Cake Byte: Robicelli's Has a Retail Storefront in Brooklyn

File under "OMG". Robicelli's, that creative purveyor of cupcakes in Brooklyn, has taken one grand step for sweetfreaks everywhere: they've opened up a retail storefront!

That's right, friends. According to a personal message to CakeSpy with love from Allison Robicelli (a trustworthy source if there ever was one), 

As of last Saturday, Robicelli's now has it's own storefront on the corners of Flatbush Avenue and Willoughby St in Brooklyn! Stop by next time you're in town!

That's right. So close to Pratt Institute, where I studied illustration! Where were you 10 years ago, Robicelli's?

My advice: go visit next time you're in NYC. Or, if you're in NYC, go there now. Even if they're not open during the hour you read this, go there and wait til they open. You'll be rewarded with delicious and creatively flavored cake when they do open for the day.

For more info, visit the Robicelli's site.

Cake Byte: Many Baking Contests at the Puyallup Fair!

YOU GUYS. If you've never been to the Puyallup Fair, this is the year to go. Just take a gander at all of the baking (and, ok, one Spam)-related contests! As the press release goes,

Taking home the coveted blue ribbon is the dream of cooks and bakers who enter their creations at the Puyallup Fair, and this year is no exception. A NEW online registration is required in advance if culinary artists want to vie to make their dream a reality. The Puyallup Fair runs Sept. 9-25.

Here are the contests; rules can be found at the bottom of the post.

Dillanos Coffee Biscotti Contest

Online Registration By:  Thursday, Sept. 1, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Wednesday, Sept. 7, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

If your friends love to come over and enjoy your just-baked biscotti with a hot cup of Dillanos coffee, then you may be a step away from winning a blue ribbon. The first place receives $100, second place $50, and third place $25.

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Dillanos Best Quick Bread Coffee Cake Contest

Online Registration By:  Thursday, Sept. 1, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Wednesday, Sept. 7, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

If your family or friends love to wake up to a piece of your quick bread coffee cake with their cup of Dillanos coffee, then you’ll want to enter this competition. The blue ribbon first place brings home $100, second place $50, and third place $25.

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Fleischmann’s Yeast Bake For the Cure® Contest

Online Registration By:  Thursday, Sept. 1, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Wednesday, Sept. 7, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

If you bake a first place recipe in the yeast bread or whole grain bread category, your recipe will advance for a possible $1,000 grand prize national award! For every entry, Fleischmann’s Yeast (ACH Food Companies) will contribute $10 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Themes and decorations are encouraged for your recipe using Fleischmann’s Yeast.

1^st Category: Yeast Bread of Any Type or Flavor - First place receives $150, second place receives $75, and third place $50. All three winners also receive a ribbon, an award certificate and an apron.

2^nd Category:  Whole Grain Bread –Any type of recipe with yeast may be submitted from bread or rolls to pizza or cakes. Recipes should contain at least 50 percent whole grains, such as whole wheat flour, rye flours, and/or other whole grain ingredients (oatmeal, flax seed, bran cereals, bulgur, etc). All-purpose or bread flour should be limited to 50 percent or less of the flour in the recipe. The first place honoree receives $100, and second place $50, and both receive a ribbon, an award certificate and an apron.

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King Arthur Flour “Great Cake Contest”

Online Registration By:  Thursday, Sept. 1, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Wednesday, Sept. 7, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

This year King Arthur Flour Company is hosting the “Great Cake Contest”! All entries must use King Arthur Flour. The first place winner takes home a $200 gift card, second place is a $150 gift card and third place wins a $100 gift card. King Arthur Flour Company will also choose a grand prize winning cake out of 15 blue ribbon cakes at official host fairs, offering the grand prize winner the choice of either a $500 shopping spree online at www.KingArthurFlour.com or a complimentary trip to Vermont for a one-day class at the King Arthur Flour Baking Education Center.

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Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust “Dessert Pie” Championship Contest

Online Registration By:  Thursday, Sept. 1, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Wednesday, Sept. 7, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Got a great pie? Pillsbury® invites pie lovers to enter their best dessert pie made with Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (one or two crusts).  Make a pie to marvel at with meringue, cream, custard or fruit.

