Archive for March, 2010

Decompression Chamber

March 22, 2010 · Filed under business, favorite, gluten-free, local color, media, My Kitchen, Nomadic Kitchen, nuts, other sweets, pantry, philanthropy, Philosophy · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Heyo, I just wanted to write a message full of my infinite gratitude to all the supporters who helped my RAFA donation order go off without a hitch.  Helpers I expected didn’t show and unexpected helpers did; it was all really smooth through production, clean-up, delivery, presentation, and CONSUMPTION!!!  Boom even helped put together  a pretty sweet foam core sign last minute!  I tried to document along the way.  I coasted through two evenings of late night baking with great company and sailed through the event day on a total high, delirious with joy and fatigue.  In the end RAFA had about 500 participants and the staff eagerly took home the leftover cupcakes.  I didn’t staff the food are of the event but the volunteers said the cupcakes were the most popular.  I didn’t put out many business cards and I did get some email addresses on my newsletter sign-up.  Special thanks to Jenny, Gloria, Patrick, Nasser, Lars, Joy,  Dad, Mom, Auntie Gabe, and everyone who helped me make it happen by coming to my aide in a big way!

So during the aftermath, it feels sooooo good to have a success of that scale under my belt.  It taught me how to organize, execute, delegate, and I think it really helped me see my technique.  Now I’m trying redirect all that energy and organize my to-do list.  First I list, later I’ll get to the prioritizing, most of them will be concurrent anyway:

  • write recipes/experiment
  • try to cater a wedding this season (promote me, suggest to brides to be-I’ll give a friendly discount)
  • listen to Beru
  • plan trips…  cupcake tour???
  • visit more are bakeries and form my own opinions (starting with My Vegan Bakery today near GMU).
  • create a better work schedule
  • play in the dirt
  • pay off debt
  • meet more bakers/find projects to do together
  • find a venue for recurring Gimme Dem Cupcakes beit house shows, farmers markets, gallery openings, or something else small and community based (send me your ideas: wait-listed at Falls Church and Mt. P farmer’s markets)
  • prepare my first ever cupcake workshop for the after-school program at James Lee Community Center!

There’s always so much to do, but I am so pumped!  Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you all!

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Dollars and Sense

March 16, 2010 · Filed under gluten-free, local color, media, My Kitchen, other sweets · Tagged , , , , ,

This RAFA cupcake project has been fueling my body with the motivation to survive my intense work weeks.  I remember when the financial meltdown and all that mess started to break news, I told Patti, our Executive Director at LCNV, “You know what this means?  We have to give more.”  She’s concerned, as is every other non-profit, that the support for their cause will be diminished by people’s refocusing on their own financial security as well as that of their families.

Guess what, LCNV’s support from foundations were down but individual giving is up.  It reinforces my belief, when things are tough for everyone, we should help each other more.  Withdrawing and becoming insular only heightens the gaps between the have and have-nots and it also reveals the glaring reality of our interconnected society.  We need each other for basic goods and services.  I know, cupcakes aren’t a necessarily a basic need, but literacy is.  If Gimme Dem Cupcakes can raise awareness about adult literacy, that’s something I can be truly proud of.

That’s what this project is about.  It’s been really exciting to pool talented people and resources, and I really think with everyone’s help we will be able to pull it all off!  I have the logistics for a pretty light week at Artie’s (thank you those that picked up!) and I’m doing everything I can to make sure I’m well-rested for the baking AND staffing RAFA.  I have all the supplies I need and I will start packing the dry goods Wednesday evening.  Becky wrote a great little press release that went out last week and we’ve already been picked up by NBC’s local beat.  Seeing everyone come together to support me and everything I love doing, it reminds me that having great friends is like winning the lottery.  Lady Luck must be one of my girls, because I feel like a winner.

Joy Burwell and my community of supporters, this post is dedicated to you.  Thank you for dreaming big with me.

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In Cupcakes We Trust

March 13, 2010 · Filed under favorite, other sweets, Philosophy, unusual ingredients · Tagged , , , ,

For years, I’ve loved the idea of getting a tattoo.  Ideas are great, but sometimes not realistic.  I think we have a lot of right and need to control our body image and so I decided to really flush out some concepts to see if it really was important to me.

“In Cupcakes We Trust” is a phrase that echoes in my mind along with “Burritos and Justice for All.”  These are some of the sort of whimsical kt-isms that have made the idea of getting a tattoo make sense.  Yet, before there was food, hippos were my first obsession.  They are just such a funny dichotomy between the doughy, friendly things humans like to idealize, and the actually massive, territorial, dangerous animals that they are.

vs.

