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 Photo via shuchinsk's Flickr When The Biggest Loser's Berndana went home to Chicago and visited his favorite cupcake joint, he discovered that they had named a cupcake after him, and when I saw they also had a cupcake version of Boston Cream Pie, I knew that I had to find it and try it for myself. In fact, I suspected that this cupcake might be so perfect that it would go on a very short list of food rarities that I love beyond reason and refuse to consider caloric or nutritional implications for the few times I eat them. I refuse to hold back and deprive myself of utter culinary joy just because of silly things like a diet. After all, life in moderation is all about doing the right things 80 percent of the time and leaving yourself some room for pure enjoyment of your senses. One of these the items that fits the bill for pure enjoyment is Thomas Keller's TKO cookie, available only at the Bouchon Bakery. Imagine everything you love about Oreo cookies--that semi-burnt chocolate taste, the glorious juxtaposition of the vanilla cream--and then take away the inferior mass-produced wafer and the vaguely industrial, lardy cream filling, and replace it with the best possible ingredients. Then, and only then, would you have a TKO. One cookie costs as much as an entire package of Nabisco's version, but just the same, on a visit to San Francisco, my friend and I actually rented a car just to spend an afternoon driving up to Yountville on a TKO run. When we got to the bakery, we had to wait for the cookies to cool enough to be frosted, and then we bought out the entire batch, and then drove home, eating them plus splitting a ham sandwich so that we wouldn't go into diabetic comas while driving. And I have absolutely no regrets. I could easily list more sweets (Fox and Obel's red velvet Whoopie pie, Bouchon's vanilla pot de creme, the cherry cheese strudel at Zabar's) but there are also savory things on this list. For instance, when I happen to time a visit to a local cheese artisan just perfectly, and the cheese curds are still warm and dripping with whey, their little milk proteins all bound up so tightly that the curds squeak against your teeth when you chew them? That's just a little bit of heaven, right there. And I only have them about four times a year, due to the timing issues. Also, there's a truffle infused bleu cheese and porcini mushroom risotto that would probably be the second course in my ideal last meal. And then there's strawberry season, when I drive out to a local organic grower, load up my car with a flat, and drive home eating berry after berry, still warm from the sun, the juice inevitably dripping down my hand and staining whatever shirt I'm wearing. No matter how perfect the grocery store's produce department is, I've never found a store berry that can even touch the perfection, that little bit of wild something that is captured within the juicy bright pulp of a freshly picked strawberry. What about you? What treats are you willing to drive out of your way for, eschew diets, and eat even though you're not hungry? What are your exceptional treats? The comments are totally jonesing for some Dutch Cherry Pie from the Norske Nook. 6 CommentsLeave a comment |
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FEED ME
Mmm...
The dowjic at Babanis. Chickeny, ricey, lemony, yogurty deliciousness.
Loth cha or chha kreong at Cheng Heng.
Apple fritters at Mel-O-Glaze bakery.
The Mahnomin porridge (made with wild rice, roasted hazelnuts, dried berries, cream and maple syrup) and lemon-ricotta hotcakes at Hell's Kitchen.
Um, yeah. I'll stop now, but I could go on. God bless the restaurateurs of Minneapolis and Saint Paul!
I find the idea of ever not having a slice (or, more accurately, two slices) of pepperoni at Santullo's Eatery if I'm going by to be unthinkable. I have resisted in the past, but honestly, if I had JUST finished a full steak dinner with all the fixings, or had a double portion of Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing, and yet found myself walking past Santullo's, one part of me would still very strongly think about ducking in there for two slices and a cream soda. (most slices I've eaten in one sitting: 4. I'm not proud of this, but I'm also not quite ashamed, either)
Also: for my birthday this year, Wendy is going to take me to Dark Lord Fest at Three Floyd's Brewery in Munster, IN. It's the one day of the year when they sell this insanely thick, 12% alcohol by volume, stout beer, and they accompany it with barbecue and live music. I had this once, just a sip from a friend (it was $12 for an 8 oz glass, and I was hella broke that month!), but it was do deep, and so thick, I swear I could feel it soaking right into my gums! Smooth, complex, and strangely overwhelming - I kind of had a vision of Neo in the first matrix, when the liquid mechanical stuff expands and coats the inside of his mouth - you know, that scene.
I can't wait to enjoy a full glass (and take home one or more six-packs!) in April!
Of course, as Wendy has pointed out, we both go weak in the knees for dark chocolate Bounty Bars (which are becoming in short supply), and could still decimate an entire box of Girl Scout Cookie....uh, I don't what the new PC term for this kind are, but the ones that used to be called "Samoas"...I could decimate a box of Samoas in about 1.2 minutes.
Oh god, you had to mention The Risotto to End All Risottos. Now I am craving it.
A freshly baked croissant, warm and flaky and steamy when you open it...that will always be my weakness. As will the fettuccine alfredo at a place called Lombardo's in Albany, NY.
My mom's carrot cake is my favorite sweet thing ever, but is so rich it can kill you with one bite. And just about every cake flavor made at Extraordinary Desserts makes my resolve crumble for at least a couple of bites.
But really, the risotto trumps all.
Mmm risotto.
I frequently tell the boyfriend that I think I could live a happy and fulfilled life if I could live off of risotto, cupcakes and creme brulee alone. They are perfect foods. I'll just take a multivitamin to make up for the lack of fruit. :)
Name the date that you'll be in town and I'll procure said cupcake for you!
I once induced friends to drive with me from Williamsburg, VA (where we were in college) three hours to Washington, DC, for some Tony Cheng's Mongolian Barbecue for dinner. Yes, it was eight hours total spent on procuring dinner. It was worth it.