happy new year from the pie v. cake crew

new years eve and day

Originally uploaded by ann gav

And thus did pie v. cake ring in the new year (four hours early because we’re old and tired like that.) The reader may note that the desserts on the table are all of the cake variety. That’s not because pie is suddenly not the best dessert in the universe. Sometimes Pie just doesn’t have the time to run all across the city in search of perfection and will settle for a subpar dessert.

The cupcakes on the left are bite-sized Seemconi cupcakes from Glut in Mt. Rainier; the cupcakes on the right are from the inimitably delicious Sticky Fingers.

In other food notes, Cake drinks home-brewed Kombucha (ABC7 mug), while Pie’s beverage of choice is Coke Zero. I’m sure there’s something profound in those choices, but I’m on a sugar high after eating leftover cupcakes for breakfast and am not really able to engage in cognitive analysis at this moment.

Best DC desserts from Washingtonian magazine

Here are the results from their January 2010 issue, based on diners’ report cards.

• Hazelnut souffle w/ orange granite and orange-ginger sorbet, Adour
• Deconstructed carrot cake, Tosca
• Chocolate tart w/ caramelized banana, Corduroy
• Cider doughnuts, 1789
• Chocolate-coconut candy bar, Bourbon Steak
• Chocolate cream w/ hazelnut sherbet and cocoa nibs, Trummer’s on Main
• Zeppole w/ zabaglione, Assaggi
• Salted profiteroles, Vermilion
• Warm chocolate cake, J&G Steakhouse
• Trio of creme brulees, Charlie Palmer Steak
• Crepe souffle, BLT Steak
• Lemon chess pie, Vidalia*
• Blueberry crumble, Source
• Key lime pie, Ray’s the Classics*
• Vanilla ice cream, 2 Amys
• Apple Tarte Tatin, Restaurant Eve
• Lingonberry linzer torte, Hook
• Napoleon, Citronelle

Lingonberry linzer torte, Hook

*Pitifully, these are the only ones from the list that I’ve tried. I didn’t enjoy the lemon chess pie at Vidalia. My friends and I split it–we all had a bite and were like, meh. But the key lime pie at Ray’s is darn good.

Dangerously Delicious Pies, coming to DC this month

I can’t wait to try the pies at this place, especially the rhubarb. With all the cupcake joints in this town, it’s about time DC took its pies seriously. Looks like Baked & Wired and Kramer’s better step up their game.

Dangerously Delicious Pies also does savory pies and quiches. The guy who owns this place, Rodney Henry, was on Food Network making his chicken pot pie with Paula Deen. I remember the episode well because the ingredients weren’t exactly healthy (they never are if you want a truly delicious, flaky crust and creamy filling). Dangerous for my cholesterol, indeed, but small price to pay for a good pot pie.

Dangerously Delicious Pies, 1339 H Street, NE, 202-398-7437

Apple pie excess on Paula’s Party

It’s difficult not to like Paula Deen, no matter what you think of her super-rich, butter-saturated cooking. (Has she ever revealed whether she has high cholesterol? Lipitor, I smell an opportunity.) I don’t really watch her shows to pick up new recipes, but more just to bask in her Paula Deen-ness.

On Paula’s Party today, she had a lady on who made a caramel-crusted pie using 16 pounds of apples, like a giant hive of apple pie. What’s more, it actually looked like it was well worth the calories, sugar and saturated fats.

Recipe here: http://bit.ly/QZY7N

Check out the comments under the recipe. Apparently some Food Network viewers think Paula has a “fowl [sic] mouth.” Have they seen what flies on primetime TV these days? 

Anyway, Paula Deen was actually in DC this past weekend at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show. I bet her appearance was the first one to sell out.

In defense of the ugly stepchild of desserts (pie)

As the cake lover, I shouldn’t be the one posting this article from salon.com, but hey–the guy loves pie enough that he had a wedding pie made in place of a wedding cake. I can respect that kind of passion.

As for calling pie the ugly stepchild–those are the author’s words, not mine.  

From Pie (in the name of love), by Vincent Rossmeier:

“Pie is moist where cake is too often arid; it’s complex where cake is too often banal. Pie offers me lasting contentment, whereas all cake can tender is a cloying sugar rush. In a subtle, supple flake of pie crust there is more of heaven than in all the world’s slabs of cake combined.”

http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2008/12/20/pie_love/index.html

BTW, I bought my first pumpkin pie of the season, a mini from Whole Foods today, along with some whipping cream. I need to get my fill while the season lasts.

Tackle Box blueberry pie

There it is, staring at you while you’re up at the register, fruit spilling out of its gaping maw. Then you see the sign claiming it’s the best blueberry pie in DC. And you end up giving in.

Is a slice of pie worth $6? In this case, no. There just wasn’t anything particularly interesting about it. The blueberries were rubbery, like tiny bobas. While it was nice that there was so much fruit (vs. the syrupy goop that accompanies the fruit in canned filling), the flavor needed some oomph, like a sprinkle of spice. The crust was also blah.

 

After eating this, I had dessert remorse. That feeling you get when you’ve wasted the calories, which could have gone toward something much more delicious. Like a Trader Joe’s chocolate mousse collaboration.

