Comments on: Some Monday Shorts

By: Jake

Jake — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:33:14 +0000

With tongue firmly in cheek, I dispute your stated origin of the word yupcake. As you can clearly see from the linked post, it was coined in January 2007. Seriously, though, it's funny that the word originated in Pittsburgh. The combination of the city's blue-collar image and yearnings for upper-class pretentiousness is fertile ground for self-satire.

By: kvd

kvd — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 00:56:05 +0000

yes, alas, we’ve been to French Tart. It’s awful. Stale and tasteless and even more obscenely expensive than the yupcakes. Also, the bread is the wrong color.

I’m hearing rumors from credible sources about a “real” French shop opening in the Strip “soon.” We’ll see.

By: kim

kim — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 19:49:19 +0000

Dozen is hit and miss, in my experience. I’ve had bad cupcakes and really really good ones that I thought were worth the price. The Emily is great, as is the mint meltaway (which is $3). The bad ones I have had were either stale or not as advertised (no filling in an Elvis).

Anyone know about the new French Tart pastry shop opening in Shadyside?

By: zp

zp — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 02:18:20 +0000

Reasonable people, one of whom loves dry cake, will disagree.

By: peterb

peterb — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:37:40 +0000

I stopped at Dozen today and had a couple of cupcakes, with some friends. Zp, I gotta disagree with you here. They had some interesting flavors, but the cake was dry and mealy and I had to mortgage my house to pay for them.

If I was looking for baked goods on Murray, I would probably go to Allegro Hearth. They manage to consistently surprise me: the atmosphere in the place is funereal, and something about it always turns me off (specifically, it feels like a chain), but when I can get past that and actually go there, I always find that their baked goods are pretty good.

By: Doug

Doug — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:01:49 +0000

A while ago a friend and I had some music exchange. He took me to some modern experimental classical concerts, and I took him to see Einsturzende Neubauten, some good german industrial experimental. I think the industrial was better music (they have been doing it a while) because of the “give them standing ovations even if they suck” culture in anything orchestral. In their early years, if what Neubauten played stank, people let them know.

By: Lorien

Lorien — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 03:50:39 +0000

I live far away from this dessert you speak of. Someone overnight me a “small piece of cake” and I will judge it.

Do these boutiques sell other “fineries”, or is it just the cakes?

By: Nat

Nat — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 02:43:06 +0000

I’ve had Dozen cupcakes. They aren’t inedible, but they sure aren’t worth $2.50 either.

I’m not buying “a fair deal on a small piece of cake” at all here.

By: zp

zp — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 02:34:53 +0000

But you’re right on with the “grade inflation” at the symphony. Can’t I just clap sincerely and let the talented musicians call it a night?

By: zp

zp — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 02:33:06 +0000

You know there isn’t better cake on Murray Ave. I’m not buying the Giant Eagle recommendation either. Pure rhetoric. I sympathize with your principled position, etc, but Dozen is good and a fair deal on a small piece of cake made with quality ingredients.