Daily Cookie

The batter is red.  The frosting to die for.  Red velvet cupcakes, leave you craving more.  

Well at least this is the reaction they have on me.  Good lord are these little tasty treats good.  Too good.  I admit, I am obsessed with them now and have placed them on my all time favorite dessert list.  Why can’t I crave something that is healthy and that does not go directly to any problem areas.  To save time, I could simply smear these babies directly on my thighs, but then I would not have the few minutes or so of absolute pleasure devouring them.  I swipe the edges first – the cream cheese frosting is out of this world – and then slowly but surely start eating the whole cake.  To savour every last bite I slice off little pieces of heaven with a knife. Each piece a balance of spongy moist red cake with yum frosting.  Then I even lick the knife.   Yes, I just admitted that too.

I was first introduced to them a few years back by a friend in NYC.  We actually had crashed a screening party of that Meg Ryan film (the media hyped up controversial one in which she was a bit, god forbid, raunchy) at the Soho House.  The name of flick escapes me, just remember being totally overwhelmed by the combo of the steamy scenes coupled with the sweet cupcakes. There is more to the story and I promise to tell this one another time (wink wink).  Any-who, they were passing trays of cupcakes from Magnolia’s Bakery.  I have to admit the red cake batter never really grabbed me, but being a true cupcake fan (the frosting over the actual cake) I decided to try.   And try again. 

I finally took Michael to Magnolia’s two years ago.  We were walking down Bleecker and I swear could smell that unbelievable scent all the way down the street.  Then we stepped inside.  The aroma and the sweets are truly like no other.  I made him a fan too.

Last week, I woke up on Valentine’s Day in NYC and wanted to get some of the coveted cupcakes to take home for him.  I would have gone the day before, but it was monsoon season in NYC last week the day before Valentine’s Day.  Now the only problem was I was in mid-town (I so miss staying and working downtown but work is work) and had to catch a noon train.  Magnolia’s was out of the question, but if my memory served me correctly, Dean & Deluca also whipped up a fierce red velvet cupcake.  So after my coffee, off I went walking at a true New Yorker brisk pace to the Time Warner Center.  Got there and was on the phone with Becky when I realized it was a massive Whole Foods that occupied the basement level, not D & D.  91 rooms nights one year at the Hudson (former Schrager hotel right across the street), and shopped at this Whole Foods regularly.  One would think I would recollect this little tidbit of information. “Chris, Dean & Deluca is at Rock Center, ” what Becky was telling me as I continued to throw an eye at Hugo Boss (well it was open and I was there. . . )

Now I am walking again, my pace that much brisker (is that even a word?) back down to Rock Center.  Wow, are all these people still here for the morning show?  Why are they que’d up? Two lines that day.  One for cupcakes and one for everything else.  Guess which one I planted myself in?

I bought 4 of the last 6 red velvet cupcakes that day.  I would have purchased all 6 but I did not want to be greedy.   I was now ready to go home armed with my treats.

Michael never experienced a red velvet cupcake.  However, he ate the first one almost all in one bite! We had dinner reservations that night so I told him to just take a bite for a little preview.  But nope whole thing gone.  Cupid drew back that bow and bam!

Sorry thighs. . . the things you do for love!