham and Charles Gabriel's candied yams.

Each dish was brought out family style and there were mutterings/requests for more. Karmel, mouth full, complimented Gabriel on his candied yams (simple with only a handful of ingredients; "a staple to real Southern cooking," he insisted). And Gabriel became a fan of Karmel's garlic cheese grits with ham bits sweetened with a crust of granulated and dark brown sugar. Samuelsson's chicken had a kick as did the bok choy slaw that reflected his signature style of a twist on an American classic while adding in bits of Samuelsson's African and European roots.

Brooklyn ice cream shop Ample Hills Creamery provided scoops of their popular flavors salted crack caramel and sweet as honey ice cream with toppings for dessert while guests enjoyed music from local artist Farrah Burns and her band.

Fried & True is split up into four sections: Southern Inspiration; American Originals; Pacific Rim Flavors; and Sandwiches, Wings, L'il Bites, and Special Diets. Some of the more heavily reflected regions for the recipes featured include the East coast (New York City has prominent coverage), the South(east), California, parts of the Midwest such as Chicago, and even Portland, OR.

Charles Gabriel being of South Carolina roots and having cooked with his mother at a very young age brings his wisdom and flavors to Harlem not just at his own shop but having been a chef at Copeland's in Harlem for a couple decades. He may be one of the few, if only, true Southern contemporaries bringing good ole down home fried chicken in a big ole cast iron (yes, you will need a cast iron as Fried & True notes in Fried Chicken 101) to make his chicken oh so crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Karmel's recipes also fit into Southern Inspiration and Samuelsson's contributions land in the American Originals section.

While Marcus Samuelsson may be considered the hot name and grand orator, Gabriel received the spotlight that evening and was someone anyone who hadn't know him before wanted to know. Lee said he absolutely had to have Gabriel's recipes in this book. Marcus echoed that when he first visited Harlem in preparation for his own restaurant that he was informed that he had to go to Charles' Country Pan Fried Chicken on 150th and Frederick Douglass, get some chicken, and then head to Marcus Garvey Park to watch the residents play ball. To him, the combination of watching local ballers and eating Gabriel's chicken culminated in the perfect Sunday.

Gabriel is a tall, shy man with dark skin and a great smile. Once he talks about chicken, about cooking, he opens up, more extroverted and more animated in his talk about enjoying what he does and waking up early and going to bed late. Even after this event he was going straight to his restaurant to prep for the next day and was very much looking forward to closing up for a week to enjoy a vacation and cruise with his family. Gabriel was stopped, repeatedly, during conversation by those wanting his autograph, wanting to know where his shop was exactly, and saying that they'd be back to Harlem going further north this time around and, even with full bellies, were excited to try his food. This made Gabriel grin even wider, surprised and humbled by the celebrity thrust upon him that evening.

Fried & True brings attention to the hot spots and the smaller spots. It even brought "low-key fried chicken lovers out of the woodwork" where the unifier is good, comfort food that is recognizable to many from their childhood. Like Lee says, fried chicken is becoming part of the American "culinary canon" and this celebration of Fried & True's release may be just the resurgence fried chicken and the places that serve it needed.

Interview with Chloe Stinetorf of Chloe Doughy (Delivering fresh and new cookie dough so anyone can feel like a high class baker.)

You know I love participating in the #NYCBakeSale and I have to say that #NYCBakeSale also has some of the best contributors and supporters in the nation. This year Chloe Stinetorf was kind enough to offer up a one month sample of her doughs at Chloe Doughy as one of the raffle prizes. I entered and surprisingly won! (I rarely win things.)

I was psyched to sign up for and receive the May doughs which included lavender lemon (and the chocolate chip staple that subscribers get every month along with the new flavor). Imagine my delight when I made the chocolate chip and got a chocolatey sweet slightly salty cookie all in one! And being that my computer broke down soon after making these cookies it served as a nice therapeutic solution while I was on hold with tech support.

The following week I made the lavender lemon and once again was balled over by the subtlety of the flavors but how well they worked and the lovely crisp shortbread nature of this cookie. After this sampling I--and my co-workers whom I shared these cookies with--know that Chloe Doughy is the real deal and a new New York gem.

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A lot of people I've spoken to, and even for myself, say that baking started as a family endeavor, a kind of bonding time. This seems to be the case when it comes to you and the creation of Chloe Doughy in having baked with your grandmother in your youth. What is it about cookie dough that you think really strikes people or encourages these kind of memories and positive associations?

