2 Days Only, Gather Green sells Scootabaker Cupcakes!

The Scootabaker Desserts and Gather Green, Los Angeles are combining forces for just 2 DAYS to bring cupcake lovers a super sweet deal!

$20 will get you 12 of our New and Very Popular Vegan Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes. A seriously good deal since these awesome cupcakes are valued at $42!

Quantity is limited so grab the coupon before time runs out!! Click the image to learn more!!

I Love Rhubarb Pie

Rhubarb is not native to Southern California. In fact, it's really expensive and I can only ever find it at the gourmet markets late Spring season. I buy it cause the fiancé grew up eating his Grandma Tootie's Rhubarb Pie every summer. Can't disappoint the fella, so I grab him a few stalks and together we make our slightly tart version of Tootie's pie. Now I've come to crave it. How Minnesotan of me.

M & H's Rhubarb Pie

makes 1 - 10 inch pie

Pastry:

*We like a thick top & bottom crust, so we double up on the pastry dough. For a thick crust you will need to make two separate batches in your food processor, otherwise make a single batch for regular crust thickness.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and kept cold in the freezer

4 tablespoons shortening

1/2 teaspoon salt

6-8 tablespoons ice water

egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, mixed)

Filling:

6 cups rhubarb chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 4 large stalks)

1 cup granulated sugar (not too sweet & not too tart)

5 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

To Make Pastry Crust:

1. Using a food processor, or handheld pastry cutter, blend flour, salt, butter, and shortening together just until small pea-sized chunks form. Add water, blend just enough that dough holds together when pressed with your fingers. Add more water if dough still crumbles.

2. Gently press dough into a ball, wrap loosely with cellophane, use a rolling pin to roll dough into a flat 1-inch disc. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm. Repeat steps 1 & 2 for top crust.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

4. Remove chilled pastry dough from refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, starting at its center, roll out each corner of the pastry dough to create an even 1/8 - 1/4-inch thickness. Pastry dough should be rolled out a couple inches larger than the top rim of the pie pan to mold a thick decorative crust. Take rolling pin and position at edge of pastry dough. Gently wrap bottom of dough over pin and roll entire pastry like a scroll. Transfer over to pie pan, unroll dough from one edge of the pan to the other. There should be plenty of overhang.

5. Gently press pastry dough against pan. Working quickly, use both hands to mold the dough overhang into a thick knotted crust. With a fork, prick bottom of pie pan all over. Brush dough with egg wash, and place in oven for 10 minutes. Remove pie pan from oven, place foil over bottom of pie pan, add pie weights, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on rack.

In the meantime...

Make Filling:

1. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine rhubarb, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice. (If you fancy a bright pink filling, add a couple drops of red or pink food coloring to rhubarb mix.) Pour rhubarb filling into baked pastry crust. Set aside.

2. Remove second disc of chilled pastry dough and repeat Steps 4 & 5 from above. Press pastry dough over the edge of the baked crust, trim off excess dough and set aside for additional pastry decorations. Use a cookie cutter or knife to cut a steam vent on top of dough. Generously brush dough with egg wash, add pastry decorations, sprinkle with Turbinado sugar, bake on center rack for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, continue baking for 40-50 minutes or until pastry crust is golden brown and rhubarb is soft when tested with a toothpick. Allow to cool on rack before cutting or it's sure to crumble and ooze everywhere.

We are Unique LA

We've now had a week to recover from last weekends very exciting Unique LA show to give you a full report. For those unfamiliar with the show or for those who live outside of California, Unique LA is a supremely amazing 2-day shopping event that hosts 300 of Los Angeles' best and most unique artisans. Products range from wildly creative clothing and jewelry to the most specialty foods and beverages.

In just 2 days over 20,000 people shop their way through the 13th floor penthouse of the California Market Building in Downtown LA. So we can assume 20,000 people cast their eyes upon the gloriousness that was the Scoota-booth. Or maybe they bypassed it without noticing us *sad face*. But I prefer the former.

We featured some new products this show like Mini Meringues and Cake Pops. We didn't expect them to be so well received (aka, friggin' popular! Hollaaaa!!), but we have no qualms about that.

Of course we had to bring back the "Legendary Cupcake Happy Hour". But throwing them at the baker and on the floor was not what we meant by "Happy Hour" (thanks Gina).

And did I mention the Scoota-hog was a serious babe-y magnet? Check out what she's wearing!

We are so grateful to have been chosen for this event for a second time, we even made it to #9 on Effie's Heart Top 20 Best Artist of Unique LA.

Thanks to designer Effie Liu of Pinkbutter for creating all dimensions of the Scoota-booth, including our new backdrop. And to the always high energy Scoota-crew! We hope to see you at the next Unique LA this winter!