I’ve always said, that if i ever got a tattoo, it’d have to fit certain criteria:

1.   Whatever idea I get has to stick after at least a year of ruminating in my head.

2. The phrase or image should be in a place I can see it so it’s for me and not just other people to look at.

3. Most importantly, the phrase or image should represent me.

4. And lastly, it’d be nice to have original artwork.

So, I finally selected a concept and an artist I think will do great work, and I’ve decided my first tattoo will be a roaring hippo tattoo to go on my side probably 6-8″ tall/wide.  Something like this image

I’ve stewed on the idea a whole year and I still really love it.  Matt, the artist does great things and I’m really excited about working with him.  A co-worker has already lined up an appointment with a tattoo artist for April, so sometime soon you can poke me in the side and I’ll wince!  It’ll be “in the flesh!”  I’m planning to see how I like the hippo and then get the other two phrases for my biceps and eventually I’d love something like this, placement and time tba.

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People make a place a home

March 11, 2010 · Filed under Nomadic Kitchen, nuts, travel

Kate and Oliver are not only a handsome couple, sexy pair of brains, and all-around good-time, but they are excellent hosts.  Lars and I got to celebrate his birthday this past weekend with them as well as fellow DCers Patrick and Niva.  I’ve been thinking all week about writing a thank you to them, but you know how I like to share stories, so Gimme Dem is the chosen venue.

Before March, other than passing through on trips to other destinations, I had never really stopped to visit NY.  All the hype about its big-time-ness has really turned me off over the years.  This weekend totally opened me up to its possibilities.  Staying in their home nestled in a humble little neighborhood off the 2/3 train in Brooklyn washed away all my reservations and let us really enjoy some quality time with our homies.  We had great dinners with Kate’s family full of pizza, great wine and conversations fueled by inspiring personalities.  We had way-too-much fun eating and shopping our way through the  Brooklyn flea.  (So in love with my new boots).   We enjoyed a beautiful afternoon walking through East Village.  And every night we talked into the dwindling hours of morning.  It wasn’t the typical NY experience, but it was just right for me.  I loved the feel for the creative DIY community and just regular people hanging out.  People come from everywhere and make it home, make it comfortable and worn in.  NY kinda feels like a good pair of jeans.  It was so relaxing and a really nice way to celebrate Lars’s birthday.  Who wouldn’t be happy after eating pizza almost every day?

So, this is my thank you.  Kate, you have a beautiful family and I felt very fortunate and pleased to be included.  Have a super amazing and safe time in Dubai this week!  Oliver, thank you for being so gracious when I almost killed you with nutty cupcakes!  I hope the Blue Apron cupcakes were an acceptable replacement to Gimme Dem…

Both of you inspire me to visit more cities filled with friends I should see more often.   Merci beaucoup!!!

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Gimme Dem’s Busy Bees: Reading a Family Affair

March 1, 2010 · Filed under local color, My Kitchen, philanthropy · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Though I’ve been super productive with all my cupcake projects, I haven’t had the opportunity to reconvene Gimme Dem’s Busy Bees.  Some of you may have noticed an announcement going over the wires, Gimme Dem Cupcakes is donating 600 minis to the excellent cause of literacy through the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia’s annual event for children 2-12 and their families, Reading a Family Affair.   See pictures from 2009 on the LCNV flickr…  That was a mouthful.  The cupcakes will be, too!  Since I avoid the traditional flavors but it’s a kids event, I’m doing S’more, Chocomint, and gluten-free Jelly Donut.  A lot of people think I’m crazy (what’s new?), but I’ve started  to make a really simple plan and some of my local, lady bakers wanted to help, too.

So why go to all this trouble?  A). RAFA is a great way to support a great cause, adult literacy.   B). I love sharing and I love baking.  I hope to document the whole project and definitely give full credit to any Gimme Dem supporters.  C). Gimme Dem exposure.  I’m going to put out a sign-up for a “Welcome to Gimme Dem Cupcakes E-Newsletter” that’ll be a better return on investment than shelling out a ton of my pretty moo cards and still get the word out on how Gimme Dem came to be, who helps, and what it offers.  D). The experience.  I have to say placing a direct order to Bob’s Red Mill is one of the most thrilling feelings I’ve ever had.  I feel like the dream is becoming a little more real.  It’s an excellent exercise in what running a real business will be like with cost benefit analysis, timing, scale, and general organization.  When I initially set my prices, I mainly focused on being an economical alternative to competitors, but through this I actually looked at retail prices of the ingredients I buy and priced it out, added the cost of labor at minimum wage for one person and this order will come out to over $450 worth of donated munchies.

Pretty wild to see it on paper!  I have promised 600 minis, so with a fudge factor and taste testing along the way, I’m shooting to bake 27 batches (9 each flavor).   I want maximum freshness, so I have a 4 stage plan:

#1. pre-pack dry ingredients and prep icing anytime the week before

#2 bake the first 13 batches in the wee hours Friday morning

#3 bake  the remainder and decorate Friday after 5PM (when I’m outta Artie’s)

#4 packaging will be ongoing.

Packaging and transportation are probably my biggest concerns right now.  I’m pretty sure I’ll go with flat plastic containers because they’re sturdier than gift boxes and recyclable.  Hopefully by Saturday morning, I’ll be ready to run around with all the little kids and Clifford!  In the meantime, if you’d like to join the Gimme Dem baking party on the 19th, send me a message!

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