A freshly baked cookie right out of the oven tastes and smells delicious, and for many people that triggers happy memories of baking with family. I always think about my grandmother when I'm baking because she has taught me so many recipes and techniques over the years.  

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Why deliver cookie dough? Why not deliver the finished product? Is it that you want to bring unique flavors to people in a way that is “less scary” to those that don't often cook/bake from scratch or a way to enhance the taste factor so that people can enjoy them fresh or are there other factors?

Baking makes me very happy, and my goal with Chloe Doughy is to share that joy with other people. Cookie dough delivery allows people to experience the delight of home baking without the hassle. At Chloe Doughy we say, "Skip to the fun part!" We also love inventing and sharing our unique cookie dough flavors of the month--the variety is exciting for our customers, and we deliver a product unlike anything they can find in stores.

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It seems that your cookie dough flavors are somewhat seasonally based. For instance, the lavender lemon dough (which my co-workers adored, by the way) feels very summery with the citrus and lavender fragrance. You’ve previously offered orchard crumble and maple snowball dough in the past during cooler months. So what may be in store as we head into a warmer summer and then into fall?

We're excited to announce our July flavor of the month, the Strawberry Liege! The recipe is based on our obsession with the traditional Liege Belgian waffle. Our Strawberry Liege recipe incorporates crunchy Belgian pearl sugar, a crumble topping and sweet fragrant strawberries. We often incorporate seasonal produce and ingredients in our special monthly doughs, and right now strawberries are in season! Our August cookie dough flavor hasn't been announced yet, but we'll give you a hint, it's a tribute to our favorite August holiday . . . Shark Week!

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Does inspiration hit you out of nowhere or is there a solid something that tethers you to an idea you want to pursue? What inspires you each month for your flavor(s) and how far in advance do you plan your cookie doughs?

I'm often interested in working with a specific ingredient first, and I start there and work my way out, developing a dough that complements that ingredient. For instance, our Maple Snowball cookie for January was inspired by my love of pure Vermont maple syrup and I knew I wanted it to be crunchy and incorporate powdered sugar, and our Glazed Earl Grey came about because I wanted to develop an orange flavored cookie that would pair well with breakfast tea. I'm usually working on 4-5 recipes at once, it takes a long time to get the flavor, consistency, and texture just right. Experimenting with recipes in the kitchen is my favorite part!

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Chocolate chip is considered the ‘base’ of cookies, I think. It’s simple but quite effective especially when done right. And I have to say of all the store bought, bakery fresh, and homemade chocolate chip cookies I have tasted Chloe Doughy’s is the best. What do you think helps to make a “basic” cookie stand out without too much accessorizing?

Thank you, it's nice to hear that because I've been working on our Classic Chocolate Chip recipe for years! Chocolate chip cookies come in all varieties: crispy, chewy, thick, thin. The list goes on forever! I think the best chocolate chip cookies have something special and memorable to them, for instance I love Tate's cookies because they're so buttery and crispy; there's no other crispy cookie quite like them. For our recipe, I wanted a cookie that was soft and full in the middle and crispy at the edges and bottom. I love having different types of bites in the same cookie! The qualities that make our Classic Chocolate Chip cookie special are also enhanced by the immediacy of eating them fresh out of the oven, which is an important part of the Chloe Doughy experience.

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What is the end goal for Chloe Doughy? To expand in terms of the amount of doughs or to be able to reach a larger community outside of NYC? Hosting more classes? Or does the hope for the Chloe Doughy brand go beyond that?

First, I want to grow our local NYC business so that we're able to deliver to all five boroughs! I'd also love to sell our cookie doughs at local markets and grocers. We're also working on a shipping option for overnight delivery out of state (stay tuned!) and we're expanding our baking class schedule as well. Our cookie doughs make people happy, so I'm excited to expand and reach more customers.

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I really like that you have baking classes catered to children of various ages. Many bakeries tend to go after the older sect, but you offer cookie dough classes for both groups. What was the decision for that and, also, what do you aim to help students with in these classes?

My mother is a first grade teacher and I've taught in her classroom a lot over the years--everything from baking to art, even some math! I love the early elementary school age range--they're so full of energy. Baking with young children is a lot of fun, and they love measuring ingredients, whisking, and rolling out dough. I remember baking from a very early age with my family, so it gives me joy to teach other young bakers. I want children who take my classes to become adventurous and bake at home with their families, I also want them to appreciate the care that goes into baking and how special it is to have something homemade.

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Beyond Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest are there other places online or even at local food fairs or stores where people can find Chloe Doughy products?

