Shug’s birthday is coming up — last year, he had his birthday while we were in Louisiana and Texas, so he had a little party at camp there, then a party with his B’ham friends, then a small thing with just family, I think altogether he had three or four birthday celebrations. Since we were in Houston on his actual birthday, we I did a little research and decided we would visit Revival Market for some things from Fluff Bake Bar.
If you watched Top Chef Desserts, one of the contestants, Rebecca Masson, has Fluff Bake Bar and now (since last summer when we went to Revival) she has her own bakery at 314 Gray Street in midtown Houston. We were able to get one of her ‘Veruca Salt’ creations — devil’s food cake, salted caramel buttercream, pretzel crunch and crunchy pearls, and another of her birthday cake ‘CUP|CAKES’: funfetti cake, vanilla buttercream, and cake crumbles.
Revival is so…well…everything has been impeccably sourced to have just one or two of the best / most interesting of whatever. Do you have daydreams about starting this tiny little grocery with the best of everything? And you’re best friends with all the makers and growers? And it’s so super-cute yet super-sophisticated and the customers have incredible taste and it’s all Shop Around the Corner except instead of books it’s gourmet terrines? Sorry, I got away from myself there. But yes:
The ultra-cuties.
What we came here for — the Veruca Salt:
Macarons for me. And is that a whoopie pie?–something Av ate.
A one-person birthday cake. This is kinda perfect.
I’m not certain if she is still making deliveries to Revival (check with her) — especially since her own bakery just opened this summer — it was all pretty amazing.
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Av grew up with Putt-Putt parties (my dream of dreams as a kid!). I don’t think there are even any Putt-Putts around anymore, so in the past we have always done gymnastics or pool parties. Although…now many of the boys’ friends think they’re getting ‘too old’ to have a big party (too old at 6/7/8! What!?). In fact, this year Shug opted out of having a birthday party, instead to have this great trip later in the summer that he planned out with a brand-new hotel and everything. It’s the same amount of money and it will be a great experience, so I’m okay with it, but have to admit there’s a part of me that’s going to miss all the kids getting together.
And I’ve decided after reading this: instead of doing goody bags ever again, like for Shugie’s parties since he isn’t “too old” yet, I’m going to make cards that let each guest know that we made a donation in their honor toward presents for JCRS kids or some other charity that they kids are in to.
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So on your birthday, you get to eat whatever your favorite thing is. Shug’s favorite food is matzah ball soup, so where’s the best place in Houston for that?
*That’s* a menu. And Av got to meet and talk with Ziggy, so he’s great:
And this is what gave me inspiration for the idea I had in the magazine: putting together a matzah ball bar — I’ll post that tomorrow…
Shug loved it! When we went back this year, that’s what he ordered again. But you know who makes the best matzah balls in the whole world? Not me (even though we have a regular matzah ball soup night every week thanks to him). His Mimi. As it should be.
I had a blintz (nice):
Shugie had a hamburger and Av had this — brisket in the middle and a latke instead of bread. And that’s how you eat it. He loved it.
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The documentary about Jewish delis that Ziggy is in — Deli Man — is about to be released on DVD July 7. If you haven’t seen it at the closest film festival, it’s still on the circuit so it’s still possible to catch it that way.
My people! Yessss: