Craving Satisfaction

Cravings stem from a variety of categories: one can crave sleep attention, warm weather, a significant other or space from a significant other, etc.  However, food takes the cake (no pun intended) when it comes to that feeling of ultimate bliss when the craving is fulfilled, as if, for those precious few moments of complete satisfaction, all is right with the world.  True food-craving fulfillment cannot be forced and can even occur as a surprise (the best kind).  This segment will call attention to these precious moments of epicurean ecstasy.

Chocolate.  Oh, chocolate.  I do not think anything else evokes the craving sensation like chocolate.  Fortunately, and especially for dark chocolate aficionados, chocolate cravings are fairly easy to satisfy with simply yet amazing brands such as Green and Blacks and Neuhaus.   Even plain M&Ms can hit the spot!  That being said, it is the rare "surprise" craving satisfaction that takes the fulfillment to the next level.

And, this is what happened upon my first visit to the afore-appraised Butter Lane.  Normally, it takes me a bit of time and careful contemplation (and questioning, as relayed in the wine selecting process at Jimmy's No. 43).  However, I saw the special icing of the day: chocolate-raspberry on a vanilla cupcake.  My decision was automatic and immediate; chocolate and raspberry happens to be my favorite combination (very closely followed by chocolate and orange, but that is for another post).

I am not even a huge icing person, but with the perfect ration of icing to cake at BL, and this glorious flavor combination, I knew even before tasting it that this icing would be amazingly satisfying.  Oh my.  Oh my my.  HOw it exceeded my craving satisfaction expectations!  It was a blissful marriage of rich, not-overly-sweet chocolate with pure extract of raspberry.  I could taste both flavors separately and together at the same time.  Neither overpowered the other, which is often where other attempts at this combination fall short.  Both were the true essence of the highest quality of their respective kinds.  That success along with the fluffy perfection of the icing atop the "most moist [...] spongy blanket" of a cupcake, made this craving satisfaction the best kind: a surprise craving satisfaction!

Apparently, this was a special icing for Valentine's Day...which made me appreciate the holiday more for its proclaimed purpose of celebrating love rather than just an excuse to eat too many sweet, drink too much champagne and get all dressed up to go out.  That icing filled me with yummy love-goodness!

I wonder if Pam, Maria and Linda got the chocolate-raspberry ratio right the first time, akin to their first venture into opening a cupcakery, or if it was a labor of love to provide that ultimate fulfillment to their clientele of seasoned choco-rasp lovers?  Either way, bless them for blessing me with the wonderfully surprising experience.  As most of you fellow chocoholics can attest, these exceptionally amazing interactions with cocoa are few and far between.