Happy Badger makes me happy.
No matter how many places I have to stop during errands or how many stores I have to visit to cross items off of my grocery lists, the minute I step inside Happy Badger I remember to take a breath and relax.
This past Monday I stopped in to pick up a loaf of Zingerman’s bread-the only bread I eat at this point. And Happy Badger has spoiled me; it carries an array of specialty breads, desserts and baked goods of culinary goodness. Don’t believe me? The reviews from Oprah, Drew Barrymore, Mario Batali, Jim Harrison and Zagat on the Zingerman’s website say it all.
And if that isn’t enough, take it from me. No noteworthy occasion, birthday or holiday is special without Zingerman’s. It is the food of the gods.
That said, the Cohen family members, the proprietors of Happy Badger, are rock stars for driving Zingerman’s goodies down from Ann Arbor in their cars every single week, cooking with them and selling them to folks in our community.
And when I walked into Happy Badger this rainy, dreary and chilly Monday to discover Stuffed Pumpkin Cupcakes, the joy of fall overtook me.
I bought tofu, onion rye bread and one Stuffed Pumpkin Cupcake. I made Tofu Bites as a cook-ahead, and grilled cheese on the onion rye bread has been my lunch all week. But I savored that cupcake for as long as I could.
Wednesday night, after grading a class of GSW 1110 essays, I rewarded myself with a cordial of reserve port and the Stuffed Pumpkin Cupcake. A palate-blowing combo!
First of all, the beauty of a cupcake with bright orange frosting segmented into ridges like a real pumpkin steals anyone’s breath. The allspice and cloves in the cake add a crisp fall flavor after the first bite. During the next bite, the rich maple filling topped with velvety buttercream frosting mingles with the cake and adds a subtle sweetness that only autumn inspires.
With each nibble I smell fallen leaves. I feel the warmth of my favorite knit sweater against my skin. I see porch steps lined with jovial, plump pumpkins.
How one cupcake can revolutionize my fall palate and awaken me to the oncoming season is a delightful surprise. And one I can only thank Happy Badger for providing.
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