A Girly Cupcake

This was one of those weekends that was eventful and exhausting, yet infinitely satisfying. The highlight of the past three days was attending an Indian classical dance performance at Yale University on Friday night. Dear readers, it was sublime. I always try to attend any kind of dance performance in my area, but Indian classical has always been my favorite, because it's so graceful and intricate, sensual and rhythmical. Most of these ancient classical styles have the dancer using his/her facial expressions, costume, hands, body and feet to tell a story - often a mythological tale of triumph or loss, jealousy or love, or simply celebrating the virtues of a god/goddess. It's fascinating stuff, and I never get tired of it.

I've been lucky enough to see some excellent, world-class performances so far, and Samarpita Bajpai was no exception. She did a Kuchipudi dance recital, which is one of the seven important Indian classical styles (one of the rarest ones, actually), and she is a master at it. It was great that she also explained what each dance was about before doing it, and she was so well-spoken and entertaining, that even the kids in the audience were completely enthralled (don't you love parents who drag their kids to cultural events?! Trust me kids, it may want to make you tear your hair out now but you'll thank them later!). We were also really lucky to have Samarpita perform an almost-extinct form of this temple dance (used to be performed in the 14th/15th centuries), called Simhanandini, where the dancer paints a picture using some really intricate footwork (in this case, a lion, which was what the goddess Durga used to ride on). She does tour all over the US and India, so if you get a chance to catch one of her shows, and you love dance, don't think about it - just go for it.


Now that I've done my small part in promoting the dance arts (see, you never know what you could learn when you visit my blog!), I have to dedicate the remaining portion of this post to singing the praises of the culinary arts! But wait, you don't need me to do that - you want to talk to the protagonist of this story herself. Dear readers, meet Ms. Girly Cupcake. Why is this cupcake so girly, you might ask? Well, first of all, it's a cupcake (when's the last time your guy asked for cupcakes?! not as often as you do, ladies). Secondly, it's a strawberry cupcake. Then it's pink. And really pretty. And very delicate. And did I mention that it's pink?!


My Girly-Yet-Secretly-Coveted-By-Guys Strawberry Cupcakes (using Cathy's recipe from her brilliant blog, Gastronomy)
Makes 12 cupcakes

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients for cupcakes:
2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries (I used a mix of both)
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg whites

Ingredients for frosting:
1/2 cup frozen strawberries thawed
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, preferably sifted
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. (I ran out of the paper liners, so used some of my silicone baking molds as well - but I prefer the paper liners any day; you'll see why in a bit)

2. Puree the 2/3 cup of strawberries till smooth - you should have about 1/3 cup of puree.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, vanilla and strawberry puree; set aside.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer (just think, a couple of months ago, I couldn't even make this darn recipe - oh how my world hath changed! For the better!) fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed till light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar until well combined. Reduce speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

5. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture till just blended, then all the milk mixture till blended, and finally the remaining flour mixture till blended. (remember to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl)

6. Divide batter evenly in the baking pan, and bake the cupcakes for 22-25 mins. Transfer to a wire rack (also a recent purchase) and let cupcakes cool completely before icing.

7. For the frosting: Puree the strawberries. Once again using your electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and salt on medium speed till light and fluffy. Slowly add in the confectioners' sugar until well combined. Add vanilla and about 3-4 tbsp of the strawberry puree. Mix until just blended - do NOT overmix. Consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice-cream. Use a piping bag (like I did - my first time ever, so please forgive my amateur doodling) or an off-set spatula, or anything you please, go ahead and frost the cooled cupcakes. Refrigerate them for about 20-30 minutes before starting to devour them one by one.

Verdict: My main criteria for a successful cupcake is how moist and tender it is - and these were so on the money! They smelled amazing too - like walking through a field of strawberries every time you took a bite. The frosting was a little sweeter than I like, but it wasn't enough to bother me. Or DH. Yes, he had his fair share of these, though to be honest, I was the main perpetrator in polishing these off. They lasted for about 5 days in my fridge, without any problems. I just had to leave them out on the counter for a couple of hours before I wanted to eat them - so that they could soften up a bit. They're all gone now, and I miss them, because they were my oh-so-delicious bites of summer on a cold fall days. I wish I had prettier cupcake liners to display these in! My silicone molds are cute, but I found that the cupcakes rose better and were fluffier in the paper liners - see for yourself.

