Standing outside of Magnolia enjoying a good dose of sugar!
I don't mean to brag, but...
This winter my roommate made an important discovery: The Barefoot Contessa baking mixes. If you have ever seen her on the Food Network, you will remember her for her significant use of butter, sugar and cream...but minus the Southern accent. (That would be Paula Dean.) Ina Garten a.k.a. The Barefoot Contessa makes some scrumptious-looking food on her show, and that quality goes into her baking mixes. I should warn you, however, that they are not cheap. I think Angie bought some at Crate and Barrel at around ten bucks a box. Are they worth it? It depends.
The first ones I tried (meaning, ate--my roommate did the actual baking) were her coconut cupcakes. They were delicious and stayed moist for ten days. Yes, I am just as surprised as you that they lasted ten whole days. The other cupcakes we tried were these yummy chocolate ones with fabulous frosting. I can tell when a frosting came from a can, and hers had no such flavor. Oh yes, despite the low yield (about 1 dozen per mix), the price was worth it.
The rate of $10 for a baking mix does not reflect NYC price gauging (completely), and so please don't think that a box of Betty Crocker costs $8.00. I compare the Barefoot Contessa cupcakes to the finer ones purchased at various bakeries in town. Cupcakes are quite the hip treat, and not because all that frosting goes to the hips. (Though that is entirely true.) I have become a fan of the cupcake since I have been here. Everyone has their preferred cupcake place. And I am pretty sure that one can gain cupcake love street-cred if one fancies a cupcake at a bakery besides Magnolia. My friend Stephanie wants to throw a cupcake taste-testing party so we can make a good assessment of the best bakeries in the city. I fully intend to participate in that shindig. Maybe I will get my little cakes from Billy's or maybe I will whip up a batch of The Barefoot Contessa. Since I have tried the cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery, Crumbs and Buttercup Bakery, I think Ina's mixes can stand up to ones purchased already made.
Or maybe I will make my own...from scratch.
Tonight my roommate and I made her chocolate chip cookie mix. Well, Angie bought it and I stirred. For a mix the cookies were very good. But mine are better. Don't mean to brag, but it's true. Watch out Ina for the High-Heeled Contessa!
3 comments:
YOU NEED TO MAKE THE ONES I JUST MADE!!! They are AWESOME! But guess what! I think I'm gluten intolerant, so I have to find another flour that will work well in the recipe so I can EAT them and not feel like and ALIEN is trying the CHEW its way out of my stomach (the organ and not the area of the body we like to call our stomach).
And Ina Garten makes beautiful food, but am I the ONLY ONE who is annoyed by her voice and her expressions? I just can't watch her when she's on. After Giada, I can't stand listening to Ina.
Here is my recipe.
There's a bakery here called Sprinkles that specializes in cupcakes. They're nearly $4 a piece, but totally worth it.
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