The first place winner will also be in the running to receive a $5,000 award selected from all the first place winning recipes from Pillsbury’s contestants nationwide. Last year’s Puyallup Fair blue ribbon winner, Angie Battle won the online voting contest choosing “America’s Favorite Pie” from all first place winners for her recipe, Triple-Threat Coconut Cream Pie.

The Puyallup Fair first place winner receives $200, a commemorative gift, ribbon, award certificate and Pillsbury apron, and a chance to win the national prize. Second place receives $100, and third place $50, and both receive a ribbon, certificate and apron.

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Wilton Decorated Cake and Cupcake Contests (Amateur)

Online Registration By:  Thursday, Sept. 1, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Wednesday, Sept. 7, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

If your friends tell you that your cake and cupcake decorating rival that of a professional, then, you should enter this contest. The first place decorated cakewinner takes home $100, second place $50, and third place $25. The first place decorated cupcake winner takes home $50, second place $30, and third place $20.The best of class winner will receive a choice of one of the following:  Pops! Sweets on a Stick! (book), Cookie Exchange (book), or Cake Decorating Basics (DVD).

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Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship

Online Registration By:  Sunday, Sept. 11, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Monday, Sept. 12, 5 - 7 p.m.

Calling all chocolate bakers of treats, snacks, cake, candy, cookies or desserts! Create your mouthwatering recipe using at least one of Ghiradelli’s premium baking products (chocolate chips, bars, and/or cocoa). First place is $150 and a Ghirardelli chocolate gift basket, $50 for second place, or a gift basket for third place. Judging:  7:30 p.m

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The Great American Spam Championship

Online Registration By:  Monday, Sept. 12, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Wednesday, Sept. 14, 10 a.m. – noon

The first meal of the day is the most important one. Let your culinary creativity soar with the Great American SPAM® Championship. Enter your best breakfast entry using at least one 12-ounce can of any variety of SPAM product. There are two categories in this creative Spam contest:  Adults (ages 18 and up) and Kids (ages 7-17). First place honor in each category is $150, second place in both categories is $50, and third place is $25. Judging:  1 p.m.

Winning recipes will go on to nationals, where the National Spam Grand Champion Prize is a trip to Waikiki Spam Jam, valued at $3,000. The National “Spam Kid Chef of the Year” grand prize is $2,000.

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C&H Sugar Parent-Child Christmas Decorated Cookie Contest

Online Registration By:  Wednesday, Sept. 14, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Friday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m. – noon

It’s not too early to think about creating a Christmas cooking with your child. A parent (mother, father, grandparent, legal guardian or step-parent) and child (6-16 years) will compete for the best Christmas decorated cookies using C&H Sugar. Parents may enter two different recipes with two different children. The first place team wins $100, second place $50, and third place $25. Judging: 1 p.m.

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Salsa Showdown

Online Registration By:  Wednesday, Sept. 14, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Thursday, Sept. 15, 5 – 7 p.m.

Wake up the judges taste buds with your special salsa recipe. It can be any fresh, healthful, easy to prepare, intensely flavored mixture of vegetables or fruits, herbs and spices. First place is $100, second place $50, and third place $25. Judging: 7:30 p.m.

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Puyallup Fair Peach Pie Contest

Online Registration By:  Saturday, Sept. 17, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Monday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m. – noon

Sweet and juicy peaches come alive when made into a tempting pie. Bakers will compete for the blue ribbon in the Puyallup Fair Peach Pie Cecipe.  First place winners receive a $100 cash prize, second place receives $50, and third place receives $25. Judging: 1 p.m.

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The Original Famous Fair Scone Contest

Online Registration By:  Monday, Sept. 19, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Wednesday, Sept. 21, 10 a.m. – noon

This is the 100^th anniversary of Fair Scones, so winning this recipe contest using the Original Famous Fair Scone and Shortcake Mix as part of the recipe would be especially memborable. The first place winner receives $125, second place receives $75 and third place receives $50. Each winner receives a ribbon and a gift basket. Judging: 1 p.m.

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Puyallup Fair’s Best Jam and Jelly Contest

Online Registration By:  Wednesday, Sept. 21, 10 p.m.

Bring Your Entry:  Friday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m. – noon

Whether you like to make jam or jelly, you’re in luck. We’ve got just the contest for you. The first place winner in each category receives a $75 cash prize, second place winner receives a $50 cash prize, and the third place winner receives a $25 cash prize. Judging: 1 p.m.

To obtain the list of conditions of entry and awards and to register online, visit www.thefair.com, and select Exhibit Entries. To review contest rules in the premium book, click on the desired contest. Or, to enter, click On-Line Entries. Then click Login/Logoff and choose your Type (Exhibitor), then Create Entries. You will select the department and division. For further questions, contact the Puyallup Fair Entry Office at (253) 841-5074, M-F, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. or CompExhibits@thefair.com.

Cake Byte: Trophy Cupcakes Debuts Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Totally sweet! A new cupcake flavor for summer (or what we're calling "summer" here in Seattle) at Trophy Cupcakes! Here's the 411:

Summer has arrived at Trophy Cupcakes and Party with the addition of Farmers Market Strawberry Cheesecake cupcakes to its roster of delicious confections. Made with Skagit Valley’s own Hayton Farms organic strawberries, this seasonal strawberry cupcake sits atop a buttery graham cracker crust, and is topped with fresh strawberry cream cheese buttercream and a delicate candy strawberry blossom.

 “Our Farmers Market Strawberry Cheesecake cupcake is an ode to all of the delicious strawberries grown locally,” said Trophy Cupcakes and Party owner Jennifer Shea. “This cupcake is the perfect taste of summer – we love making unique creations using the Pacific Northwest’s best seasonal produce.”

The perfect summer treat for all, Trophy’s Farmers Market Strawberry Cheesecake cupcakes will only be available at Trophy Cupcakes and Party retail locations at Wallingford Center, University Village and The Bravern through the month of July.

But wait, there's more. Also per their newsletter:

In other Trophy news, the cupcake boutique’s new celebration space, the Trophy Party Room, is the perfect location for all summer soirees. Simply reserve the Trophy Party Room and choose from Trophy’s menu of delicious cupcakes and fanciful party and provide guests with an unforgettable party experience. For more information about the Trophy Party Room please email party@trophycupcakes.com, or visit Trophy Cupcakes and Party online.

For more info, visit the Trophy Cupcakes website.

Cake Byte: Cupcake Royale's Gay Cupcakes Raise Money For a Sweet Cause

Yo, sweeties! Remember a while back how I posted about Cupcake Royale's totally gay cupcake for a totally sweet cause? Well, I have an update from the Royale folks:

During the prideful month of June, we wanted to use our super powers for good and we set a goal to raise $5,000 for the It Gets Better Project. Turns out the community went wild for the idea and gobbled up The Gay cupcake so we decided to double our donation.

This Thursday, we'd like to invite you to come celebrate with us as Cupcake Royale founder Jody Hall presents Dan Savage with a check for $10,000 for the It Gets Better Project. Jody, Dan and a Pride Foundation scholar will all say a few words about the personal importance of this project. And if you didn't get a chance to sample The Gay during the month of June, it will be making a limited reappearance for this event.

If you want more information on this effort, please give Amanda a call (206-883-7656) and she can tell you all about it. Jody and company are super proud of the effort and our ability to rally the community around this to make a difference for our young LGBT people.

Here are the details:

Thursday, July 14th at 4:30pm

Cupcake Royale, 1111 E Pike Street

What to expect:

• Welcome and brief remarks
• Jody Hall speaks
• Dan Savage speaks
• Pride Foundation scholar speaks
• Presentation of check
• Q & A

And after, since it is Art Walk night, stick around to enjoy the art of Benjamin Blackletter.

Berry Delicious: Strawberry Festival Cupcakes at Cupcake Royale for July

Image: Cupcake RoyaleThere's some serious sweetness afoot at Seattle's Cupcake Royale.

Starting tomorrow, they've got a special roster of Strawberry Cupcakes! Here's the 411, from their blog:

The 4^th of July is just around the corner which means that summer can officially begin in Seattle. To celebrate, we're having a Strawberry Festival during the month of July! Our neighbors to the north, Skagit Sun, have supplied us with locally-sourced, organic strawberries that we incorporated into each of this month's four cupcake flavors. Our bakers have been busily consulting with grandmothers and country fair winners alike to come up with the most delicious flavor combinations and we think you'll love them as much as we do!