I'll be submitting these girly-pink cupcakes to the latest Girls Night In event over at Dragon Musings' blog. She is going Pink For October (to spread breast cancer awareness, bless her).

Falling Gently In Love

Summer may be a time for passion and exuberance and general shameless raunchiness (oh yeah), but in my opinion, the fall is a time to gently drift into love. Although my hormones may not be the same as they were when I was a horny teenager (thank goodness for that), DH still makes me melt in so many delicious ways. And while my feelings for him are in constant bloom throughout the seasons (that's almost poetic - oh drat, now I've embarrassed him), there's something rather special about standing with your loved one and being enveloped by the beauty of a clear fall day. I know this sounds cliche, but it is incredibly romantic! I never realized what autumn/fall was really all about while I was growing up in the Middle East - where the temperature typically ranges from scorching hot to mildly comfortable. Sure, you know the theory behind the four seasons, because that's what you learn in geography class, and you see the pretty pictures and watch movies. But it never really hits home until you're actually confronted with it. After living in this part of the world for so many years, you do get a little cynical and start thinking of fall in terms of flu vaccines, the back-breaking work of raking leaves, and ridiculously chilly weather when you're still not ready to pack away your sandals. Dear readers, let's all be optimists this time around. Let's stop and stare in amazement at that tree in front of your house that's turned a bright shade of yellow/orange/red seemingly overnight. Let's enjoy the simultaneous cold breezes and warm sun. Best of all, let's embrace the flavors and smells of fall - especially with that special someone who still makes your toes curl (here's lookin' at you, DH).

Mother Nature sprinkles her magic dust all over Connecticut, as bright splashes of yellow, orange and red take over the landscape.

Along Kennedy Drive in the Northeast corner of CT.

Zipping along the famous Route 169 in CT - which claims to be "the last green valley".

This isn't my house, but man o man, you know I wish it was!

Red leaves do more for me than red roses.

Puts me in the mood for something rich and flavorful - and carby of course!

Mushroom Bourguignon With Egg Noodles (this budget-friendly recipe is from Two Spoons, who adapted it from one of my foodie blogger crushes, Deb from The Smitten Kitchen)
Serves 2-4

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp butter
1 lb portobello mushrooms, sliced about 1/4 of an inch thick
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1.5 - 2 cups beef stock
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp of salt (or more, depending on the salt level in your broth)
Freshly ground black pepper
Egg noodles for serving
Sour cream and chopped parsley or chives for garnish

Method:
1. Heat half the oil and butter in a large, deep saucepan on medium high heat. Throw in the sliced mushrooms and stir till they are darkened, but do not give off any liquid (about 2 mins). Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Lower the heat to medium and add the rest of the oil. Saute the carrots and onions with thyme, salt and pepper, until the onions are golden. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Add a 1/2 cup of beef stock to the pan, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom. Turn the heat up and let the mixture reduce for 2 mins. Mix in the tomato paste, the rest of the broth and the browned mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and let the whole thing simmer for 10 mins.

4. Add remaining butter to the pan and sprinkle flour over the top, quickly stirring in. Simmer for another 3-4 mins. Taste, and season further with salt & pepper if needed. To serve, get yourself a bowl of warm, buttery egg noodles, spoon the mushroom bourguignon over the top, and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives or parsley.
Verdict: I like how the portobello mushrooms give this vegetarian bourguignon such a meaty feeling. Although, to be honest, I think I prefer the old-fashioned bourguignon, with lots of tender beef! I didn't use any red wine, which is probably why mine doesn't have the same dark, rich color as Deb's. Maybe next time I'll add a little red wine vinegar instead, and punch it up with some cippollini onions - oh yum! But don't knock this mushroom bourguignon till you've tried it. It's light, yet warm and filling, and just perfect for this in-between, crazy, schizophrenic season we love - fall.
It's been a while, but I'm submitting this recipe to Presto Pasta Nights, hosted by the effervescent Girlichef this week.