DC Food Swap and the Gimme Dem Cupcaker

I’m overjoyed I got to DC’s second food swap. Thank you so much to the organizers, Jess, Tanya and Claire for making room for me! I also wanted to share, that as I restarted this blog, you may have noticed it is no longer strictly vegan. After working at a professional bakery and seeing a very strong woman and her wonderful staff work, I realized something very simple: all food is sacrifice–messy, painful, hard won but full of life and love. That’s part of what I enjoy about the food swaps, that sacrifice means different things to different people. I like that the individual puts up what they are willing to give in exchange for something that they appreciate, whether it be the craftsmanship, the visual appeal, or the risk of trusting the reputation of the person that created it. As I try to explore food more openly as an omnivore, I am very excited to share with you here. Thank you for your continued support, and check out Jess’ blog about the swap’s philosophy on Witchin’ in the Kitchen, I love where her head’s at! If you’re interested in joining, please follow DC Food Swap’s Facebook page or website, I’d love to meet you!

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Frankenstorm

I hope you’re all safe and warm with your favorite snuggle bunnies!  I was just feeling well enough to go back to work after a 4 day flu/head-cold and Halloween party at my house, but now Hurricane Sandy puts us at day 2 working from home!

happy halloween from the bates babes

We’re very happy and thankful for our warmth, safety, and internet connection!

So many occasions to celebrate with good food and good company.  The past week produced many delicious adaptations and concoctions including fire roasted pepper and spinach quiche, mini cherpumple (mini pies baked into cupcakes), pumpkin chai rolls, and fresh picks for good ol’ apple pie (see links for original recipes and email me for my specific suggestions).

great for breakfast with a hot cup of tea!

gimme dem buns, hun!

a midnight production produced while watching both Bill and Ted movies last night.

pie oh my

Don’t worry if you missed the occasions, you can still get yer fall on, homies!  I’ve already started to take orders into December!  Email me or visit the to order page!  And if you’re hoping to catch me running around, I’ll be moon-lighting at Sticky Fingers a shift here or there, and I’ll also be at the next DC Food Swap, November 11th!

Hope to see you all soon!

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Resurrection

Hi friends!

You may be wondering, “Who died?”

Zombieface

Well, your favorite Katie B. has been going through a bit of a metamorphosis.  Nothing gross, I promise.  I’ve just changed jobs, zip codes, and I’m generally trying to take better care of myself.  I’m living with the happiest bunch of nerds, spending more time with my loved ones, and trying to live a full life. I’m searching for a way to combine my love of people, service, food, and being a helper bee.  Pretty much exactly where we left off, but without the perpetual 70-hour work weeks!

If you know me at all, you know I spend my “me-time” best in the kitchen.  So I’ll be playing with my groceries and the oven, but meanwhile, it’s time to wake the sleeping beast, “Rise Gimme Dem Cupcakes!” So order up, buttercups! go visit the Gimme Dem menu or request something I’ve never tried before!

Cream of Celery pot pie with tofu, potato, carrots, peas, and carrots

And if you’re in the District or local area, let’s play!  I’m very excited about recurring events like the DC Foodswap and Upstart Foods.

Booty from DC’s first Food Swap!

If there’s something else you’d like to invite me to join or create for, let’s talk!  Maybe we can be uber cool and network?

I’ll try not to get distracted by my hunky bf…

babe of npr

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Mmm, mmm, mmm, Manicotti

Casseroles go in an oven, so that’s almost baking… right!?  JK.  In my move to spend more time in the  kitchen and enjoying foods, I came up with a pretty delicious vegan recipe for Manicotti.  I used my mom’s pasta sauce and doctored it with a little smoked paprika.  Join me on bakespace to share this and other recipes!

http://www.bakespace.com/recipes/detail/Vegan%20Manicotti/50632/#recipe-story

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2011 in review

I  know, the Gimme Dem Cupcakes blog has been quiet, but you understand.  “Momma’s Always on Stage.”  Someone asked me what I was proud of in 2011, and I’m definitely proud of my baking.  Thank you all for your support.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,000 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 3 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Other things to celebrate from 2011:

-healthy growth and love of my family

-another wonderful year with my man

-another wonderful year with the Literacy Council, promotion to bartender at Artie’s and most of all, my new part-time baker position at Sticky Fingers!

