Forget what food critics say: Cupcakes are still hot, and no, they have not been replaced with pies as the “it” dessert (at least in this city). From Brookfield’s Miss Julia’s Bake Shop to Milwaukee Cupcake Company in the Third Ward, a sugar shock is suddenly within reach. The newest cupcake shop on the block, Miss Cupcake Bakery, opens in Shorewood next month. Until then, she’s taking custom orders.
There I was last Saturday, faced with a few dark-chocolate cupcakes with a poof of yellow frosting. (Even the dog had one courtesy of Miss Cupcake Bakery: carrot cake topped with cream cheese and a dog treat.) What to pair?
I tried these two and both worked fabulously.
2010 Banfi Vintners Rosa Regale Sparkling Dolce Red Wine (Piedmont, Italy, $20) is made with 100 percent Brachetto grapes. On first sip, this bubbly is sickly sweet but when paired with a chocolate dessert the red-raspberry notes actually soften and notes of rose petals emerge. (www.rosaregale.com)
2009 Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery Petite Sirah (Lake County, California, $19) has hints of dark chocolate, along with blueberry pie notes accented by cedar spice, all against a full, almost robust body. (www.shannonridge.com)
WINE EVENT OF THE WEEK
How cool is this? One of Milwaukee’s most iconic landmarks – the Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion, the former Pabst family mansion, at 2000 W. Wisconsin Ave. – is hosting a wine tasting June 15 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets ($25, members; $30, non-members) can be purchased at the mansion, by calling (414-931-0808) or via the mansion’s web site. It’s not just about wine, however. This annual event, dubbed “A Fine Time for Wine,” features artisan cheeses, sweet treats and live music. As someone who has only seen the mansion’s décor decked out during the Christmas holiday, I just might have to go.
WINE DEAL OF THE WEEK
Summertime means patio time, and Riverfront Pizzeria Bar & Grill – which hugs the Milwaukee River and Riverwalk on the far Eastern end of Erie Street in the Third Ward – understands this completely. If you have a boat, there is a restaurant-owned dock just for you. Even if you don’t, you’re welcome to choose a table outdoors, right above the water. For wine lovers, there are three nights in which to indulge in an imbibing deal. Tuesday means half-price bottles of wine, and Wednesday and Thursday (from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.) $3 glasses of house wine are poured.
WINE OF THE WEEK
In the world of French white wines it’s hard to score a true bargain. The 2010 Paul Mas Estate Picpoul de Pinet (Languedoc, France, $13) contains 100 percent Picpoul grapes, which are foreign to most North Americans, but should not be. Very clean and confident, this white wine shows hints of peaches and some tropical fruits, laced with minerals. Neither zesty nor acidic, it’s nicely balanced. (www.paulmas.com)
