There's something a bit unsettling about the recent resurgence of cupcakes. I declare an interest, or rather the lack of it: the cupcake promises much but doesn't deliver, and I don't really like them anyway. But I instinctively distrust the way we're all supposed to be cupcake eaters now: sold the ersatz promise of reliving some halcyon time which never actually existed, in the drawing rooms of 1950s America, where the only thing close to a job description any woman was permitted to have was "cook". Commercially produced cupcakes always taste slightly oily, the "frosting" is too sweet, and the disappointment is palpable.
I read in the FT today that women in the British Diplomatic Service were not permitted to marry until 1973. Cupcakes, to me, epitomise that reactionary era. Give me a Laduree macaron any day of the week. Or, more simply, a coffee and two pieces of Lindt chilli chocolate (see above as freshly made by me).
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9 comments:
I agree. Cupcakes come from the Anthea Turner school of cookery. A gooey carrot cake is much preferable.
I went through a phase of making fairycakes last festive season - and for me baking is quite exhausting, all that bloody stirring, but there is something magical about the icing and the hundreds and thousands, it takes me back to childhood, and my nephews loved them! Shop bought are horrible, fakeness galore.
Your chocolate is going to melt if you're not careful. Looks very nice.
Not sure about the carrot cake, Claire. There's an Anthea Turner Cookery School? Do they do interesting things with Cadbury's Snowflakes?
Home made fairycakes are fine, NMJ. Cupcakes = bleugh. All a bit too Gwyneth Paltrow.
I can confidently state, Peter, that Lindt's chilli chocolate is the best chocolate ever invented.
If you need proof that this cupcake thing has gone too far, take a look at how many groups on Flickr are dedicated to the infernal things.
No, not an official school anyway. If you don't like carrot cake you can't have had a really good one. There's a sandwich shop on George IV Bridge that sells the best ever.
I believe you'll be taking me there in December, Claire. Although the Piemaker shop, if it's still there, might just turn my head instead...
By happy coincidence, the pie shop, the sandwich shop and Ondine are very close to each other :-)
Ondine?
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