Join our mailing list to stay in touch! We always announce when we're going to be selling cookies or dough at local fairs and special events.

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Chloe is also, very generously, offering a $15 discount to readers for your first month of cookie dough when you sign up for Chloe Doughy. The code is: JENNIFERBAKER

Yup, I'm a code! Thanks so much again, Chloe!

My Weekend Cupcake Tour

This Memorial Day weekend my friend Kim and I went on a cupcake walking tour with Great New York Tours. Admittedly we were a bit surprised at how many people came out for food walking tours on a holiday weekend. But hey, people like food and to see new places around the city so why the heck not indulge in one. First things first though, Kim and I ate actual savory food pre-tour. Having done self-made tours with friends I knew that I would be craving actual food with all the sweets so better to get in some salad and soup beforehand leaving yourself ready to indulge. It turns out others on the tour did not consider this and there was some moaning as we got to our third and fourth locations (passing many eateries along the way) that the desire for something outside of sweets was vocalized. So there's a plan for you. If you're doing a walking tour of sweets only, make sure to eat beforehand or prep to do so somewhere in there.

Anywho, onto the tour! The sun was out but it started to get a might bit cloudy with the anticipation of rain. Yet it was fine for walking and scouting out shops. We all met up at the corner of Union Square Park (West) and then proceeded to our first location: Baked by Melissa.

I've had Baked by Melissa before and find the cupcakes okay. They are very much bite sized and I can gulp one down in a second (really, I can). Though the cupcakes are good and the variety of flavors do make them a catch. Melissa's first opened as a teeny shop in SoHo six years ago and has steadily grown in that time to have several locations in NYC (even in Long Island).

We got to enjoy May's mini-of-the-month which was the Neapolitan cupcake. A vanilla cake with chocolate icing and strawberry filling (that was also a dollop on top surrounded by chocolate). In one bite you got the vanilla, chocolate, and fruity strawberry flavor. I enjoyed it as did the others and I would recommend trying it before the month of May is out. Also, if you go I'd suggest the cookie dough. Really any of the minis with fillings are the ones to get for the added taste. Just their cupcake with frosting is not enough flavor, at least for me.

Next up was a staple in NYC. You may see as many Crumbs Bake Shop in Manhattan as you see Starbucks which tells you of their popularity. Crumbs is a brand I used to swear by when I was in my early 20s and they first started branching out.

At Crumbs our guide Mallory brought out a couple variety mini packs, thankfully. If you've ever been to Crumbs one of their big items was the ginormous cupcake as big as ones face. I am not joking. Check the size out. They have minis, "normal" size, gigantic, and also one ridiculously big cupcake that serves as a cake I guess.

It was first come/first serve in terms of the flavor you got and with me and Kim being in the back of the line I ended up with red velvet. (This would become a trend for the remainder of the tour for me.)

The red velvet was not good. And as I've come to see Crumbs cupcakes are not the pinnacle of cupcakes. If you should eat one cupcake before you pass on to the next life, Crumbs should not be it. The red velvet was nothing like red velvet. It was somewhat dry, the icing was buttercream (a hard buttercream) with sprinkles that was piled too high onto the cake itself. Having a grandmother of Southern roots who can make red velvet cake in her sleep has left me a bit spoiled and quite critical. Do not get their red velvet.

A bit more walking lead us to Amorino Gelato. Mallory called this the "palate cleanser" of our six-dessert course. Amorino is tres fancy and apparently this location in Greenwich village is the only one in the United States with the main being in Europe. Yes, NYC gets almost everything good.

Within minutes Mallory returned with a cup full of spoons and a tub of mango sorbet. She dug in giving each of us a healthy spoonful and we, or at least I, marveled at the creamy texture and natural flavor of mango that was so rich it really did hit all the taste buds. I don't know how much their sorbet costs but I will buy it in gallons! It trumps anything I've had by Haagan Dazs and of course the magic words are "all natural."

There was more walking along University Place passing many street vendors selling their art and a foray into Washington Square Park for brief pictures. The whole tour Mallory was giving us historical facts not just about cupcakes but about NYC locations we passed and I have to say it felt as though Mallory were made for this kind of tour. Her voice elevated, she knew when her jokes were corny, and she was efficient at each and every location taking care to make sure no one was lost or strayed too far behind.

After some walking we got to West 3rd Street and Molly's Cupcakes, a place I had passed many times, making a mental note to return there but had not actually been to.

