Foodie Underground: Cupcakes Are So Last Year

In a post-holiday food coma, which had included six days straight of pickled herring, you would think that I would be turned off by the mere idea of food. Never. As I sat on my couch with a minimalist breakfast of tea and oatmeal this weekend, my ears perked up at a story on NPR called “Cupcakes Are Dead. Long Live the Pie!” Thank God. I hate cupcakes.

Hate might be a strong word, but there’s something about the cupcake trend of recent years that makes me cringe. An overly sugary and processed item that can practically be eaten in one bite? A birthday dessert that often is made straight out of a box but that’s been glorified with fancy ingredients like espresso and vanilla bean? No, thank you.

Call me pretentious, but there are plenty of other baked goods I would go for first. Which is why I am happy to hear that cupcakes are out and pies are in.

Finally, a throwback to a baked good that’s got a history behind it. Seriously, we’re talking recipes back to the 1500s. Nowadays they’ve gotten so popular that restaurants are offering pie happy hours. Well, at least in Texas, but given America’s sweet tooth don’t be surprised if we see more of them in the near future.

What else can we expect in the new year? Kale, pop-up restaurants, and upscale junk food; all things we love to cover here on Foodie Underground. I’ll also wager that we’ll continue to see an influx of smaller, artisan operations in every industry from pork to port, as well as more niche restaurants. Think chocolate-centric cafes. And, as always, there will be those of us continuing to devote our lives to DIY cuisine – be it kombucha or sweet potato fries.

All good trends that are pushing our culinary boundaries, with or without cupcakes.

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground. Each week, Anna will be taking a look at something new and different that’s taking place in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to culinary avant garde.

Image: clevercupcakes

Anna Brones

Anna Brones is a food + travel writer with a love for coffee and bikes. She is the author of The Culinary Cyclist and Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break. Catch her weekly column, Foodie Underground.