Strawberry 66 is our classic vanilla buttercake topped with Strawberry buttercream. The ingredients for this delicious cupcake are over 66% local, which we think makes it the most local cupcake around. Frank Bruni would be proud.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry starts with our moist chocolate cake, then we add our strawberry buttercream and dip it into fine chocolate vermicelli.

Strawberry Shortcake has a sweet strawberry puree baked into a vanilla cake with a whipped cream strawberry frosting and topped with graham cracker crumbs.

Strawberry Velvet updates our classic red velvet cake with a whipped cream strawberry frosting.

I know, they all sound delicious. But...why decide? They make it super easy to try them all with the Strawberry Festival 4-pack, for $13.50. For more information or locations, visit cupcakeroyale.com!

Cake Byte: CakeSpy Art at Urban Craft Uprising

It's that time again. Time for you to come and hang out with me at Seattle Center and buy stuff from me.

That's right: next weekend, over a hundred indie artists of the highest caliber will be showcasing their wares at Seattle Center (including CakeSpy, This Charming Candy, Secret Stash Sea Salts, Mucho Design, and so many more!). Like, hello awesome! Bring cash, sweeties! Oh, and you can read an interview I did on the official Urban Craft Uprising blog here.

OH! AND! I will have a new product on hand: Baby Onesies! A preview of the three styles is at the top of this post. They will retail for $20 each.

Here are the details for the event:

What: Urban Craft Uprising

Date: July 9th and 10th 
Times: 11-5 both days at 
Location: Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, 305 Harrison Street Seattle, WA  98109 (entrance is on Mercer St. with a parking lot directly across the street)

For the full scoop, visit the official website at www.urbancraftuprising.com

Sweet Announcement: "Tour De Sweet" Bakery Book Tour

So, unless you've been living under a chunk of rock candy (this might not be such a bad thing, actually), you probably know that possibly the sweetest book ever to be published is coming out this fall: CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life (oh, and you can click on that hyperlink to pre-order, if you'd like).

And--even better--I am coming to a city near you on a book tour. But aside from a couple of exceptions, the tour will take place not at bookstores--but at BAKERIES! That's right. OMG. And so that's why we're calling it Tour De Sweet! Basically, we're going to hang out, eat baked goods, and then you will buy like 30 copies of my book (Official Tour de Sweet Promise: I promise to sign and draw a unicorn, cupcake, and/or robot in each and every copy of my book you buy). 

Sweet disclaimer: Now. These dates and times may shift slightly, so be sure to check back closer to the events!

Online Launch: Tour de sweet Blog Party!

October 10: Cupcake Project
October 11: Bake It in a Cake!
October 12: Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
October 13: Dessert First
October 14: Cookie Madness
October 15: Bake and Destroy
October 16: Piece of Cake
October 17: Not Martha
October 18: Scoopalicious
October 19: Big Girls, Small Kitchen
October 20: Blondie and Brownie

October 13: Official Book Launch Party!

Well, this date you can count on: the official kickoff party for the book will take place on Thursday, October 13 at the CakeSpy retail shop at 415 E. Pine Street in Seattle! We'll be there from 6pm til we sell out of books or run out of cake. Details here!

October 15-18: Seattle Events

• Friday, October 14: Book Larder in Fremont, details TBA
• Saturday, October 15: Sweet Meet-Up at Cupcake Royale of Capitol Hill, 1111 E. Pike, 7-9 pm - more details here!
• Monday, October 17: Cupcake Royale of Bellevue, 3-5 pm! More details here.

October 20-24: Portland, OR

• Thursday, October 20: Pix Patisserie, 3901 N. Williams Ave., 5pm; more details here
• Saturday, October 22: Saint Cupcake, 4pm; more details here

Oct. 29-31: SF BAY AREA

• October 29: Teacake Bake Shop, Burlingame, 2pm
• October 30: Omnivore Books, 3pm. I will wear a Halloween costume if you want me to.