Molly's is a fairly new cupcake establishment but is one that has some awards behind it. Most notably, to me, was the fact that the owner won the first Food Network Cupcake Wars which I used to watch on the regular.

Lucky us that we would not be getting minis but full sized cupcakes, or perhaps not so lucky as we were two-thirds of the way through a sweets tour. We got to choose our cake and our icing with the knowledge that our proceeds from doing this tour would have a portion go to a charitable organization. Sweets for a cause. I like it.

I went with the red velvet and cream cheese icing.

And I gotta tell you. I have NO regrets on that one. The cream cheese icing was perfect. Creamy, rich, with the perfect cream cheese/sugar balance. It was not too much icing but the taste heavy enough to balance out with the moist cake. Now the cake didn't have the chocolatey taste (as red velvet is basically a chocolate cake with red dye), however, red velvet is also a light chocolate cake in that it contains the powder and not many other items to enrich the chocolate taste. Yet, you should be able to sense some chocolate in there. Nonetheless, would I get this cupcake combo again? Hell yes. And a taste of the brown butter icing was exactly how brown butter tastes. Spot on, Molly's Cupcakes.

We headed up Bleecker then off into some back streets to go to our next location. Not for cupcakes but to eat part of what was in the bakery's name: Milk & Cookies Bakery. At Milk & Cookies we were treated to the salted oat cookie. An oat cookie with toffee and white chocolate bits and crystallized salt on top. The cookie was a treat, large considering we'd just had a few cupcakes. It was crumbly around the edges yet soft in the middle making it all kinds of chewy in your mouth. The toffee and white chocolate and oat mix was well done but the crystallized salt bits on top deterred in that it gave the sweetness a heavily salty kick. I would suggest a flaky salt rather than the drops of salt to be a bit more subtle. But again, a good cookie.

Our next and last stop was the original location of Magnolia Bakery before it became a thing. (Thanks Sex in the City.)

And it was at this point that the skies opened up and started to drizzle, rain, than downright pour down on us.

Under umbrellas Mallory, smartly, divided the cupcakes with the group and provided boxes so that we could take them home. Anticipating that we'd be sugared out and want to get the hell out of the rain ASAP. And what cupcake did we get from Magnolia? You guessed it, red velvet with vanilla buttercream.

Kim and I boxed our cupcakes and rushed to Five Guys to avoid the rain that continued on in heavy and light stretches for another hour or so. (Thanks Five Guys for housing us!) I ate my cupcake as we waited the rain out and talked. The buttercream in this case was a nice whipped one that worked better texture-wise than the buttercream on the Crumbs red velvet. Also, the cupcake was better than I remember. The last time I had a red velvet from Magnolia (about 3 years ago) it was not that good. This one had more of the chocolatey taste that Molly's lacked but again, I was quite upset about the pairing of red velvet and vanilla buttercream. For me, red velvet needs cream cheese icing. It requires it. Maybe that's a purist attitude or not. But it just isn't red velvet for me.

In sum, I had many tasty items and was introduced to three new eateries and was reminded of why I did or kind of liked the others I had had in the past. The tour was under 2 hours. There was fun--I'd suggest bringing a friend. Mallory was de-lightful. And for the most part the weather cooperated so that we didn't lose momentum. Well organized all around.

What I would say is that at $50/per person seems a bit high in price for what you get. But I also understand a portion goes to the bakeries and leaders like Mallory. I got this at a Groupon price and would suggest that. Perhaps the other food tours may give you more for the $50 fee but 2 mini cupcakes, 2 full cupcakes, a cookie, and a spoonful of sorbet don't quite add up to this for me and if you knew the itinerary you could get all that for quite a bit less. BUT, what you are going is for the experience and fun of it--and it is fun.

Lastly: Dear Great New York Tours, Please drop Crumbs from your cupcake line up. I know it's convenient because it's on the current tour route but there are better places! If you extended the route a bit or started it elsewhere and weaved around the Lower East Side I know you could find other places. Just a suggestion. Your friend, Jenn.

And that, was my weekend cupcake walking tour.

#PiePartyGE: 2014 Edition

It seems eons ago since the last Pie Party. In truth, it was a year and a half ago and sadly Hurricane Sandy ripped through NYC days after that event. But with a renewed city and on an actual spring day Jackie Gordon and Ken Leung organized another fantastic event at GE Monogram Design Center on midtown's east side.

The GE Monogram Center is basically the dream kitchen of anyone who likes to cook and for those in the food blogger/media community it is Shangri-La. The anticipation for this event was building and with the Parade of Pies list on Ken's site lips were smacking staring at the compendium of what would be available.

