Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Dear Molly Wizenberg,

Don't mind the lemons, they served as my book stand :)

When I discovered the world of food blogging, your site was one of the first ones I started reading. Soon after, I learned that you had a book on the way - I waited quite a while to make the purchase - but I did eventually and I could not be happier. I started reading the book one night, about 50 pages in I put it away and went to sleep. The day after, the stories kept popping up in my head, they entertained me for a while, but I wanted to know more. I finished the book in about 4 hours at the library my boyfriend works at. I don't remember the last thing I read that made me feel so many things all at once. Actually, once I think about it, something does come to mind but it's fictional (The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells). I laughed to myself, I reminisced about my life experiences (so far), and at times I wanted to cry. When a book has the ability to do this to me, there is only one word I can use to describe it, beautiful.

I can only ever dream of writing something so amazing. It has made me think about the food from my childhood and the food that I can only dream of making someday. And of course it has left me with an ever stronger desire to travel to France once more (because when I went the first time I was too young to remember anything) and experience all there is.

Reading the book, I also came to question my life and where I was going. I'm starting a grad program this fall and I find myself questioning if this is what I really want to do. Would I rather spend my days learning about food and cooking? Of course. But I would not know how else to survive in the world. So cooking will remain a hobby.

So far I have made the Cider Glazed Salmon, French Yogurt Cake, Winning Hearts and Minds Cake, and the Chocolate Cupcakes with Bittersweet Glaze. I look forward to trying out all the other recipes.

Thank You Molly for gifting the world with this book.


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I'm sure I will write about all the other recipes that I tried, but this one in particular was just delectable to my chocoholic self. I'm talking about the Chocolate Cupcakes with Bittersweet Glaze. The cake was wonderfully tender and light. The bittersweet glaze added the perfect touch to this simple and humble cupcake. (Beware! this recipe is not for you if you love loads and loads of frosting on your cupcakes!!) If you haven't done so already, go out and buy yourself a copy of this book so you can see the recipe!! You will not regret it :)

So one of the ingredients that the recipe calls for is hot coffee. I don't have a coffee maker, so I improvised...and I'm actually quite proud of myself for coming up with this THING! I took a coffee filter filled with some coffee I got from a roommate, I put it in a strainer, and I put the strainer on top of a measuring cup - I poured boiling water over it and I got coffee!! This is what it looked like in case you were wondering.

Add the coffee to some chocolate...

and a few other simple ingredients: flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, oil, yogurt, egg, and vanilla. Mix them all up (no Kitchen Aid required!). Bake them.

Melt some chocolate to top them off and you've got these delicious cupcakes. Simple and Easy!


P.S. Have you guys tried her recipe for Cinnamon Rolls? They're wonderful!! I've made them about 4 or 5 times now, and somehow I think I get better results when I use soy milk even though it calls for whole milk (which I also tried). Another blog on these yummy rolls later!

6 comments:

  1. hello...
    i would like to try, but i got no guide or sumting, n its look like you good at it.

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  2. I just found this post, and I can't tell you how touched I am. You've made my day about a million times over. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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  3. I found you through a comment you left about macarons on another blog, but I couldn't stop reading this blog post before moving on to your macaron post. If you love baking and cooking, but are scared to take the leap into making it your sole means of income, why not consider something part-time? A home-based business? Granted, going to grad school is a full-time job and then some, but even if you took on some orders for...macarons (!) from time to time, you might feel better about fulfilling that side of you. And I bet before you know it, you'll have a nice little business for yourself. It doesn't have to happen all at once, just slow and steady.

    Good luck! I'm off to read about your trials with macarons.

    Best,
    Casey
    Editor
    www.tastestopping.wordpress.com

    P.S. I'd also like to invite you to swing by and check out my site which publishes food photos rejected by sites like Tastespotting and FoodGawker. It's a lot fun...hope to see you there! :)

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  4. Looks like your making a name for yourself in the foodie blogosphere! I told you that you would enjoy it!

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  5. I hate loads of frosting on my cupcakes, so these look perfect. :]

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