My One Woman Kitchen

I feel I must paint a picture of the tiny space where I create my goodies week after week. After years of working in kitchens that were designed by other (much taller and less organized) people I finally got to create my perfect workspace. Everything is in reach, everything is clean, my tools are always in the last place I left them, not mysteriously moved by co-workers. I have a gloriously clean, new commercial convection oven that coaxes my brioche into a soul-warming golden brown and allows me to bake tray after tray of perfectly poofed cupcakes. It makes me happy. I also invested in two towering professional refrigeration and freezer units that are so shiny and just, well, kick-ass and have plenty of room for all the quirky and bizarre ingredients I pick up at the grocery store outlet as well as buttercreams, vegan pastry creams and my 30 lb. case of vegan margarine (which should last me to 2010).

I bring my XM satellite radio and let my mood and the weather dictate my choice of tunes. Some days it's mainstream 80's, others electronic house or opera. This is the main perk of working alone. I never have to compromise on music!

So it is to my little kitchen that I retreat several days a week to research menus, experiment with recipes and make desserts and cupcakes for the City Market and special orders.

Vegan Earl Grey Cupcake

This week I tried the Earl Grey recipe from VCTOTW. I have to say I really like it. I used loose tea (not sure of the quality). The finished product is a deep golden brown and has a nice Earl Grey flavor-love that bergamot! I paired it with a vegan lemon buttercream, which mellows the tea a bit, but the flavor that lingers on your palate is the Earl Grey. I brought them to a party tonight and they went over really well.