Stout and Portly Cupcakes

Friends, I am swimming in a sea of confusion, upheaval, and waves wash the swabbed decks. Say you were to organize a recipe contest, let's say, for cupcakes. The cupcakes need to use Scharffen Berger chocolate. Many from the country send their recipes in hope of winning top honor and ten thousand dollars. That's right. So, everyone sends in recipes; you taste, you look, you decide. And all three of the top winners feature stout beer. That's right. How odd, you may think. Akin to five Oscar nominations for five films on Gandhi. Until you look at the rules.


Along with chocolate, these folks were required to choose at least one from a list of  "adventure ingredients": stout beer (oatmeal, chocolate, imperial or any other stout); ricotta; buttermilk; coconut butter, coconut milk or coconut cream; saffron; molasses (light, dark or blackstrap); adzuki bean; fresh beet; sweetened condensed milk; fresh or whole dried chili pepper; bee pollen; meyer lemon; almond flour; and Sumatra coffee bean.


In my world, one of the winners would use ricotta. And the exquisite meyer. I am also a sot for coconut flavor which I might spice with chili pepper. 

Footfall: Retracing My Steps

This morning I donned old flannel shorts, a half clean tee, and walking sandals. Taking my journal and a camera, I went down to the beach.



My camera is back after leaving it for dead the second time this year. At a cooking club evening on Cinco de Mayo. Theme: you guess. Martita quickly told me to make chilequilas which she demonstrated in her home. I did make them. Martha's are better, but is that news? I am the type of person who walks in the house with sand on her feet.



The hostess of the cooking club made cupcakes . . . her claim. I met her for the first time that evening in an overwhelming, amazing scene. So many dishes, most people I didn't know, and cupcakes by the name of Vera Cruz. Described by the creator as a sweet corn and cilantro cupcake with a hot pepper mousse and an avocado buttercream, garnished with a lime wedge and red salt crystals. For the numerous tastes and multiple ingredients, it worked. Each part stood alone. I enjoyed squeezing a lime wedge over the whole.

Another highlight of the evening was a warm casserole of flan put forth by a nice girl who had never eaten or made flan. It was delicious warm. I think I will always eat it thusly in future. Because we were cautioned not to bring dessert, imagine 20 savory dishes. A standout being cheese-topped guacamole. The title sounds gross and un-American to me too. I need to tell you it was a warm bath and a blanket by the fire is contentment. And I ate it lukewarm. The cook used real queso oaxaca which I would put forth as a must if you're attempting this. My friend G and I will probably not attend the cooking club again as it was so much to take in. It was a one-in-a-grand-while experience but simplicity is a good middle name.