Pop Went The Monkey: 2912 Rowena Pop Up Shop Starring Cake Monkey, et. al., Silverlake

If I fall off the weight-management bandwagon, surely the Cake Monkey weekend pop-up shop on Rowena Avenue would have had something to do with it. Out of the three weekends that they were in operation, I went twice. How's that for self-control?

I'm a sucker for Cake Monkey and all its nostalgic-treats-reminiscent goodies, but special trips to Silverlake Wine, Umami Burger and even Intelligentsia Coffee on busy Sunset Blvd. just to get my fix were a tad too impractical for this toddler-in-tow mommy. And special order just doesn't cut it when a sweets craving suddenly strikes on a lazy weekend day. Having been able to take my little ankle-biter with me into a cute little cottage with a cool neighborhood vibe on the weekends, however, was much more my cup of tea. Which was why I was ever so grateful that Cake Monkey and a handful of local artists and artisans collaborated in a three-weekend pop up sale. Unfortunately, the pop up ended last weekend to my surprise so um, yeah, after looking at the following photos of all the ridiculously delicious stuff I bought there, you won't be able to go until they decide to pop up again. Sucks to be you? Not quite. So maybe you won't be able to purchase everything under one picket-fence-surrounded-roof, but fortunately most of the goodies I consumed are available for purchase via other avenues. Just refer to the contact info and links at the end of this post!

Anyways, check out some of the diet-destroyers that I picked up:

My first foil wrapped treats as a kid were the Hostess Ding Dong and Ho-Ho. My kid's first foil wrapped treats were Cake Monkey Black and White Cakewiches filled with vanilla cream and Valrhona crunchy pearls and coated in bittersweet chocolate, Raspberry Red Velvet Cakewiches filled with raspberry swirled vanilla frosting and encased in the same yummy dark chocolate shell as its sister cakewich, and Yo-Ho's--chocolate cake rolled up with a swirl of vanilla cream. He only got a bite or two of each, but I'm kind of afraid I'm setting a precedent for spoiling the kid with such high quality sweets at such a young age. I mean, I was lucky to even get a Ding Dong when I was young. I'm telling you, these kids nowadays...

My Inside Out S'More from Cake Monkey got a little squished on the way home, but who cares? I think I almost ate the fun little cookie creation--homemade graham cracker and chocolate ganache cookie topped with a mound of toasted marshmallow--in one bite.


I have to admit, I've never been a huge fan of brittle because it always seemed like I was about to break my teeth eating overly sweetened glass remnants. Until I tried that of Morning Glory Confections, that is. Fellow food blogging and tweeting mommy Reservation For Three first alerted me to her husband Max's artisan brittle creations which are handmade in small batches using high quality natural ingredients. The unique flavor combinations such as Thai Curry & Peanut, Chai Tea & Cashew and New Mexico Chili & Pumpkin Seed are a perfect combination of savory and sweet, and the textures have the right amount of crunch--not so hard that you feel like you're paying for your dentist's kids to go to college.

At the pop up sale, I purchased a box of Morning Glory Confections' Chocolate Enrobed Brittles--Darkened Milk Chocolate-, 55% semisweet chocolate- and 70% bittersweet chocolate-covered versions of their brittle varieties. Each tile was small--less than a square inch--but full of delicious flavor and texture.

My second trip to the pop up was inspired by ResForThree's tweet a couple weeks ago raving about some of the Bacon Fat, Smoked Paprika and Fleur De Sel Caramels that Max had whipped up for that weekend's pop up. Perfectly chewy pig candy with a hint of spice...they were definitely well worth the drive from the San Gabriel Valley to Silverlake.

Who eats dessert before eating lunch? Well me, I guess. I ended my sweets binge on my second visit to the pop up with a Lasagna Cupcake made by catering company and pop-up vendor HeirloomLA. I thought the idea was a little hokey at first, but I soon pledged allegiance to the hearty layers of al dente pasta and bolognese ragu that I could eat with my hands. Tasty and convenient...genius!

