Cupcakes

I know, cupcakes have been around forever and in the states have seen a resurgence of late not equal but close to gourmet cookies. In Chicago, we had a few places that were cranking out flavors from red velvet (my personal favorite) to a chipotle chili and chocolate combo! Weird, but not as offensive as you might think.

Cupcakes, in general, are way too sweet for the French. All that buttercream icing is just too much. Desserts reign supreme in France, don't misunderstand, but they, like everything else here are subtle and delicate....leaving one perfectly satisfied and looking forward to one's next encounter :)

Lately, however, I am seeing more and more signs of these little goodies establishing themselves on French shores. This past July 4th (a regular day here) I participated in Cupcake Camp Paris , a wildly successful event that had professional and amateur bakers alike showing off their ways with batter and buttercream. My friend, Kim at Parisian Events and Parisian Party was a sponsor and asked me to help promote her beautiful wedding/event planning skills which I was only too glad to do. We tried at least a dozen entries between the two of us....some we had to spit out immediately while others (a pistachio creation) were divine. The event was a curious mix of expats looking for something to do on the fourth of July and the French trying to figure out what the fuss was all about over these sweet treats.

Not to be outdone, world famous Ladurée has gotten into the act. They are now serving their own versions of what cupcakes should be...you''ll notice just a touch of icing on top! Delicately done in pastel colors and wrapped in beautiful papers they are a limited, summertime treat worthy of the expense. If you're in Paris, and you don't head to Ladurée, you really haven't been to Paris.