I flew out to L.A. again a few days ago for my final wedding dress fitting. When my parents picked me up at the airport, our very first stop was Surfas. I came away with quite a haul, most of which I had to lug in my carry-on luggage on the trip back home. Apparently 10 pounds of Callebaut bittersweet chocolate chips stuffed at the bottom of a duffel bag looks suspicious on the airport security checkpoint x-ray machine, because my luggage received a secondary screening. When one of the TSA employees finally got to the interior of my mysterious triple-wrapped parcel and pulled out a bag of chips, she looked bewildered and she asked what I was planning on making with all of that chocolate. Then she came across the two thousand cupcake liners that were also in the carry on, and I think that resolved the issue for her.
I know I bought a thousand cupcake liners just two months ago -- the last time I was at Surfas -- but I really could not help myself. I was able to get 500 gold mini-cupcake liners, 500 pastel mini-cupcake liners, 500 pink zebra print (!) mini-cupcake liners, and 500 full-sized floral cupcake liners in assorted colors for less than $35. The floral liners are the exact ones I've purchased at Little Bitts (I used them when I made almond green tea cupcakes), where 50 liners cost $3.50. So at prices like this, how could I afford not to buy another few thousand liners?
For Jerry and Esther, my wedding dress benefactors, I baked a pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and some buttercrunch melt-a-ways. Since I forgot to bring an offset spatula with me, I had to frost the cake with a butter spreader, which is why it looks a little messy in the picture. I also forgot to pack a cookie scoop for the melt-a-ways and had to use a Chinese soup spoon to portion out the dough.
On a random note, I had time to stop by the Yamazaki Bakery in Little Tokyo during my trip and was surprised and delighted to see Honey Toast in the store display case. I had never heard of the dessert before I learned it was served at Ichiza restaurant in Las Vegas last month (picture here), and I kind of assumed this wacky dish had been invented at Ichiza. Maybe not, since I was also able to find it in a Japanese bakery in L.A. Yamazaki's version was much more modest in size than Ichiza's, and it was pretty tasty... But nowhere near as delicious as the behemoth at Ichiza, which is served hot with ice cream.
All in all, it was a very productive trip!
Recipes:
I know I bought a thousand cupcake liners just two months ago -- the last time I was at Surfas -- but I really could not help myself. I was able to get 500 gold mini-cupcake liners, 500 pastel mini-cupcake liners, 500 pink zebra print (!) mini-cupcake liners, and 500 full-sized floral cupcake liners in assorted colors for less than $35. The floral liners are the exact ones I've purchased at Little Bitts (I used them when I made almond green tea cupcakes), where 50 liners cost $3.50. So at prices like this, how could I afford not to buy another few thousand liners?
For Jerry and Esther, my wedding dress benefactors, I baked a pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and some buttercrunch melt-a-ways. Since I forgot to bring an offset spatula with me, I had to frost the cake with a butter spreader, which is why it looks a little messy in the picture. I also forgot to pack a cookie scoop for the melt-a-ways and had to use a Chinese soup spoon to portion out the dough.
On a random note, I had time to stop by the Yamazaki Bakery in Little Tokyo during my trip and was surprised and delighted to see Honey Toast in the store display case. I had never heard of the dessert before I learned it was served at Ichiza restaurant in Las Vegas last month (picture here), and I kind of assumed this wacky dish had been invented at Ichiza. Maybe not, since I was also able to find it in a Japanese bakery in L.A. Yamazaki's version was much more modest in size than Ichiza's, and it was pretty tasty... But nowhere near as delicious as the behemoth at Ichiza, which is served hot with ice cream. 
All in all, it was a very productive trip!Recipes:
- Pumpkin-Raisin Bars from epicurious.com.
- "Buttercrunch Melt-a-Ways" from Baking by Flavor by Lisa Yockelson.
- "An Early Autumnal Treat," June 24, 2008.
- "Melt-Your-Resolve Deliciousness: Buttercrunch Melt-a-Ways," June 20, 2009.
- "Las Vegas Food Report: Sweet Delights," July 12, 2009.
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