Hopefully, Cake Monkey and friends will decide to pop up again in the same or similar location--I loved being able to quickly snag up so many goodies in one convenient kid-friendly place that wasn't too far of a drive for me. Until then, here's how you can get your cake, brittle and lasagna cupcake groove on:

Cake Monkey
877-640-CAKE
info@cakemonkey.com
www.cakemonkey.com
Available by special order or at select food-centric locations. See website for specifics.

Morning Glory Confections
(323) 662-2963
info@morninggloryconfections.com
www.morninggloryconfections.com
http://twitter.com/MGbrittle
Available for purchase online or at select food-centric locations. See website for specifics.

Heirloom LA
(323) 872-2904
info@heirloomLA.com
www.heirloomLA.com
http://twitter.com/heirloomLA

Mama Would Adopt Them If She Could: Dot's Cupcakes, Pasadena

Who needs that other cupcake place that always has a line when you've got Dot's Cupcakes?

I love Dot's Cupcakes. No, I mean I loooooooove Dot's Cupcakes.

It's partly because their cupcakes have the perfect frosting to cake ratio and are as cute as a button. It's partly because their cupcakes are moist but not too dense. It's also partly because their cupcakes aren't too sickeningly sweet.

Yes, it's all those things that make Dot's Cupcakes the best cupcake shop in LA, in my opinion. But there's one more reason why the folks at this tiny little Pasadena cupcakery have my heart: I especially, especially love them because they had my back when I was a raging, hormonal, pregnant bitch.

It went something like this:

A very pregnant DG was craving red velvet cupcakes and drove to Dot's on Arroyo Parkway to get some.

Guy in front of me buys the last two red velvet cupcakes.

While he is choosing his other cupcakes, one of Dot's other employees starts to help me.

I ask if they have any more red velvet cupcakes. They don't.

I say sonofabitch!

Last-two-red-velvet-cupcake-thief is still there and sees that I am obviously hungry, pregnant, and irrational but does not offer to let me have one of his. He ducks out before I get a chance to sock him.

Dots owner goes in the back and pulls out a mini red velvet cupcake that has a little dent on the side and offers it to me on the house.

I told them that I love them.

And I do.

I really, really do.

Dot's Cupcakes
400 S. Arroyo Parkway
Pasadena, CA
(626) 568-3687

Second location at:
21 N. Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 744-7719

www.dotscupcakes.com

When One "O" Is Better Than Two: Euro Pane, Pasadena

Pasadena's Euro Pane has been on my must-try list of eateries for God-knows-how-long but has been bumped towards the bottom for the same God-knows-how-long. It wasn't until a recent jonesin' for French macarons that I bumped Sumi Chang's Colorado-Blvd-east-of-Old-Town bakery and café to the top.

Not to be confused with macaroons, those lumpy coconutty cookie thingies that are all too often left behind on the office cookie platter, French macarons (with one "o") are a completely different species. I first discovered these lovely little domes at Kristy Choo's Jin Patisserie and at Michelle Myers' Boule and have been craving the light airy texture of flavored almond meringue, luscious ganache or cream filling and adorable, sherbety colors ever since.

Europane's macarons are not as dainty as your typical macaron, which usually measures a little larger than a golf ball. Rather, they're as big around as a tennis ball, an attribute which at first made me wonder if any quality would be skimped for quantity. Their delicate meringue crust gave way with a slight chewiness, each bite containing a bit of cream. My absolute favorite flavor was the salt caramel whose subtle sweetness was enhanced by grains of sea salt. The pistachio and hazelnut flavored macarons weren't as delicious as the salt caramel but were still good, while the raspberry flavor was just *meh* in my opinion.

Not only does Euro Pane make a mean macaron, but their other baked goods such as croissants, caneles, tarts, bread pudding and cookies are also worth the trip. And don't forget about their sandwiches either. Their open faced egg-salad sandwich is like none I've ever had before where slightly-on-the-soft-boiled-side eggs mingles with arugula on a slice of crusty rosemary-currant bread. As an added bonus, you get one of their yummy sugar-sprinkled butter cookies on the side...score!


Euro Pane
950 E. Colorado Blvd, ste 107
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 577-1828