Red velvet

Before I get to the subject at hand, let me just say that I've appreciated your kind words. Honestly, I've been SUCH a whiney baby lately--a big old buzzkiller--and where's the fun in that? So thanks for putting up with me. Truly.

Meanwhile, red velvet. I'm always on a quest for a yummy red velvet thing ever since Kathy Allsen made a red velvet cake for my birthday when we were seniors in high school. I thought it was the best, most exotic thing I'd ever tasted (this was 1974 when you could only buy two kinds of cheeses at the grocery store in Provo, Utah), and I've sort of searched for that first blissful taste ever since.

But here's what I've discovered--red velvet often disappoints. It's frequently too dry. Or not flavorful enough. Or so shot through with red food coloring that the only thing you can taste is the dye. So now whenever I eat a red velvet thing, I steel myself for the inevitable heartbreak. Which is what I did yesterday at the cookie shop on third west formerly known as MY DOUGH GIRL (now appearing as RUBYSNAP). The cookie of the month is a red velvet thing and guess what. It was good. Kinda cake-y, it must be said, but that I don't mind.

Yay! Find the right cookie and life is (almost) good again!

Oh yes, I have been eating

Our friend Jayne wondered here if I haven't eaten anything since the end of April due to lack of food-related posts. I am here to assure you all that (see blog title above).

In fact, I must confess that I have now driven several times to the Cheesecake Factory to buy that red velvet cheesecake thing so I can take it home and hide it from others. So the hiding part is bad. Also the driving to the Cheesecake Factory part is bad because it's a long way from my house. I have to pack a lunch and sunscreen and also get my shots updated and slip my passport ito my purse before leaving the house because the CF is on 62nd South whereas I live downtown. So that means it takes a good portion of my day just to drive out there for cheesecake purposes and that's kind of sick, don't you agree?

But here's the sickest part of all. Rick Horne, who told me about this dessert in the first place, just informed me that one slice of red velvet cheesecake has 1500 calories which is more calories than many Hollywood starlets eat in a month. And the worst part is that I've been eating the cheesecake on top of everything else I inhale.

Feel free to push my Shame Button now.

Bryan's wife is right

Cupcakes are uber trendy. Kinda silly we're all paying big bucks for something you got at birthday parties for free. But still.

Yesterday I bought minis at Mrs. Backer's--sort of the Queen Mother of all Salt Lake bakeries. Predictably they were quite lovely--fine, light, white. The frosting was simple with sanding sugar on top. Who can quibble?

Today, on the recommendation of the fabulous Vicky MacBride (coach Ron's wife for those of you care about football), I drove out to a place on Highland Drive called So Cupcake. I came home with six minis, one of which is blue. (Hmmmm. Not sure about blue food, as a general rule). I also bought two regular red velvet cupcakes because red velvet cake was my favorite dessert as a young girl growing up in the seventies. Red velvet cake felt soooo sophisticated to me then.

Oh. In other news, I wrote.