But who can blame us?

As rumored, Houston is indeed a food mecca. (A distinction no doubt correlated to its reputation as one of the fattest cities in the nation). A recent explosion of review sites like Yelp, social networking forums (the book of faces), and cooking reality shows has led to a veritable feeding frenzy.  We want to eat, and we want to talk about it.

I’m not sure who said it, but somebody mentioned cupcakes. 

It was quickly determined that Celebrity Cupcakes in Rice Village produced some of the best cupcakes known to man. “Their Fleur de Sel is amazing!” Somebody said. “Dark chocolate cupcake, filled with caramel, topped with chocolate ganache with a sprinkle of sea salt.”

Sea salt? Interesting.

I had to try one.

And so began the mission. In light of the cupcake craze which had joined the ranks as one of Houston’s newest food fads, I decided to conduct a study. Who really had the best cupcakes?

I began with Celebrity Cupcakes, home of the infamous Fleur de Sel. However, my first attempt was thwarted. Fleur de Sel is only available on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Apparently cupcake bakeries rely on an alternating menu, both to ensure quality of production (fewer flavors equals better quality control) and to ensure return visits.  Ingenious.

I settled for a Vanilla Bean cupcake with milk chocolate icing and a Chocolate Truffle cupcake.  The cupcakes were packaged in a dainty, white gift box.  I rushed the precious cargo home.  What followed was destined to be an event for the books (or the blog).  I guided a spoon down into the vanilla bean mound, lifted the morsel to my mouth and… whoa!   Soft and airy, not-too-sweet, moist cake. The hint of natural vanilla: perfect, like hand-churned ice cream. The icing was creamy and ambrosial.

I had a cupcake epiphany. This is what they’re supposed to taste like! Not like those dry, grainy, indeterminately-flavored cupcakes slathered with sick-sweet shortening served at birthday parties and baby showers.  God! Those poor children and pregnant women! For a fleeting moment, I considered pioneering efforts to rescue party-goers from bland cupcakes. Perhaps a non-profit organization dedicated to cupcake awareness.  But, having already committed to transforming Houston (10,000 low-income students, college-ready), I’m kinda booked up.

My next stop (not on the same day, of course) was Sprinkles. Another of my comrades, having heard of my cupcake experiment, informed me that a new cupcake bakery, made famous by Oprah, had just opened in Highland Village.  Sprinkles boasts a glamourous style. Very Hollywood.  I suppose this is why there was a line out the door on a Tuesday afternoon. One could even watch interviews with Hollywood celebs who had tried (and loved) Sprinkles cupcakes on a flat screen mounted on the outside wall of the shop. Impressive, though somewhat pretentious.

I waited 30 minutes in line for a cupcake…well, 3 cupcakes. These, too, were beautifully-packaged, though not secured from cupcake-bumpage as with the previous shop. The flavor selection was arresting. So many, so delicious-sounding.  I chose a Key Lime, Chocolate Marshmallow and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup. 

How would these stand against Celebrity? I couldn’t wait to find out.

…to be continued. 

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* Much more accurate than the term “coworker”, I choose to use “comrade”.

Comrade: –noun 1. a person who shares in one’s activities, occupation, etc.; companion, associate, or friend.  http://dictionary.reference.com