Monday, April 5, 2010

crafting celiac awareness through cupcakes + cocktails

For those of you who have never tried my baked goods, here's a lil' known fact: I obsess over the idea of sneaking my sweet treats with all things healthy, always keeping in mind I will not compromise any of my flaunt-worthy flavors for lesser-worthy ingredients. 

An adoring fan of vegan baking, one of my most prized baking books is Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, finding never-ending inspiration from the green-goodness goddesses Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

Luckily, Philadelphia has recently had an energetic emergence of vegan sweet treat boutiques, as well as those promoting limited diets like gluten-free and allergen-friendly, so it seems now everyone can have their cake and satisfyingly eat it, too!

Conveniently, last week at APO Bar + Lounge many of the area's niche bakers, including many newbies, gleefully gathered together to whirl awareness for celiac disease (those suggested for a gluten-free lifestyle). Inevitably so, the pinch-percent couture of their cupcakeries flooded the front space of the dimly lit bar, as the 13th Street locale offered pairings of sweetly swirled cocktails.

My cocktail choice? The Pear Bear, which as seen above, splashed pear vodka, orange bitters and sparkling wine amongst squeezes of fresh lime and squirts of agave nectar. Two petite glasses of this fruity freedom had me pleasantly giggly like a schoolgirl, but that could have also been posed from my multiple cupcake-infused coma.


The delicate bites of the lady-friendly affair were provided by the pretty participants of Sweet Freedom Bakery, A Cupcake Wonderland and Virago Baking Company, and I have to suggest that the gorgeous galore of mini-cakes paired with my tart punch crafted an enjoyable evening for all, limited-and-not-so-limited tastebuds included.


All proceeds benefited the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.