Photo by Kim Riddle
I had the honor of writing an article for Ventana about Michelle Michel the cupcake lady with a dream and a gift. Chris took me to the Weaver Wines Sex and the City afterparty that thanks the volunteers who'd helped pull of their fundraiser. (Chris taken the amazing photo of the women hosting the party) On the invitation were various restaurants supplying the food for the party. He casually read me the list over the phone and I lit up when I heard something about couture cupcakes? "From where?" I asked him. "I don't know, they are just on the list". "But are they from a restaurant?" I inquired. We went round and round on the phone and had no answer but an exciting mystery awaited us that evening.
We walked into the party and were given foam pink slipper/ coasters with our names on them that hugged our wine glasses. The little touches of the party were amazing but I was acting like I was at Barney's on sale day and though the host greeted us with great aplomb, I was very concerned about not missing the cupcakes.
They were to my right on tiered, mirrored, silver, serving platters. They were tiny, vibrant bite-sized wonders. I drug Chris away from the polite greetings he was involved in and we devised a plan. I took a chocolate one and he a pink one and we met near the wine bar. I ordered a sparkling libation and got ready. Our plan was to each eat half of our little cupcakes so we'd get to sample more than one without looking like hogs. As they poured my drink, I looked to the left as Chris approached and noticed his little cocktail napkin was empty.
"Didn't you get a cupcake?" I asked. He nodded with chagrin and said "they're so small honey! and it was really really good." "They are much to small to split," he surmised. I infuriatingly took my bite of half and gave him the other and told him it was now up to him to go pillage the cupcake trays again to get another. (actually I told him since we were going back all bets were off and he might as well get each of the three flavors for us to taste).
He did and we did and they were incredible. My favorite was a ganache-covered little jewel called Chocolate Covered Strawberry. His was a lemony number.
I made it my mission to meet the maker and told her I wanted to write about her one day. Finally it has come out! Michelle is thrilled and says the orders are pouring in. I'm so excited for her! She is such a beautiful, shining light of a person -- her energy is like a cupcake.
Since working on the article I've had the honor of sampling many many flavors of cupcakes. So far a few of my favorites are the Chocolate After Dinner Mint, Pink Lemonade (Michelle thinks I'm obsessed with this one), Cinnabun and Jeter Jeter Pumpkin Eater. Her homemade buttercream frostings are whipped heaven and her cupcakes are both light and substantial at the same time.
One day I want to go play cupcakes with Michelle. Maybe when she has a huge order and is completely overwhelmed I'll get to go help her bake and frost! Meanwhile I love seeing someone following her dream -- especially if it involves food!
Southern Foodways Conference
Meanwhile, next week I leave for the Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium in Oxford, MS. I haven't been in a few years but I hold such memories of the "Gone Grits Crazy" lecture one man gave where he has us up on our feet shouting 'GRITS! GRITS! GRITS!'. He was completely devoted to a heirloom strain of grits and grew them and sold them. They are like nothing else. Another gentleman, a specialist of beans, passed around samples of greasy and wax beans and let us have seeds.
This conference is called The Liquid South: From Well Water to Sparkling Muscadine and here is the brochure. My hope is that I make it there in time AND get to be a part of Meet the Green Fairy: An Absinthe Tasting.
Primed
Finally, I've been asked to do an article about a local carnivore who's following her dream. I will post more about this when I can.
I hope to post photos and info from the Symposium and just from Oxford which is such an amazing town.
Mange!
