Cupcake Heaven

By Millicent K. Brody

I am in awe over the cupcake frenzy. Growing up, I dearly remember going to the neighborhood bakery with my grandmother. She’d let me select a cupcake to have with my glass of milk. We’d do this every Saturday; it was a ritual.

I also remember the 3 delicious chocolate cupcakes that came in a cellophane wrapper. They were called Yankee Doodles. You’d unwrap the cellophane and select the largest of the three, (of course, they were always the same size, but one always looked a tad larger). Then you’d carefully peel off the fluted paper and open your mouth... wide. Naturally, chocolate crumbs would scatter all over your face and shirt, but they were always delicious crumbs.

Today, cupcakes are a major trend. They’re not just chocolate and vanilla with matching frosting. No! You can purchase Easter-egg yellow-frosted cupcakes with numbers written on them in various colors. You can get vanilla cupcakes with pink frosting, or chocolate cupcakes with swirls of vanilla and chocolate frosting. I suppose if you were planning a birthday party, you could color coordinate the cupcakes to suit your table decor.

But now, I’ve noticed something new and different. Crumbs, the fashionable, trendy cupcake bakery that exists on New York’s upper Westside has arrived in Westfield. And wow!

Frankly, I could not believe it. I’d first heard of Crumbs when friends chose them to bake their wedding cake. I absolutely could not envision a wedding cake filled with tiers of chocolate and vanilla cup cakes topped with a bride and groom draped in corresponding swirls of frosting. But, it happened!

And as I entered the store today, there was a case filled with all sorts of occasion cakes. But that’s not what captured my fancy. I headed straight for their signature chocolate/chocolate frosted cupcakes with sprinkles cupcakes ($2.95 each). Then I asked the salesperson to fill a box with their red velvet cupcake, a German chocolate cupcake, and a brownie cupcake, (all $3.75 each). In addition to all of the cupcakes singing to me, I added a big, soft and chewy, chocolate-dipped chocolate chip cookie ($2.75 each).

I know what you’re thinking. “Do this every day, and you’ll surely become the newest, fattest, cupcake/cookie monster. But hey, I wasn’t the only one standing at the counter trying desperately not to buy one thing. A gaggle of kids wandered in, and they were busy making all kinds of decisions. Filling a box, then a bag, then a napkin so they could wander out on to East Broad Street in Downtown Westfield and munch their cookie as they thought of the caramel chewy cupcake they were going to devour after dinner.

Crumbs Bake Shop, 130 East Broad Street, Westfield. crumbs.com

Eating Out Without Breaking the Bank

By Millicent K. Brody

Maybe its’ been a while since you’ve been out to dinner with friends. Secretly, you’re craving a meal in a restaurant, but your budget and wallet are screaming, “NOT YET!”

“Well, why not?” says I. You can do it! Change your dining patterns. Instead of going to dinner, meet for breakfast.

Most neighborhood diners offer daily breakfast specials. If that doesn’t work, head over to Mama’s Caboose in Berkeley Heights for a hunk of Kim’s delicious sour cream coffee cake with apricots and a cup of illy coffee. Or stop by Culinary Creations in Hillsborough for one of Andrew Pantano’s breakfast specials. Visit your local bagel place. Grab a table, order a bagel with lox and a smear of cream cheese with tomato and onion, and a cup of coffee. Livingston Bagel in Livingston offers all you’d ever want to eat for breakfast. You take your place on a queue, place your order, and pay for exactly what is on your tray. That way, YOU are in control of YOUR bill.

Dinner options could easily begin with drinks and hors ‘d'oeuvres at your house. Then on to a restaurant where you may order several appetizers, dessert, and coffee. Or, you could easily share a couple of appetizers, an entree, an order of pasta, one dessert, and coffee. Or simply, go out for dessert and coffee. If you’re wandering around Westfield, stop in at the Chocolate Bar. Not only will you love a cup of Neil’s Belgian hot chocolate and a dish of his house-made gelato, you’re sure to enjoy the art of dining out.

TIPS
$$$$: Consider asking for separate checks. Although this practice is not exactly in vogue today, it's certainly acceptable.