Smitten By Susie and Her Cakes

Imagine arriving at a place that, until that moment, only existed in your imagination. Imagine a chance meeting with the person who created this place. What a divinely created opportunity to sap some advice from a would be mentor. What more could you ask for??

Last Friday, I went on my monthly dessert tour which included SusieCakes in SF. And guess what...Susie was actually there! I don't know about other sweet lovers or bakers, but when I walk into a place like this I have to control my emotions. I want to cry, scream, and start jumping up and down. I was so glad I had my 7 year old with me, because when she acted a fool in this place, I could just live vicariously through her. People think it's cute when a kid loses their mind in a sweet shop. But a grown azz woman, hmm, not so much. I often wonder if I'm the first and only nut case they've seen all day when I arrive all wide eye'd and giddy, ordering one of just about everything, and insisting that they add insulin shots to the menu.

I visited a number of well known SF sweet spots that day. But this one, I fell in love with. SusieCakes, you now own a huge part of my heart. This is one of those places that makes you cry, because it reminds you of a time when you were a kid, a time that you can't go back to. It makes you smile, because the sweets are actually as good as they look and smell. And it makes you scream and jump up and down, because, well frankly, after all that sugar what else are you supposed to do? As an aspiring bakery owner, I left SusieCakes with my emotions all over the place - overjoyed that I'm blessed to be so close to a place much like the one I dream of owning; intimidated - umm, this chick can bake good enough to please me, and probably my momma too, and that's sayin' a lot. And overwhelmingly inspired - if she's living my dream, so can I.

Now, about the sweets... First, the chocolate cake. OML(oh my lawd-have-mercy). This cake was moist, decadent, and the frosting had a lovely hint of coffee. Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-ohmygosh. The chocolate chip cookie - I love you, you're unforgettable -chewy, gooey, warm, just too good to be true. And let's not forget the lemon bar...sheer perfection. It might actually rival the family recipe. The cupcakes - after all that, I couldn't eat them until the next day. But Susie did not disappoint. Even her day old cupcakes were better than many other places I've visited and gotten freshly baked cakes.

Friday was a good day... maybe the best of days. And no good day ever dies. I'll always remember the day I met Susie, and her cakes. And I'll especially always kick myself for being starstruck, saying nothing to Susie when she complimented me on my pink trenchcoat, other than "Thanks... I saw you on tv."

Damn.

Sweet Tooth Therapy is Good for the Soul

Well I know it's been a while since I've posted anything here so please forgive me. No really good excuse, just blog neglect.

Anyway, I've recently had a sort of revelation. As a dietitian it's my duty to promote a healthy lifestyle. I think I had been going overboard though, in an effort to control my love for sweets. But now I realize that the love of sweets and being healthy is much easier when you embrace the cupcake. So that's what I've done, so much so that I'm opening a cupcake biz. I did a quick bio yesterday for the cupcake website and wanted to get your opinion on what I've jotted down so far. Here it is...


My earliest memory of baking was when I was 3, making AND tasting mud pies in the backyard in Texas, working hard to get the right consistency and shape. I eventually graduated to being the official mixer-holder for my Arkansas mom's many orders for cakes and pies. Not seeing my love of baking as a career option, I ended up moving to Atlanta and getting a degree in psychology, and then nutrition. As a registered dietitian I declared there was no way I would contribute to the obesity epidemic by being a baker, despite the fact that my love of baking was growing weary of being suppressed.

Well, I've finally given in, thanks to the cupcake boom. At last there's a way to combine my loves of baking, psychology, and a well balanced diet. There is nothing more therapeutic than savoring the flavors of your childhood. I once had a customer take one look at one of my cakes and burst into tears. He said he hadn't seen a German Chocolate cake that looked like that since his southern grandmother passed away. And the cupcake, well that's the ultimate weight watcher's joy. Life can't be all salad and green beans, and a cupcake gives just the right portion for a little sweet tooth therapy.

I don't know if it's moving from Atlanta to the Bay Area that has made me miss the flavors of the south so much, but I've discovered that I'm not alone. When I just say the words red velvet or banana pudding, I don't care where I am, the room lights up with joy. And if I can bring that kind of joy to others by doing something I love, then y'all better know I'm gonna do it, and do it well.