Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

23 Feb 2009

The Cupcakery – St. Louis

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The transition from “trend” to “staple” is best illustrated by Uggs—a plush boot that’s easy on the feet and questionably easy on the eyes. Sometime during the fall of 2003, everyone and their mother, in cold climes and downright hot ones, started donning Ugg boots. Seemingly overnight, every gal from California to Maine was tucking her skinny jeans into a pair of chunky Uggs. Copycats emerged to compete with the Australian powerhouse, but the Ugg brand never lost its comfy edge. Six years later, Uggs are still as popular as ever—their unparalleled warmth and comfort have propelled them from uber-trendy footwear to wardrobe staples.

It’s unclear which direction the cupcake trend is headed, but I hope with all of my heart that cupcakes have Ugg-like staying power. While Los Angeles embraces Sprinkles and New York adores Magnolia, St. Louis has The Cupcakery. With its sparse and modern space, cute-as-can-be packaging, and toothachingly sweet creations, it is clear that The Cupcakery is applying the same successful formula as its East and West Coast counterparts.

During a short jaunt to St. Louis to visit my dear friend Wes, I found myself at The Cupcakery on more than one occasion. On our first visit, Wes picked out a Strawberries and Cream ($2.75) cupcake, while I indulged in a Gold Rush ($2.75). The skewed ratio of cake to frosting on the Gold Rush had me worried initially, but after one bite it was clear that the bakers here know what they’re doing. The classic yellow cake was moist and light, while the chocolate buttercream frosting was rich, thick, and sweet. A yellow cupcake with chocolate frosting is a benchmark for cupcakes in much the same way that the pizza Margherita is the benchmark for pizzas. The Cupcakery’s Gold Rush was phenomenal.

A couple of evenings later, Wes and I headed back to The Cupcakery for a post-dinner nightcap. This time around, Wes ordered a Confetti—vanilla buttercream with French vanilla cake, while I had a Raspberry Beret—raspberry buttercream with French vanilla cake with raspberry filling. The Raspberry Beret was so very sweet that my molars ached. I should’ve stuck with the tried and true Gold Rush.

What sets The Cupcakery apart from places like Magnolia and Sprinkles is their unapologetic use of trans-fats. You gotta love Midwestern sensibility.

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The Cupcakery
28 Maryland Plaza
St Louis, MO 63108
Phone: 314-367-6111

Recipe

21 Feb 2009

Lemon Bars

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It’s funny how preparing a single recipe can often inspire a chain of additional dishes due to leftover ingredients. After baking the Raspberry Crumb Breakfast Bars for Valentine’s Day, I was left with four lemons without a use. I turned to the America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook for ideas and decided that this lemon-intensive Lemon Bar recipe would be perfect. The smooth and vibrant curd topping really makes these bars shine, and the shortbread crust is an outstanding accompaniment. Now, what to do with seven lonely egg whites?

For the crust

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the lemon filling

7 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (4-5 lemons)
1/4 cup grated lemon zest
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Make crust

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square pan by folding two 16-inch pieces of foil lengthwise to measure 9 inches wide. Fit one sheet on the bottom of the pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides (overhang will help in removal of baked bars). Fit the second sheet in the pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray the sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

Process the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined, 3 seconds. Add the butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then process until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second pulses. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the entire pan bottom. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Make filling

While the crust is baking, whisk the yolks and whole eggs together in medium nonreactive saucepan. Add the granulated sugar and whisk until just combined. Add the lemon juice, zest, and pinch of salt; whisk until combined.

Add the butter pieces, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes.

Immediately pour the curd through a single-mesh stainless steel strainer set over a clean non-reactive bowl. Stir in the heavy cream; pour the curd into the warm crust immediately.

Bake until the filling is shiny and opaque and the center jiggles slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes.

Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours, before removing the bars from the pan using the foil and cutting into squares. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Makes 16 bars.

Restaurant Review

20 Feb 2009

Yun Chuan Garden – Monterey Park

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The last time my mom and I met up for dinner, we ended up at Steven’s Steakhouse—my vote for the worst restaurant of 2008. After that traumatic meal, we vowed to never again dine in the city of Commerce. These days when my mom rolls into town, The Astronomer and I meet her in Monterey Park, halfway between her hotel and our home in Pasadena.

Monterey Park has the largest population of Chinese descendants in the U.S., which means that Cantonese seafood restaurants and mainland Chinese noodles and dumplings can be found at every turn. Mmm!

Our initial plan was to check out Dim Sum Express on Garfield Avenue, but by the time we arrived the shack had already closed for the day. On a whim and a recommendation from Tony C. of SinoSoul, we jammed across the street to dine at Yun Chuan Garden.

Without any prior research on what to order at Yun Chuan Garden, we skimmed the menu and each picked out a dish that sounded good. However, due to the fact that the English translations on the restaurant’s menu were overly simplified, it was difficult to differentiate one dish from the next—every item sounded great. We considered ordering some “Spicy with Spicy” out of curiosity, but the image of chili peppers stir fried with additional chili flakes didn’t really move us.

We started off with an appetizer platter that my mom ordered from the front counter. On the left is pig stomach and on the right are glistening pig’s ears. Both were marinated in spicy chili oil and served cold. My mom and I love our offal, so we dug right in. The ears were too chewy for The Astronomer, but he enjoyed the stomach as much as my mom and I did.

My contribution to our family-style meal were “Yunnan noodles with special sauce” ($5.28). These noodles tasted just like the ones The Astronomer and I ate this past summer while traveling through Kunming, China.

This is what the noodles look like after they’ve been properly mixed in with the toppings. The bulk of the dish’s flavors comes from the beef, which is marinated in a deliciously spicy, oily, and salty sauce. The egg noodles have a distinct bite to them and absorb the beef’s bold flavors well. A bowl of hot broth is served on the side for those desiring a more traditional noodle soup.

My mom chose the “spare ribs with garlic sauce” ($7.95). We were all a little surprised when the spare ribs arrived deep-fried because we were expecting them to be braised. Even though our expectations were dashed, each of us gnawed happily on the garlicky little ribs sprinkled with fresh chilies. It’s hard for me to dislike a pork dish, especially one that’s served atop a doily.

For our final dish, The Astronomer chose the “shredded pork with baked bean curd” ($6.95). The bean curd had a hearty texture that was more meat-like than other soy products I have tasted. The pork and bean curd were seasoned in a similar fashion to fast-food Chinese dishes—salty and not very spicy.

After such a horrendous dining experience at Steven’s Steakhouse the last time we got together, we were all pleased as pie with our dinner at Yun Chuan Garden. Even though Plan A didn’t quite work out, the quantity and quality of dining options in Monterey Park makes it nearly impossible to make a poor choice (even in a pinch).

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Yun Chuan Garden
301 N. Garfield Avenue, Ste. D102
Monterey Park, CA 91754
Phone: 626-571-8387