For all its apparent fanfare (Sarah told me Crumbs delivers cupcakes every Wednesday to the Howard Stern show where they all taste and evaluate the treats on the air) the shop was modest and to the point: a couple of stools at the window, cupcakes, cakes, and cookies sitting simply in the glass case, and a few tables and benches in the back.
I zeroed in on the cupcakes (though I couldn't help but study the "candy pizza" sitting on top of the case), trying to decide which I would try first. I had determined before I arrived that I would be trying two since I wanted to begin a formal, in-depth evaluation of NYC's cupcakes and other confections. There was such a variety: Snickerdoodle cupcakes, cookie dough, keylime, one called the "Artie Lange" (I saw it on the website), but I finally selected a smaller one to start, a strawberry with buttercream frosting.
In an instant it was gone, but I took enough time to observe how soft the cake was and how the top of the frosting gently crumbled in my mouth, while the rest of the frosting was very creamy. The treat was so sweet it made my molars hurt. A good sign.
I went back up to the counter with my empty plate, requested a cup of water, and asked the two employees which flavors were their favorite.
"I like the cookie dough," the guy behind the counter replied. I'd seen it and knew without a doubt I'd enjoy it, but I craved the velvet.
"I like the velvet," the girl said when I asked her. "It's the most popular."
It was larger than the first, about $.75 more than the strawberry one I inhaled, but even more delicious and satisfying. It was also soft, moist, and sooo sweet, adorned with a chocolaty zig zag pattern on the top and bejeweled with countless red sprinkles along the frosting's edge. It was marvelous.
What I really appreciated about the cupcakes aside from the obvious (the irresistible flavor, texture, and the meticulous craftsmanship) was that the frosting did not slip around on either cake while I was eating them. This is usually my problem when I'm enjoying one: with each bite, my teeth slightly move the frosting closer and closer to one edge of the cake which, by the time I'm nearly done, makes it awkward and top-heavy because there is more frosting than cake. I always have to plop the rest of the cake in my mouth because I can't hold it well anymore; otherwise I have frosting all over my eating hand at the end.
But I didn't encounter this problem at all at Crumbs. I had a delicious experience that I plan to repeat many times over. Well done guys.
2 comments:
"In an instant it was gone…"
Hahaha… at first I imagined you delicately handling the cupcake (or “fairy cake” as the British call it), twisting it in your hand and turning your head to look at it from all sides. You might even give it a sniff as you gently peel away the paper baking cup, taking care not to tear it. Suddenly, as if possessed by Mr. Hyde in a moment of unbridled passion, you hastily shove the whole thing into your mouth (and temperance under the bus), chomping and scarfing with crumbs flying.
Of course, that isn’t what happened as you reported you “took enough time to observe how soft the cake was and how the top of the frosting gently crumbled in [your] mouth, while the rest of the frosting was very creamy.” Nevertheless, the comma slowed me down enough to give me the scarfing image before I got to the part about the frosting gently crumbling.
I did eat it differently than I would normally because I planned on writing about it, but I still never slowed down between bites. I truly was surprised that it was suddenly....gone. I love your description--vivid and delicious.
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