{One failsafe way to keep your co-workers happy is to randomly make them cupcakes. It keeps the natives from getting too restless while sweetly disarming their weapons.}

Funny that, all the locking out of user accounts, cable tampering, and other such behaviors designed to break ones spirit at the workplace aside. There’s nothing a cupcake or two can’t fix. Especially my cupcakes. Yes, even the most mortal of enemies will be singing kumbaya while munching cupcakes. All sins forgiven.

I was in the communal kitchen at work getting coffee and saw this pitiful printed off sign on the wall for a missing mug. It was like a lost puppy flyer but for a coffee mug instead, ‘Please contact so and so at extension such and such if you see it around’. So silly, I thought.

The man who the mug belongs too, his cubicle is not too far from mine and often I can here him on the phone talking. By nature he is slightly neurotic generally disgruntled with his job and is unintentionally quite funny. Perfect, and now this. When I got back to my desk, I logged into a random server in a far away data center that even if he tried to trace wouldn’t help him to find out who sent him a mysterious ransom note for that precious little mug of his.

The message I wrote read: “If you ever want to see your mug again do NOT contact the authorities. We will be in touch.” When I heard him get the email hilarity ensued, he was genuinely spooked. What kind of psychopath would do something like that! [...pets kitty evilly at my desk...] Today as soon as he gets in, he can pick the first cupcake. Sorry R, I really do hope you get your mug back. Thanks for the laughs!

Next up, yogurt! Recently, the lovely Lydia over at The Perfect Pantry clued me in to the very curious fact that one can make their own yogurt at home. Who knew! Amazon was kind enough to deliver unto me this strange electronic device along with yogurt culture packets. Isn’t life grand!

::Plain Yogurt::
4 c milk
10 grams yogurt culture
2 heaping spoons milk powder

The process is a rudimentary, yet scientific one as just 3 ingredients are needed. Scald milk over medium high heat until bubbles form around the edges and steam rises from the surface. Remove from heat and, using a thermometer, cool until temperature lowers between 110F and 115F. Add starter into 1 cup of the warm milk and mix thoroughly. Add that mixture back into the remaining milk, divide between the yogurt machine’s individual cuplets and set the timer to incubate for 8-10 hours.

This was the richest, creamiest yogurt I’ve ever tasted. You can hugely taste the difference and I don’t think I’ll enjoy store bought again after this. Add a spoonful of jam for delicious fruity yogurt. It’s so tart with fruit, I love it. Adding honey is also delicious, so many possibilities once you have the plain yogurt, mmmm… You can also use soy or skim milk too which is so neat I must try the soy. I might have to buy an ice cream maker just to make frozen yogurt, I’m already planning the exotic flavors. Ginger-honey, blueberry, matcha!

::herby fromage de yogourt::
1 clove garlic, finely minced
fleur de sel
fresh ground black pepper
italian parsley, finely chopped

I also bought yogurt cheese maker and made a savory persuasion for dipping and such. This is so delicious on toast, I immediately ate some to make sure it wasn’t deadly. Simply place yogurt into the maker, refrigerate for 24 hours, discard the liquid and mix in herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Crunch crunch…


{tags homemade yogurt vanilla cupcakes recipe}