Have your (Skinny) Cupcake and Eat It Too

Cupcakes. We all love them. But I was told that a Sprinkles cupcake contains 400 calories (after google-ing, supposedly the Sprinkles red velvet has 497 calories, but the strawberry only has 131 calories).

The "skinny" cupcakes at Santa Monica's 17th Street Cafe & Bakery only have 100 calories each and are fat free. Instead of oil, they use apple and apricot concentrate.

Their flavor selection is standard but has enough for everyone: red velvet, chocolate, lemon, carrot cake, vanilla. the red velvet comes either with fondant or (fat free) cream cheese frosting.

As with all fat free desserts, we worried about whether the cupcakes would be too bland or dry. Fortunately this wasn't really the case. Our favorites were easily the red velvet and the carrot cake since they were the most moist. It was also because we all liked the cream cheese frosting better than the fondant.
Granted, it isn't a Sprinkles red velvet but for me it is more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth and for the same calorie intake, you can eat five of these! You shouldn't, of course, that would sorta defeat the purpose.

If you want to try out the cupcakes, DealPop is currently running a deal for this place: $7 for $15 worth of baked goods, which will end midnight tomorrow so you have about 32 hours.

PS. This cafe also serves chrysanthemum tea with whole flowers. That was a first for me at a non-Asian restaurant.


17th Street Cafe & Bakery
1610 Montana Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 453-2771
www.seventeenthstreetcafe.com


Disclosure: I came for a free cupcake tasting as a guest of 17th Street Cafe & Bakery.

Giveaway: $50 Gift Certificate!

I've hosted a couple of giveaways from CSN Stores before and now they've asked me to host yet another one!

They are giving away a $50 gift certificate to be used at any of their online stores which sell everything from kitchen tables to cutlery to toys.

Even though the gift certificate wont cover shipping, a majority of their items are eligible for free shipping. The previous contest winner got crepe pans and other things and I've gotten a new blender (broke my old one while bartending) and shoe racks before, all with free shipping.

Here's how to enter:
1. Leave your email address in the comments below.
2. Get an extra entry when you "like" my Facebook page.

You have 1 week to enter. The contest will end at midnight Tuesday, September 14.
Good luck!

In The Kitchen with Chef Ray Garcia (Recap, Recipes)

Los Angeles Magazine has been holding cooking demonstrations titled In The Kitchen, featuring a different LA chef each time. The next event will be on Wednesday, September 15 with chef Neal Fraser of Grace and BLD.
The event runs from 7-9pm at the Snyder Diamond showroom in Santa Monica and costs $40 (see LA Mag's webpage for more info).

If you've never read the previous reports and are wondering what to expect from this event, here's a recap on the last In the Kitchen with FIG's chef Ray Garcia.

Some hors d'oeuvres from Snyder Diamond's chef.

FIG's bar concocted this amazing Blood Orange and Beet Bellini
Recipe:

1 oz Solerno (Blood Orange liqueur)
2 oz Sanguinello Puree
1 oz Beetroot juice
3 oz Prosecco

Combine ingredients in a tin or beaker and stir over ice. Strain into a champagne flute. Finish with a tiny flower garnish.

After munching on the appetizers and drinking wine and cocktails, we were seated at black-clothed tables and Chef Ray Garcia began his cooking demonstration.
While watching Chef Garcia cook and our dish to be ready, we snacked on some stuffed dates.


The two dishes were paired with Kunin Wines from Santa Barbara county. The winemaker from Kunin was present and explained his pairing logic.

For the main recipe, Chef Garcia seems to have focused on being healthy, using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock for his Red Beet Risotto (you can see the recipe here).

Dessert:
Chocolate Pot de Creme (this was paired with Kunin Zinfandel, trying to balance the sweet creaminess with some acidity)
Recipe:

7.5 oz semisweet chocolate (64%). Chef Garcia uses Cordierra colombian chocolates.
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 egg
9 egg yolks
1/2 cup + 3 tbsp granulated sugar
contents of 1 vanilla vean
pinch of kosher salt

1. Scald milk and cream with vanilla bean, salt, and half of the sugar. (Do not let the milk boil).
2. Add hot liquid to the chocolate and mix until all chocolate is melted and incorporated.
3. Whisk together the remaining sugar with the whole egg and egg yolks.
4. Slowly whisk warm chocolate liquid into eggs and pass through a fine strainer.
5. Pour mixture into ramekins or pots. Remove any air bubbles by gently "burning" containers with a blow torch.
6. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in water bath at 225' for 25-30 mins.

All attendees left with a goodie bag, which always contains the latest issue of Los Angeles Magazine, and usually some wine and cupcakes!


Full disclosure: I attended this event as a guest of Los Angeles Magazine's PR.