-Growing and gaining new friendships

-Dad and my sister maintaining near full-time employment!

-surviving my trip across country with my bestie Becky

winning 2nd place Amatuer Division at the Capital Area Cake Show

-Gimme Dem Cupcakes first wedding order

-taking the goods to market, especially collaborating with Jill for the V Picnic Club at the Mount Pleasant Farmer’s market

Thank you all for an exceptional year.  I wish you all a blessed 2012.

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Gimme Dem Cupcakes Goes on Sabbatical

Guess who got (another) job!?  That’s right, the haphazard kt machine is gonna try a new combination of crazy starting this weekend as I start baking PT for Sticky Fingers in DC.  It’s an opportunity I couldn’t pass up!  Learning from pros who totally took em down on Cupcake Wars?!  No brainer.

What does that mean for Gimme Dem Cupcakes?  GDC will be making it’s last for profit appearance this weekend at the Mt. Pleasant Farmers market in collaboration with V Picnic Club.  To prevent a conflict of interest with my Sticky Fingers friends, I will only continue baking cupcakes for current friends and loved ones who already have my contact information.  In the future, I still plan to take part in local events like the Capital Area Cake Show as well as collaborate with friends on other ideas, so you’ll still be able to catch  some sweets or an empanada here and there.  I’ll keep you apprised as the blog is re-purposed into a solely personal outlet.

That said, I hope you can wish us a fond farewell/good luck this weekend at the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market and visit me at Sticky Fingers to get your holiday sweets!

 

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Marriage is for the Birds

It’s decided: Hayley Curilla and Mike Smith are the sweetest couple to ever be my first wedding order!

In July, Hayley contacted me through my ordering system and we set to work to put together a tasting for their big day.  A week or so later, they biked here to have bunch and sample five of the 6 flavors they picked out.  After a big plate full of hash browns and scrambled tofu, we set to work tasting some of GDC’s finest: BanaramadingdongPistachio RosewaterDon’t be too BlueberryLemonDreamsicle, and Jamaicanmecrazy.  Eyes rolled, mouths curled into smiles, no crumbs were left… We parted ways happy and full!

After the tasting we tweaked her order to include Chocomint instead of Dreamsicle and then put together plans to meet for a dinner and to assemble a cake stand using foam core, ribbon, a little paint, soda cans, ribbon, and some beautiful Marimekko printed fabrics.  It’s amazing what you can do with a hot glue gun! 

I’m so grateful we had the time to share meals and work together on the cake planning.  Hayley and Mike are an amazing couple and spending time getting to know each other really set the tone for the relaxed and creative relationship we share.   They have been so gracious and appreciative, inviting us to stay for reception and meet their family.  I have been so happily surprised by how included and appreciated they make me feel.

The night before the wedding, I got home from work and made my way through 16 batches of cupcakes as well as her miniature centerpiece cake.  I took my time, wanting each little cake to be full of love and blessings for the happy couple.

The next day, I dropped off another customer’s order and then Lars and I made our way to Sauca where the reception was held.  We quickly set-up and chatted with the owner about the benefits of working with such amazing customers, “Real Huggers” as we call them.  Hayley and Mike made their adorable entrance as we saw them biking toward the restaurant and then walking in hand in hand.

All evening, we mingled and enjoyed and laughed and ate.

Hayley found me on Etsy two years ago and said she knew I’d be her baker, and now the dream is realized and I think we’ve become good friends.  Thank you both so much, Hayley and Mike.  Also, big ups for my man, Lars, for his constant moral support, help schlepping, and his constant endorsement for the cakes!

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Wedding Bells?