Weeks leading up to Pie Party, attendees got emails from sponsors being overly generous in offering items to help us bake our pies. Butter and/or cheeses from Kerrygold. Utensils from OXO. Tupperware to pack leftover pies for later consumption from Snapware and that's in addition to the goodies provided from sponsors Anolon, Harvard Common Press, Dub Pies, Jarlsberg USA, Wüsthof (as well as OXO, Snapware, and Kerrygold). THANK YOU ALL for your kindness.

Upon entering the GE Monogram Center the staff was readily recognizable and decked out all in black ready to help. Need something heated? Done. Need extra serving materials? Done. Need your stuff put away? Arms out to take it for you. They were ready to help at a notice and even cleared away plates to wash/rinse off for you to take home. It was amazing how generous and professional everyone was.

There was a nice backdrop for anyone and everyone to take a picture of your pie. As Jackie said she wanted this year's Pie Party to be like the Oscars of Pie Parties!

Like last year savory pies were set along the window facing 58th Street and the sweets had a much larger display (needed) in the center of the establishment. Sponsors Anolon, Dub Pies, Wusthof, and Kerrygold set up shop inside where we could view (or really drool) over their presentation of goods and in the case of Jarlsberg, Kerrygold, and DUB Pies we got our pie pre-game on by eating cheese and crackers, fruit platters, mini DUB Pies (my fave beef and cheese was in attendance) while hors d'oeurves were also available from roaming GE Monogram staff. But don't fill up on snacks! There are PIES here! Savory was bumped up. A good deal available. I added to the savory mix again with a Tortilla Pie a la Martha Stewart since most of my materials were packed and I needed something easy and hearty to make. (Next year I'm thinking empanadas, if time permits.)

The sweets table steadily filled up with space being made every minute to accommodate the expanding array of desserts.

Chef Tageré gave a demonstration and praised Kerrygold butter as the butter to use for crusts. (As bloggers we couldn't agree more.) Then she revealed a fantastically delectable looking savory chicken pie with some cheese on top and we were antsy for that and other pies. And then...it was officially pie time! The masses ran or sauntered (some with a game plan already). I had my eye on the sweets from the minute I walked in but then Margaret had to bring a short rib pie and Sekita had to do crab cake pies so I quickly tasted those and then delved back to the sweet side. No regrets, friends.

First things first was getting those portable pies. Angela of Mind Over Batter's strawberry-cheese hand pies were like a homemade Pop-tart but ten times better because her crust was thick, sweet, flaky, buttery and perfect! Ken made a sweet and a savory pie and I got into that gorgeous tart before it was gone. His crust was also fantastic. There were gluten-free pies and cream pies and many, many more tarts. Colleen of Souffle Bombay and her daughter Samantha both made sweet tarts and I have to say I was lucky to taste Samantha's confection of a Blueberry Lemon Tart.

Susan of Girl in the Little Red Kitchen did a cookie pie with caramel with duck fat. Jennifer of Bake or Break brought a scrumptious nutty, brown sugar pie. Rhonda Kave of Roni-Sue's Chocolates in downtown Manhattan paid tribute to her daughter Allison's debut cookbook First Prize Pies by making her buttercrunch pie that was still warm from the oven and a gooey masterpiece! There was...So. Much. Pie. And you couldn't eat it all but it was gorgeous to look at and phenomenal to actually eat.

The crowd was happy, cheerful, and supportive everyone delving in. The savory side was practically demolished from Eryn's picnic pie to the large mac n' cheese pie with bacon topping to the guacamole pie and a nice quiche.

There was a vast amount of fruity tarts/pies especially Autumn's gluten-free plum pockets and Jackie's lemon bruleed gluten-free pie. And surprisingly not as much chocolate. Perhaps because spring was in the air, and it was humid, inspiration was more for summery/spring-like flavors.

To top it all off there were also the generous gift bags that newcomers to Pie Party were astounded by, more jaw drops. And there were temp tattoos from OXO (still have mine) and lots of giveaways for tweeting/instagram (using hashtags of course), and just all-around fun and appreciation to be surrounded by fantastic food and wonderful people in a lovely space.

I am already looking forward to the next Pie Party and am more than enthused about this one. I just had my leftover pies last night and regret that I couldn't have another piece of pie to indulge in. But there's always next time and it's Saturday, which means NYC Bake Sale is happening, now, so you KNOW there'll be sweets there.

I leave you with smiling faces...