Some folks have streets or schools named after them, others leave a legacy behind in desserts. Cakespy, aka Jessie Oleson, put together this impressive list of inspired sweets—everything from Cherry Garcia ice cream to graham crackers to Robert Redford cake....
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Pink box from Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland, Oregon. [Flickr: mulmatsherm] There are many cultural differences between the West and East coasts but it takes a true doughnut eater to notice the one involving different-colored bakery boxes. When Jessie Oleson of Cakespy (and our own baking blogger) moved out west, she spotted the Pepto Bismol-colored boxes after being so used to white ones. It turns out the difference has something to do with Cambodia (yes, we're all over the map here). According to an "Ask Chris" column in Los Angeles Magazine: Cambodians fleeing the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s arrived in large numbers in Southern California, where they were recruited by Winchell’s. At the time the coated, greaseproof boxes...
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Serious Eats contributor Jessie Oleson shows you how to make a popular 1880s dessert, Hermits, on her blog, CakeSpy. She says that these cookies—flavored with coffee, cinnamon, and nutmeg—are rich, cakey, moist, and satisfying....
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Photograph from The Cooking of Joy Cakespy's Jessie Oleson gives the "whoopie pies are the next big thing" movement a good ol' Bronx cheer: Problem one: The Stupid Name. There's no delicate way to say it: Whoopie Pie is a stupid-sounding name. For me, "whoopie" conjures up goofy images of sexual reference on the Newlywed Show and cushions that make farting sounds. I don't know about you, but even adding "pie" after it doesn't serve to cancel out these associations or change them to "irresistible dessert". Ms. Oleson also has problems with "the cute factor" (not much, she says) and their size (too big). I, for one, would still rather eat, look at, or read about whoopie pies than,...
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