Happy occasions have caught on like wildfire at my office.   It seems like every other day someone is announcing a baby, an engagement, or a big move!  The kind of news that makes you smile SO big and kind of tear up.   Life is change, and while I’m riding the waves more than picking the beach, sometimes I get to see someone else do it.  I’m not the sorta girl who fantasizes about when I might get married yet…  I’m more likely to fantasize about the next time I’ll be barefoot, eating something delicious,  playing with Cocoa Bean, watching X-Men and/or being a general goofball…  even though I have found my very own Prince Charming, wedding stuff is far away in my mind.  In the meantime, I love helping other people celebrate and every special occasion deserves cake!   Even more, I really love weddings.

Last week, GDC got it’s first official order for wedding cupcakes, so be on the lookout for work in progress blogs on how GDC does tasting, pricing, how-to-build your own cupcake stand and the super rad young bride who ordered them!

Many blessings to the all the wonderful couples sharing the growth and gift of love!

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Wet, Hot, American Summer

Hi Friends.  Sorry, I’ve been busy relishing in summer.

After the farmers market in May, I decided to refocus on relaxing in a bigger way!  While I haven’t been baking or writing much, I have been having SO. MUCH. FUN.  Making new friends and celebrating the ones we already have; travelling; running with my puppy; sweating it out on roadtrips; laughing; crying; and eating delicious, delicious food.  Thank goodness for all the wonderful people in my life making all this possible!  Click on the likn below and you’ll see my Mom’s business (Harmony Gardening and Sustainable Solutions), Joy’s new puppy (Sookie), my trip to Laramie to move Becky, Family Style Cantonese dinner for my birthday, #malletsarefortourists Barn Party and Crab Feast:

and some pics just from our trip to Asheville:

Some of you may be wondering where you’ll see Gimme Dem Cupcakes next, and the truth is…  YOU NEVER KNOW!  I’ll definitely be making an appearance at the either DC Veg Fest or DC Cupcake Camp and a Grey Market in the fall; and there have been a few other events and opportunities I just couldn’t make work yet.  But as the GDC kitchen prepares to move to the district spring 2012, I’m hoping to set roots and partner with a storefront or kitchen in the area.  Let me know if you have any ideas!  Maybe August will actually help me get back to work…  In the meantime, keep checking back here for updates and I’ll still be doing made to order!!

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Sugar Mama

It always seems like someone is tugging on this sugar mama’s apron strings, but now…  Ahh, summer is my season.  And considering Virginia lurches almost directly from winter to summer, it is KT time.  No more trainings to staff, more daylight, less clothing, more time to listen to records and enjoy a nice porch!  Even better, time to plan summer trips and time with friends.  Read below for a list of things I’m really looking forward to this summer:

One of my favorite parts of these warmer months is the Farmer’s Markets!  Between Lars and I we live next to two of the area’s finest Falls Church Farmers Market and Mt. Pleasant Farmers Market!  This summer at Mt. Pleasant, check out my friend Jill’s new vegan food venture V Picnic Club (maybe she’ll team up with me for the next DC Grey Market?)!  Last Saturday, Lars and I picked up some of her yums for brunch and I have never been so in love with KALE!  Made our brunch!  We also got a loaf of Rosemary Italian from Atwaters!  With a some fresh asparagus and summer squash, we had a killer scramble going!  I love, love, love lazy Saturdays.

Potlucks and picnics!  Saturday we also met with friends for a picnic at Merridian Hill Park.  Stretched out on blankets, it was a patchwork of paradise with fresh loafs of bread and delicious fruit mingling with the soft smell of an afternoon sprinkle of rain.  Perfectly refreshing.  Between the TAFT record club and birthdays, my mouth will be watering all summer.

Taking trips!  Be advised, GDC will be taking some time off this summer and will not be taking orders on the following dates:  July 3-7 I’ll be moving my bff to Laramie, WY (#allamericanmidwestbday) and July 19-24 I’ll be in Asheville, NC with the Gotrich family.  Wish me well!

I hope we can make time to spend together with some sweet tea and something fresh from the garden!  Who knows what the the summer heat will inspire in the GDC kitchen!

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