FGF #18: SASHIMI & WASABI

Gosh, it's been ages since my last Feel Good Friday post.

I've been blessed with such a great day today, lots of things to feel blessed about - I feel happy, energized and very optimistic. Despite last week's bout of flu & general unwellness, I recovered in a few days with minimal whining. I fought the bugs and didn't let them take away my spirit (which happens all the time when I get sick at this age)

Then, Wina was down with the flu and posted in Facebook that she wishes she has wasabi to clear up her nose, which reminded me of this hilarious scene on The Nanny, my all-time favourite show.

I can watch Fran over and over again and never find her voice is annoying!

SPANK

Google greeted me this morning with a very sweet image from a painting by Norman Rockwell, a popular 20th-century American painter and illustrator, whose birthday is today.

I couldn't get over this painting. Hilarious!

Images from here

Why? Coz I did that to Nunu just days ago! That little imp disturbed me while I was reading on the couch so that was her punishment.

SWITCHING FROM GREEEN TO BLUE

Yes! Finally after almost a month of being broadbandless and twitching nervously due to withdrawal syndromes, I'm finally back! Sent back that blasted green modem from that blasted green service provider (who made me fuming mad for blacklisting me for a write off account I never knew existed! Woi, you can't call me to inform kaa?) and I took my own sweet time looking for a better alternative. 

I settled for this great promotion & guess what, the modem's absolutely free! Well, not exactly, I will have to return it if I chose to terminate the service at any time, but this works great for me, coz as a reseller myself, of course I only have to pay less than half of the registration fee! The modem itself costs around 180+  and you're given 18mths warranty, so you're paying what, around RM10 a month for that device? I'd rather rent it and return it if it doesn't perform.

Smart move or not?

But so far, I think this is the best package that suits my needs. None from those 'sudah potong ka', 'kenapa mau potong' services. Gimmick only.

CHIC CUPCAKES

I am a simple girl who doesn't have that many wants in her wishlist. Other than a new mixer and a dressing table of my own (sharing it with a guy who has 30 bottles of perfume sucks, you know), I couldn't care less about material things. I know I should work more on that, "It's not bad to want things, Will" (Terri from Glee, Episode 1)

But when it comes to indulging in sweet treats I've been hankering for a while, I'd brave hailstorm for 'em!

I don't care if you think I'm so kampung & jakun, so excited to finally taste these heavenly cupcakes. Heck, I didn't even care that it was pouring catberts and dogberts at the time, grabbing Nunu & my Mom by the arms with my eyes glazed and a silly grin on my face while we rushed to this chic cafe while my brother went to get the car after we finished Ikea-ing

Well, I have a good reason to be so. Cupcake Chic is ALL about flavours, they're no dumb blonde cupcakes (pretty cakes that taste blah). What you see is what you get, and I took a long time looking. I was shaking in my boots when I saw all those yummy cupcakes lining up in the glass counter, like a giddy little girl picking out her new pet puppy (excuse the metaphor, I just watched Lilo & Stitch a few days ago)

L-R: Choc Mint, Back to Basics, Red Velvet, Lemon Meringue

After much thought, I picked my top four favourites. At RM4.50 each, they sure burnt a whole in my purse a little (my Mom balked at the price!) but I think they're reasonably priced, considering the size, quality, location & the all the hard work for coming up with the cupcakes and the concept as well. All these ain't cheap, I know. I'm a baker (ooh, I'm so ashamed to call myself that, but I am!)

Back to Basic, the vanilla on vanilla is absolutely gorgeous! Perfectly done, the cake's subtle sweetness matches with the smooth buttercream that didn't clog the roof of your mouth. The slightly grainy texture is there, which is forgivable in all American-style buttercream. I love the vanilla, tastes just like mine :)

I was not loving the Red Velvet much, though. The texture was okay, but I could taste the bicarb soda in the cake! It also need a little bit more red colouring/beet root juice or whatever they're using for the colour. The cake looked more brown than red. The cream cheese frosting is so-so actually and looked a tad curdled. I'm not really sure why, but I'm guessing if it could happen if the ingredients used are not at room temp. I could be wrong, don't sue me. I couldn't finish this one.

I love the look and the taste of the lemon meringue. Very light, but I prefer my cupcakes more, should I say, lemony? I don't know, I like my lemon cupcakes taste sharper, but this? I can live with this. Besides, who doesn't like their food with a little touch from a kitchen torch?

Ooh, kitchen torch. I should put that in my wishlist...

Last but not least, my favourite flavour... Chocolate Mint!

I get funny looks from people when I announce that this is favourite flavour ever, but I usually return them the funny look. I mean, how can you NOT love the breezy peppermint sensation on a sweet chocolaty taste? I'm sensitive, I feel very hurt when people say they hate minty food, that mint only belongs in toothpaste :(

Cupcake Chic's version is not bad at all. My brother comments that the cake would taste better if it's  more moist and didn't crumble too much. I defended that those qualities he looked for might have in the other chocolate flavours available. My only complain is, there's too little frosting! Haha, I'm the type who will go for the frosting (provided it's really goodlah) and in this case, I need more of the frosting. Sure, it's hard to please everyone, some people prefer their cakes to have a thin layer of frosting. But not me, it's good stuff, eventhough the good stuff usually goes straight to your thunder thighs :)

So there you go, my little review/ ramble about Cupcake Chic. The score I give 'em - 4/5! Can't wait to go there again and indulge in Othello, Fatal Attraction & Persian Love. Don't know what I'm talking about? Then head over to any of its three cupcakeries at the Curve, the Pavillion or Sunway Pyramid  and find out for yourself!