Vegging Out

I am writing this, nestled in on my couch, in my favorite tank, which reads "I veg to differ." It's from an organic farm and winery in Sonoma County owned by Lou Preston, a man I came to know during my month-long goat farm internship last year at Pugs Leap Farm, not too far from Lou's. Lou would stop by once a week to pick up the fresh whey (from the last few days cheesemaking production) to feed his pigs. We talked a bit about food, farming & politics, when Eric and Pascal - the goat farmer and cheesemaker, respectively - said we should have a picnic there some afternoon (except when Pascal says "picnic" there's an extra syllable, making him sound a bit like Smokey the Bear). Turn down wine and good food? Never!

Lou's winery is a find like few others. Organic produce, pigs and chicken, and fresh baked bread - and, oh yeah, amazing wines. Plus, his land is open to the public to have a picnic any time - so long as you don't arrive in a tour bus. Eric and Pascal arranged our picnic table with antique English china and crystal over freshly starched linens, much to the envy of the other picnickers. Fresh baguettes, the most amazing creamy fresh goat chese from their farm, washed down with Lou's "Grape Wine," a fruity, yet complex blend of rousanne, marsanne and viognier grapes all grown organically there.

I returned home insistent on adding a few goats and chickens to my current stable of 5 dogs. Eric & Pascal had even chosen the lady Edith for me to take away from their family - a goat who was probably a bit more uptown than their simple farm. But when I brought this up to my husband, he said it was out of the question. Why? The goats would eat all of our plants, and the dogs would eat the chickens! Still seemed surmoutable, but then I realized that so many of the edible fruit trees we have are actually toxic to animals, and that poor Edith might literally eat herself to death (which task, at the moment, is relegated to my parents' 16-year-old Dalmatian Patch). So Edith still reigns supreme at Pugs Leap, and the chicken battle is ongoing. But our garden has survived. In fact, thrived. And since some of you have asked about my garden, I thought I would point you to this little video of my berry patch, with music by my good friend Calman Hart's band Berkley Hart.

Michelle

"Back in the Saddle"

Enough travel for a while. Back to Cups, our bakery, our lounge, and now, our teaching kitchen and party room, Cups Culinary aka the "green room." THIS is the reason I opened Cups - to really share my passion for cooking and teaching with others. Just had the first few events here: 30 sorority sisters, 4-year-old princess party, bridal shower, baby shower, and next week - a Superman-themed deco party! Next step, classes for summer camp, and a full public class schedule. If you have thoughts or suggestions, e-mail me....

So you've probably seen some of the "not your mother's cupcake" shots here. Let me explain. When you say you make cupcakes, a lot of people come in with certain expectations, many of which are based on the box mix/canned frosting cupcakes of our youth and the contemporary grocery store equivalent. No disrespect intended - been there, eaten that! That's just not what we do.

I wanted to make varied, complex, often more dense, less sweet desserts - that happen to come in a cupcake form. We make dense, dark flourless Cups. Sugar-free Cups. Brioche and other yeast-dough Cups. Mixed sweet & savory Cups. Vegan, gluten-free....

SOOOOOO it became necessary to let people know what we do differently, so as to address head-on people's expectations. Love us, hate us, this is what you get. I can't imagine a single cupcake to please every palate - nor do I want to. One billion served to me doesn't say top quality, it says lowest common denominator. But let me get off my high horse (how easily I seem to get back in that saddle...).

Anyway, as I started this rant, am happy to be back at Cups, my new expansion of space inspiring my creative juices. So I will put down this computer and return to the kitchen, to eagerly play with some new concepts. So excited about the upcoming season - so much fresh fruit to incorporate into our Cups! Am harvesting a lot of chamomile from the garden right now, have been thinking this one through - love the idea of a sweet honey-vanilla chamomile Cup. Also picking a lot of fava beans, but not feeling that one yet. Planting my own vanilla and cinnamon plants (in a small greenhouse) but won't get much there for a while. Anxiously awaiting the arrival of the little blackberry buds starting to appear. Now this is the saddle I want to get back in....

Michelle Cicceralli Lerach
Founder


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