Dream Cupcake contest is sweet success

The number of cupcake flavors that exist all around the world are as diverse as the number of combinations anyone can make with the ingredients available.  Our Cupcake Contest for 2012 launched a search for the most creative cupcake that yielded hundreds of very creative and truly unique entries.  Don’t believe those that say Cupcakes are on the way out! 

As usual, the entries were well thought out, hunger-inducing and certainly original.  There are some very creative folks out there!

 

 

We chose 3 winners and their cupcake creations were handpicked by Chef Sylvia, developed into a recipe, and will be put into our bakery case for the entire month beginning in June with “Monkey Business.”  It’s like making them yourself, but without a big mess to clean up.

Entries were judged on the following:

Frosting: Flavor, type, texture are all important and was looked at critically. How well does the frosting marry to the cake? Does the frosting compliment the cake?

Cake: We were looking for moistness, flavor, and texture.  Would the cake support the frosting well? Would the whole thing collapse after you take a bite?

Presentation: How pleasing would the cupcake be to the eye? Are the icing colors appropriate for the flavor? Does the cupcake have flair? Originality?

Ease of Access: Is it too hard to get the wrapper off & when you do get it off,  does the cake hold together or would it make a mess?

Cupcake-ness: Does it remind you of a cupcake or does it push things too far?

 

The 3 winners were invited to taste Certe’s

version of their cupcakes.   

Drumroll, please…

Folks, we have the winners… 

“Coffee Explosion”—Vida Lok

      

 

A heavenly chocolate cupcake with a hint of espresso, filled with a rich coffee crème and topped with an espresso chocolate buttercream frosting infused with espresso bean crunchies. Rich as can be and so original, this one instantly caught our attention.http://mommylok.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/mommylok-meet-your-dream-cupcake/

“Monkey Business”—Sloane Giddon

  

A maple-flavored cake with caramelized banana filling and Nutella frosting, topped with peanut brittle pieces.  The sweetness of bananas and the exquisite goodness of Nutella are two reasons why we selected Sloane as one our winners.

“Snickerdoodle”—Lauren Campbell

A chocolate devil’s food cupcake filled with gooey caramel, mixed with peanuts, topped with chocolate ganache and a piece of a snickers bar. Truly a decadent  cupcake treat, to say the least.

    

  

              

 

  How Can You Get One?

In our pastry case at Certe’,

each one will be featured for

 an entire month.

 

June 5–  “Monkey Business”

July—“Coffee Explosion”

August—“Snickerdoodle”

 

Stop by for a single cupcake, by the dozen, or order in a Cupcake Tower!

Pizza by Certe’ Featured on PIZZA MARKETPLACE Blog

 

Green spotlight on… Pizza by Certe’

 

Jennifer Wright  April 25, 2012

 

Jennifer Wright is the CFO of Ecovention, LLC, a design, licensing and manufacturing firm dedicated to improving outmoded, outdated and wasteful food packaging. Ecovention’s first product, the GreenBox, is a pizza box made from 100% recycled material that breaks into plates and a storage carton

 

On East 56th Street in New York City, just off of the food wasteland that is Park Avenue, sits a hidden little gem that is deserving of attention: Pizza by Certe’, a 3-Star Green Restaurant Certified pizzeria opened by Chef Edward Sylvia almost two years ago to this day. When we first we met Mr. Sylvia, or Chef Ed as he is more affectionately known, he already had a successful eatery/catering company under his belt in restaurant Certe’ (located on E. 55th between 5th & 6th). But, Chef Ed had a dream – the genesis of which was the time he spent as a teen on a farm in Southern Illinois – that dream was to open a sustainable pizzeria that used locally sourced ingredients.

To that end, Chef Ed created Pizza by Certe’, the first LEED Gold pizza parlor, with recycled walls, millwork from wheat, and recycled bottle countertops. Chef Ed uses utensils and paper goods that are biodegradable, drinking cups and containers made from resin derived entirely from plants and our 100 percent recycled, multifunctional GreenBox pizza box. And Chef Ed even goes a step further by composting all food waste, making all deliveries by foot or hybrid truck and using rainwater for non-consumption purposes.

And then there’s the food… Non-bromated flour. That’s step one: Chef Ed sticks with the non-bromated stuff given that potassium bromate has been banned in Europe, Canada and Japan and flagged in California as a suspected carcinogen.

No cans. That’s step two: Chef Ed’s sauce is made purely from fresh tomatoes.

Fresh cheese. That’s step three: Chef Ed uses fresh whole milk mozzarella from local cheese makers, fresh hand-dipped Ricotta, and American grana that he grates fresh for every order.

Fresh toppings. That’s step four (and les pieces de resistance): Chef Ed uses toppings sourced locally where possible, as evidenced by the fresh basil he uses from the “green” wall in his restaurant.

A small tasting of Chef Ed’s many unique specialty pizza options will make anyone a believer in using fresh, local ingredients: The “Shrooms,” covered with roasted wild mushrooms, porcini bechamel and thyme, is pure heaven. The “Buffalo Artichoke,” with buffalo roasted artichoke, farmers blue cheese and celery hearts, is outrageous. The “Farmer’s Slice,” with long island potato, sharp amish cheddar, shaved corn and scallions, is pure brilliance. The “Italian Wedding,” topped with juicy, light meatballs; spinach, grana cheese, fresh mozzarella and hot pepper, is divine. We could go on, but you get the picture.

So next time you find yourself in Midtown East and (therefore) in culinary despair, drop into Pizza by Certe. And say hello to Chef Ed from the folks at GreenBoxNY.