November 7-8: Boston

• Monday, November 7: Sweet Cupcakes, Downtown location, (11 School Street) 5-7 pm

• Tuesday, November 8: Eat Cake, Newburyport, 3pm

November 9-11: New York (Manhattan and Brooklyn)

• Wednesday, November 9: Butter Lane , 2pm
• Thursday, November 10: BAKED in Brooklyn , 7pm

November 12: Philadelphia 

• Saturday, November 12: Bredenbeck's Bakery, Chestnut Hill, 1pm

November 14: Baltimore, MD

• Dangerously Delicious Pies, 6pm

November 15: Washington DC

• Baked & Wired at 7pm

November 16-17 New Jersey (cities tba)

• November 16: Sweet in Hoboken, 5-7 pm
• November 17: Sugarush in Red Bank, New Jersey, 4pm 

November 18-19: Chicago

• November 18: Angel Food Bakery, 3pm
• November 19: Bleeding Heart Bakery, 1955 west belmont ave, 11-3 pm

November 25-December 7: Seattle 

• November 25: Poggi Bonsi, Renton, 3-6 p.m.
• December 1: Tom Douglas Cookbook Social
• December 3-4 (both days): Urban Craft Uprising! I will also be signing books at this event.
• December 6: Venue, Ballard, 5-7 p.m.
• December 7: Wallingford, Seattle's Trophy Cupcakes (for an art show and book event!) The time is to be announced, but count on 5-8pm ish.

December 10+11: Portland, again

 I'll be there for Crafty Wonderland! 

December 12-15: Los Angeles

• December 13: Yummy Cupcakes of Burbank, 12-2 p.m. Facebook event here.
• December 14: Vanilla Sunshine Cupcakery, Claremont, CA 4-6 pm. Facebook event here.
• December 15: Village Bakery Cafe. 5-7 pm. Facebook event here.

...and I think we'll have another event (maybe a cookie swap!) at the CakeSpy Shop before Christmas.

Best book tour ever? I think yes. If you are a bakery or bookstore (or both!) interested in hosting an event, please contact cakespyshop@gmail.com!

Cake Byte: Molly Moon's Makes Sweet Merger with Chocolate Box in Downtown Seattle

Watch out, Seattle: you're about to get a whole lot sweeter. Molly Moon's is opening its FIFTH (yes, FIFTH!) Scoop Shop in Seattle--but this time, it's sweet fusion: they're making a merger with Chocolate Box, a confectionery shop a stone's throw from the Pike Place Market! Here's the official press release:

SEATTLE, Tuesday, June 28, 2011 – Molly Moon Neitzel today announced the opening of her fifth Seattle-based scoop shop to be located inside the already established Chocolate Box retail space at 108 Pine St. in downtown Seattle.

This business licensing agreement between Molly Moon’s and Chocolate Box owners Michel and Valerie Brotman is yet another example of Neitzel’s innovative business plans to grow the Moon’s brand in an exciting, but sustainable manner.

“I’m excited to be partnering with Michel and Valerie on the newest member of the Molly Moon’s family,” said Neitzel. “Expanding to downtown Seattle is an amazing opportunity for us and I look forward to sharing our signature ice creams and sorbets with its residents, professionals and tourists. It truly is a dream to showcase our flavors, which are made and inspired by local and seasonal ingredients, so close to Pike Place Market.”

“Our hope is that Chocolate Box becomes downtown Seattle’s favorite dessert destination,” said Brotman. “We're thrilled to be teaming with Molly and her crew, and know that Molly Moon’s ice cream will help us reach that exciting goal!”

But wait, there's more! In celebration of Moon’s downtown Seattle grand opening, kids 12 years of age and under, who visit the shop on Friday, July 1 between 3 and 5 p.m. will receive a complementary kid-sized scoop of their favorite flavor. Molly Moon’s at Chocolate Box will be open daily from 12-noon to 11 p.m.

For additional information about Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream, please visit mollymoonicecream.com. To learn more about Chocolate Box, please visit sschocolatebox.com.

Sweet Picks: CakeSpy's Top Three Choices from the Annual Ice Cream Cupcake Contest

So. Recently I was asked to be a celebrity judge in an Ice Cream Cupcake Contest (curated and put together by Scoopalicious and the Cupcake Project). Wait, I just kind of inserted that "celebrity" part myself. I was really just a judge. Gosh, my life is hard. I was in good company, with fellow judges Nicole of Baking Bites and Naomi of Bakers Royale.

But joking aside, the judging was quite hard--I had to choose just three from an array of over 60 delectable-sounding and looking ice cream cupcake creations!  And they all sounded good, from the deep fried salted caramel specimen to the banana split cupcake to the cake kebabs. NOM! 

