Cheery Observations

When I first heard about Butch Bakery, I had to laugh. Only in New York would a tongue-in-cheek bakery designed for ‘manly men’ not only be created, but thrive to the point of a cult following!

Created by David Arrick, a former attorney, Butch Bakery aims for that fine line between unique and kitschy.   As Arrick says, masculine cupcakes don’t have to equal baseballs and golf tees.  Instead customers at Butch Bakery select from a series of cupcakes with camouflage or wood grain chocolate discs (to name a few) and alcohol infused cake.  There is no pink frosting or sprinkles in sight!

As a Valentine’s Day surprise for Justin, I ordered a ‘Short Round’ consisting of four alcohol infused cupcakes.  The delivery was delayed by a week due to their overwhelming popularity (a quick look at their website shows that they remain swamped, with current delays of 2 weeks).  All of my interactions with Butch Bakery, both via email and in person, were incredibly positive and friendly.  They make the process of ordering cupcakes online (it’s hard not being able to smell the batter and debate flavors incessantly!) as smooth as possible.

By the way, this wasn’t a completely selfless purchase (sorry, Justin!).  I had to try these unique Butch cupcakes for myself.

The cupcakes arrived nestled in torn paper, looking like mini camouflaged works of art.  I wasn’t sure if the various patterned discs were truly going to be edible, but they ended positively enhancing the cupcakes’ overall taste.

Standard 1: Moist and Flavorful Cake:  The cake stayed moist for several days.  After the delivery, I put the cupcakes in the fridge for 4 hours and when we removed them, the cake was soft and refreshing.  This remained the case even after another night in the fridge.  Our cupcakes had three different cakes:  lemon, vanilla, and whiskey.  The lemon was fantastic:  not overly lemony, reminiscent of lemon meringue.

Standard 2: Fresh, Soft Frosting:  Because the frosting was only half of the topping, it was slightly different from your standard cupcake frosting.  The frosting was tasty and firm.  It served as the glue between the chocolate disc and the cake.  The interior cream was moist and complemented each cake completely.

Standard 3: Visually appealing:  Yes!  The cupcakes were beautiful inside and out. The cupcake was a medium size and perfectly round, adorned with a masculine top hat.

Butch Bakery has managed to find a niche that didn’t exist in Manhattan!  Despite being overwhelmed with orders, their customer relations remained positive and the flavor and freshness of the cupcake was not impacted.  Butch Bakery’s cupcakes are a creative gift that will be appreciated on birthdays and other special occasions.

Final Grade: A

Click the head of garlic to salivate over a recipe for Sweet Potato and Mushroom Lasagna!

Since moving to Brooklyn, I’ve been eating more chocolate than ever.  I’m surrounded by local small-batch chocolatiers such as Mast Brothers, Nunu, and Fine and Raw.  It’s easy to feel spoiled! Each chocolate maker’s product is rich, unique, and something to be savored.  Beyond supporting local artisans, I believe it’s equally important to support the global economy, specifically countries in which a particular crop is their livelihood, like  coffee beans in Guatamala or cocoa beans in Ecuador.

If you shop around for chocolate, you’ll stumble across a variety of products and labels.   90% of all cocoa beans originate from about 3 million small farming families.  Fair Trade initiatives guarantee that small farmers and cooperatives receive a minimum price for their product.   The Rainforest Alliance Certified label guarantees that the product was made according to criteria that balance economic, ecological, and social considerations.  Goods must be produced without depleting the natural resources or the surrounding community.  USDA Organic, although an expensive and often controversial label, means that products have been grown and processed according to the USDA’s organic standards.

The current chocolate bar we’ve been snacking on is Kallari.  We sampled a number of different pieces in Whole Foods a few weeks ago and we were excited to learn about what makes Kallari unique.

1)    The Kallari Association is a cooperative of 850 families, both artists and cocoa producers, in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

2)    100% of sales profits on all Association items go back to the cooperative.

3)    The Kallari cacao beans (Cacao Nacional) spend only three months between harvest and destination; these beans come from a single source (unlike some dark chocolates that blend multiple beans).

These days, more and more products are becoming certified as ‘Fair Trade’ or ‘Rainforest Alliance’.  As a consumer, it’s important to learn where your purchases come from and what impact your purchase might have on a community.

Our gum had the label ‘House the Homeless’.  A quick trip to their website reveals Project 7’s platform.  They aim to donate 50% of their profits (a minimum of $105,000) to seven areas of need in the world (founder Tyler Merrick wanted to turn the  7 Deadly Sins upside down):

Build the Future, Feed the Hungry, Heal the Sick, Help Those in Need, Hope for Peace, House the Homeless, and Save the Earth.

Each year, seven non-profit organizations (one from each area of need) are supported by product proceeds.  So, as an example, 50% of my ‘House the Homeless’ gum purchase will be donated to SOS Children’s Villages International.  Project 7 is a two year old organization with a great deal of potential.  They have a creative website, a blog, and a twitter account, if you’re interested in learning more.

Currently, Project 7 manufactures bio-bottled water, gum, mints and T-shirts.