Owner and baker Jennifer has been trying to educate the Shanghainese in the ways of the classic American dessert since May of last year.  Ling and I sat down with her the other day to speak about her new boutique, her design ideas, and of course, her love of cupcakes.

SHFoodist: So, I must ask – why cupcakes?

I started learning to make cupcakes because I love them as an item, not just as a dessert.  They are so diverse; there is so much you can do with them.  They’re becoming a cultural phenomenon – and our new store will be showcasing that.

SHFoodist: How will you be showcasing this phenom?

In March 2010, we’ll be opening our new cupcake boutique on Hongmei Lu in the Hongqiao District.  It will be more of a cupcake concept store – we’ll sell baking equipment, cupcake related accessories and of course, cupcakes.

SHFoodist: Who are your clients, here in Shanghai?

Well, my clientele is two-fold.  Foreign customers tend to order simple flavors and use the cupcake as a comfort food.  Chinese customers order the more elaborate decorated varieties for special occasions, weddings, birthdays, and corporate events.  My Chinese clients do not have flavor preferences – they just want the aesthetics.

SHFoodist: So where can we buy your cupcakes now, before your store opens?

I have partnered with City Deli in Golden Eagle Mall.  They sell four of my more popular flavors: Triple Vanilla, Chocolate Monkey, Black and White, and Cream Puff.

SHFoodist: What have been the most intricate designs you’ve been asked to create?

When I first opened, LVMH contacted me, wanting replicas of their Louis Vuitton handbags.  I’ve had to draw Hannah Montana on cakes for birthdays, and most recently, I had to make Chanel themed cupcakes for a client.

For more information, visit www.cestcupcake.com.

★★★☆☆

Typical of Chengdu in Sichuan Province, zhōng shuǐ jiǎo are a delicious variation of the Chinese dumpling.  These ones act as the perfect snack or end to any meal.

The actual jiǎo – dumpling – part of the dish is fairly standard.  Filled with just pork (no scallions), they can appear rather bland.  Though the wrappers are delicate, they are generally stuffed more than other dumplings.

What sets these apart, is the oily chili-based sauce in which they bathe.  Almost like the sauce accompanying the hún tún found at Din Tai Fung, it is this chili oil that makes this xiǎochī really sing.  Today’s version also boasted a generous portion of garlic paste to mix with the oil.

Spicy, oily, and a bit sweet, zhōng shuǐ jiǎo are quite delectable.