The sad thing was, the couple next to us saw us eating this and went up to get their own slice. I wish I’d warned them. Even though I’m a big fan of Tackle Box’s food (grilled trout, grilled calamari, fried catfish), I’ll probably steer clear of their desserts.

http://tackleboxrestaurant.com/

white-chocolate whoopie pies from scratch

Are whoopie pies technically pies or cake? I feel like they’re basically a cupcake sandwich. This recipe’s from the Sunday magazine of The Washington Post from a local pastry chef, Karen Urie of the Town House restaurant in Chilhowie, VA. (http://www.townhouseva.com/index.html)

I figured since the recipe’s from a pastry chef, it’s gotta be good. And it is. I’ve had many a baking failure lately, so I was relieved that these turned out. Don’t be intimidated by the recipe. You probably have all the ingredients (except the buttermilk and white chocolate chips) in your fridge/pantry already. One thing to note was that it was a bit difficult to get the cookies to be perfectly round. An ice cream scoop might help.

Also, I took liberties with the filling, nearly tripling the amount of white chocolate so it would be less buttercreamy, more chocolatey. The second time I made this recipe, I also cut down the butter in the filling to 2.5 sticks. Note that the original recipe is below without my modifications.

I used white chocolate chips from the Whole Foods 365 brand ($3+/bag) and melted them down in the microwave for 45 seconds. They’re decent quality and inexpensive. I waited till the melted chocolate was room temperature before adding to the butter mixture. You don’t need to buy a candy thermometer.

These pies make a great party favor, plus you can make them ahead. They last 4 days in the fridge; 1 month in the freezer.

Karen’s Whoopie Pies

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2009/09/04/whoopie-pies/

MAKE AHEAD: When individually wrapped and stored in an airtight container, the whoopie pies may be frozen for 1 month.

Makes thirty-three 2 1/2-inch cookie sandwiches

Ingredients:

For the cookies

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks

For the filling

• 16 ounces (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces good-quality white chocolate, melted and cooled to about 93 degrees (best to use some from Biagio Fine Chocolate, with at least 30 percent butterfat)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

For the cookies: Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt on a large sheet of wax paper or parchment paper.

Combine the buttermilk, water and vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (preferably using a paddle attachment) or an electric hand-held mixer. Beat on medium speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low; add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating until incorporated between each addition, then alternate additions of the flour and buttermilk mixtures until well combined.

Portion the cookie dough in 2-tablespoon amounts on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Make about 66 mounds of equal size. Bake 2 sheets at a time (on the upper and lower oven racks) for about 6 minutes, then rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back; bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cookies are set, but springy to the touch. Ttransfer to wire racks to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, make the filling: Combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, salt and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer (preferably with a paddle attachment) or an electric hand-held mixer. Beat on low, then medium-high speed until creamy and smooth. Stop to add the melted, slightly cooled chocolate; beat on low speed until just combined.

To assemble, place a tablespoon or two of the filling on the flat sides of half of the cooled cookies. Press the flat sides of the remaining cookies on top of the filling to make the cookie sandwiches.

Wrap each whoopie pie individually in plastic wrap, then transfer to an airtight container.

NYC sweets trucks

I would love to fine people who go around talking about how great NY is compared to DC. Don’t even get me started, carpetbaggers.

Having said that, I do get jealous of New Yorkers’ culinary options, especially in the food trucks department. New York magazine compiled a list of these, and I’ve noted the ones that serve sweets. If there’s any reason for me to take up running, it would be to chase after these.

1) Cupcake Stop: Cupcakes galore. (twitter.com/cupcakestop)

2) Treats Truck: Cookies, brownies and more. (Treatstruck.com)

3) Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream: Ice cream flavors that are off the beaten path. (twitter.com/VLAIC)

 

4) Wafels and Dinges: Just waffles. (twitter.com/waffletruck)

5) Big Gay Ice Cream Truck: This wins my award for best name and best toppings (caramelized bacon!). (twitter.com/biggayicecream)

6) Street Sweets: Brownies, scones and such. (twitter.com/streetsweets)

Food Network’s “Unwrapped”: Easy as pie episode

“Unwrapped” has been airing during prime time recently, where they go behind the scenes to show you how certain food products are made. Last night I caught the episode on all things pie, from whoopie to pizza.

Speaking of whoopie pies, we saw lots of red velvet ones while in Amish Country earlier this year. I’d always thought of whoopie pies as overgrown Devil Dogs, but lately I’m rethinking that. Whoopie pies may well be the next macaroons (which were the next cupcakes).

In fact, I’m going to attempt to make my own from scratch later this week, from a recipe that was featured in The Washington Post. They have a chocolate outer layer, white-chocolate filling. I hope it’s not too challenging, considering my recent track record of baking failures. If it turns out well, I’ll post the recipe.

**Update: Here’s how the white-chocolate whoopie pies turned out: http://pievcake.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/white-chocolate-whoopie-pies-from-scratch/ **

Here’s more on the pie episode:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/unwrapped/easy-as-pie/index.html

Food Network’s “The best thing i ever ate”: obsessions episode

This triple coconut cream pie was the only dessert featured on this episode. When they showed how it was made, even I, the avowed cake lover, was swooning.

They manage to incorporate coconut into every part of the pie, including the crust. In other words, it’s a coconut-lover’s dream, coconut-hater’s nightmare.

Look at those coconut shavings. I dare you to be amibivalent.

Triple Coconut Cream Pie – Ritz Seafood (You can phone in an order.)

910 Rte. 561

Voorhees, NJ 08043

(856) 566-6650

www.ritzseafood.com

More on this episode’s other obsessions:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/shows/episode/0,1000011,FOOD_32078_63433,00.html