Well, it was hard, but I was able to narrow it down to my favorite three. They are listed in no particular order:

Mini-Swirl Ice Cream Vanilla Cupcakes by Ramsey Thompson

Cake Flavor: Vanilla
Ice Cream Flavor: Vanilla 
Frosting Flavor: Vanilla Bean and Rich Chocolate
Toppings: N/A

Why I chose this one: The beauty was in the simplicity: it pays adorable homage to the classic summertime treat, the soft-serve chocolate vanilla swirl cone, in cupcake form; for me, it was a perfect union of cupcake and ice cream.

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Halwa Cupcakes with Kulfi and Cashew-Lime Cookie Toppers by C & C Cakery

Cake Flavor: Halwa - Carrot Cake with Ghee and Cardamom
Ice Cream Flavor: Kulfi - Pistachio, Rosewater, and Cardamom
Frosting Flavor: Cashew Cream Cheese Buttercream
Toppings: A Cashew-Lime Cookie with Cardamom and Mukhwas 

Why I chose this one: The flavors were unexpected, with a spicy Middle Eastern influence that seemed interesting but harmonious with both the cake and ice cream; it sounds like a refreshing and unexpected summer treat combining some of my favorite flavors.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cupcakes by Ruth of Madame Zippy's Custom Cakes

Cake Flavor: Chocolate Chip Cookie
Ice Cream Flavor: Brown-sugar-molasses chocolate chip cookie dough
Frosting Flavor: Chocolate chip cookie dough
Toppings: Baby chocolate chip cookie

Why I chose this one: It's basically a triple-threat of awesome. Cake, cookie dough, and ice cream. And it has cookie dough in each part of it! OMG! This lady clearly knows my weakness.

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Honorary mention. Now, two photos in particular need to be called out because they brought me so much joy.

Strawberry Shortcake Plus Ice Cream Cupcakes: This needs to be assigned an honorary mention, not only because it sounds delicious, but because of all the entries, it is the one that most resembles Andy Warhol!

Chocolate Chocolate Cone: This needs to be assigned an honorary mention as well, not only because likewise do these treats sound NOM-worthy, but because the photo is so evocative: the fallen cake soldier!

Of course, you can view all of the other entries here, and based on the choices of my fellow judges (Nicole's picks here!), a winner will be announced soon!

Update on Thursday, June 30, 2011 by Cakespy

Update: There is a winner! Read all about it here.You win!

Five Reasons Seattle Dessert Lovers Must Buy Keren Brown's Food Lover's Guide to Seattle

If you live in Seattle, you pretty much need to buy the newly released book Food Lovers' Guide to Seattle: Best Local Specialties, Markets, Recipes, Restaurants & Events by Keren Brown.

If you don't know Keren Brown (if you live in Seattle, and are involved with food at all, you probably do), she basically knows everything about the Seattle food scene. And this book is her love letter to the city and food she loves. 

In the book, she shares "the inside scoop on the best places to find, enjoy, and celebrate these culinary treasures. A bounty of mouthwatering delights awaits you in this engagingly written guide, as well as a rich array of other, indispensable food-related information including Favorite restaurants and landmark eateries, Specialty food stores and markets, Food festivals and culinary events, and even recipes from some of Seattle's top chefs."

But for sweet-lovers, I'll give you five good reasons why you should buy this book.

1. CakeSpy Shop is featured! A self-serving reason, yes. It is featured as a spot for gifts for foodies (although my store does not sell food!). OMG!
2. There is an entire section dedicated to the city's best baked goods. Really, this reason alone would probably be enough to make the book worth buying, but please, see reason #1.
3. You might just learn about a new specialty shop. I know I did! For instance, although I had vaguely heard of Punjab Sweets in Kent before, Keren's detailed listing of this confectionery shop has now made it a high priority on my to-do list!
4. There's a section on sweets on the Eastside too. As an urbanite who often "doesn't go over there", it was nice to have a short-list of some of the best for when I do venture over the water.
5. There are recipes from local chefs. For drinks, main courses (from the likes of one of my foodie heroes Kurt Dammeier)...but also desserts. One I can't wait to try? The Chocolate Ganache Cakes recipe from local celebrity chef Maria Hines. 

And if these reasons haven't enticed you to buy my friend's book, then I am not sure we can be friends anymore. Buy it here. Keep up with Keren via her website, franticfoodie.com.