crack the plates

A guest post by my sweetie, Nate, a programmer at a local web development firm:

After finding that some code you’ve previously written would be useful in some program you’re working on currently, it would be a shame if you had to just copy-and-paste that original code into your new project, right? What if there was a bug in that original code? Now you have to fix it in two places: the original program, and the program you copypasta’d it into.

A better idea is to “include” code you’ve previously written in a new project. You do this by saying (in C) “#include <file.h>” where file.h is a file containing some previously written code. Now, when you find that bug and update file.h, your new project will benefit from the fix automagically.

Applied to cupcakes: delicious desserts that #include a file like <yummy.h> are a way for the chef to say “Look, I’m awesome, and have already mastered the cupcake thing. I’ll just #include the yumminess I’ve created in the past”.

Thus, these delicious vegan cupcakes “#include <yummy.h>” and import all that tried-and-true vegan cupcake numminess into the new batch.

chef’s note: Inspired by the beer glasses, I made these cupcakes for the Richmond Hardware Co-op work day. The Hardware Co-op is a ministry of the Richmond Church of the Brethren that accepts donations of old computer hardware, cleans it up, installs free/open-source software (like Ubuntu or Kubuntu Linux), and donates the finished machine to the needy in our community. (I use Kubuntu. *grins*) If you’re local & want to help at the Co-op, be in touch with Nate here or Mark here.

nom om om om om!!!

No offense to progressive cities (or obsessive vegans), but I’m pretty sure there’s a strong correlation between how yuppie a place is and how likely it is to sport a cupcake shop. Said shop may offer delicious treats, but let’s face it, it’s still an entire establishment devoted to pretty, precious desserts. Such a place does not spring up during a recession; significantly, it looks stark against the backdrop of one.

Nevertheless, I deeply enjoyed the signature vanilla vegan cupcake Jiji picked up for me at Ann Arbor’s Cupcake Station just before I skipped town. The flavor of both the cupcake and the frosting was suprisingly complex–delightfully, I could nearly taste the apple cider vinegar they used to sour the soymilk. The frosting was rich and buttery, the kind that can only happen with a generous amount of Earth Balance (hereafter, eBal).

Thank you, J___, for a delightful weekend! I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed catching up and getting to know your new home better (in all its present charms and aforementioned growing edges). You probably have the best apartment in the city.

Love, A