Who’s in the kitchen: Head over heels for stiletto cupcakes

There are no records dating back to the time of the invention of the shoe. There are just assumptions based on primitive cave paintings. But you can be sure a lot has changed since then. Today the average woman owns 19 pairs of shoes and the average man, 7. Women have different shoes, for different outfits, different activities, and even different moods. Gone are the days when shoes were worn as necessities. Men can’t seem to understand why women need such a variety of shoes. Some psychologists say men seek variety while women seek stability; maybe women are just trying to balance that out with shoes. And men, it’s a lot cheaper than sports cars, expensive wine and season tickets to the Mets and Yankees. Most popular among all women’s shoes are the high heels.

The 1500s brought about the invention of high heels, which is attributed to Catherine de Medici. On her wedding day to Henry II, she wore two inch heels to appear taller, as she was barely five feet tall. By 1580, fashionable heels were popular for both sexes, and a person who had authority or wealth was often referred to as “well-heeled.”

In the 1600s The English Parliament punished women who used high heels to seduce men into marrying them.

In the 1700s King Louis XIV wore five inch heels decorated with battle scenes. It became known as the Louis Heel and was popular with women as well as men.

1902 brought the British ladies’ pump to America and the rest is history.

There are many pros and cons of wearing heels. My favorite pro is that feeling of ecstasy I feel when I remove them after a long night out wearing them! Really, I don’t care what anyone says, they are not comfortable. I’ll give you bearable, but comfortable? No! I got into the habit of wearing flats and changing right before I reach my destination. Of course there was the time that I brought one shoe instead of two, to a wedding, but that’s a whole different article.

Many women do master the art of wearing heels and some even make it look simple. Hey, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, backwards and on high heels – Faith Whittlesey. And let’s not forget the iconic Barbie. Since 1959 her foot has been permanently molded to fit into those pink plastic stilettos. Although I’m guessing she had to take them off every now and then since she’s had over 110 career changes since 1959. Her career has taken her from the classroom to the boardroom to outer space. Even Barbie would have had trouble wearing heels in a space shuttle!

For those of you who’d rather wear flats, but enjoy high heels, sink your teeth into this stiletto.

Prepare your favorite cupcake/chocolate cake or brownie recipe and pour it into the zebra cupcake holders. For those who would like, you can email me and I’ll send you my favorite recipe.

DECORATING INGREDIENTS

n Betty Crocker cookie icing in a tube, 1 tube of red and 1 of white.

n Lieber’s graham crackers

n (Twizzlers pull and peel cherry flavor (you won’t need more than 3 individual strands of one bunch)

n Pirouline artisan rolled wafers (any flavors)

n Wilton red chocolate melting wafers (Michael’s)

n Lieber’s sugar crystals in red

n Cupcake holders in zebra print (Michael’s)

n Small amount of black tulle (sold at Michael’s, in a spool, under $3.00)

Make the cupcakes a day ahead, so they won’t be too delicate to work with.

For the soles, place a graham cracker on a flat surface. Using a small knife, cut the graham cracker in half crosswise. Remove a corner, angled to 3/4 inch, on both sides of each cracker half to make the tapered sole. Cut the wafers to the desirable heel height. Place the “soles” on waxed paper and pipe the white cookie icing to cover entire front of cracker. Allow to dry thoroughly, about half an hour. While they are drying pipe the red icing over the wafer and smooth it all over so the “heel” is covered in the icing. Gently roll the wafer in the red sugar crystals and lay down to dry. After a few minutes, you can roll the wafer between your palms to make sure it’s even all around. Keeping the cupcake in its zebra holder, slice a third of the way down the cupcake, a quarter from the edge. Next apply the red cookie icing making sure to cover the entire top of the cupcake as well as what ever is exposed over the rim of the holder. Sprinkle the red crystals to cover all the icing, and let dry. At this point the white icing on the sole should be dry. Gently turn it over and apply the red icing to the back. (Try not to let Mr. Louboutin know, he’s not happy when people copy his trademark red soles). While they are drying, take a string of the Twizzlers and cut them into pieces long enough so that you can tie a bow. Attach it to the top of the sole. If the icing is dry add a drop more. Take a piece of the black tulle, about an inch long, and pinch the middle with a small piece of the Twizzler and attach with a bit of red icing to the tip of the shoe top.

When everything is dry, add a bit of melted red chocolate to the bottom of the wafer heel and attach it to the plate that the “shoe” will be served on. Add a little more icing to the top of the heel as well. Next apply a little more white icing to the wide end of the sole and slide it into the slot you made in the cupcake. lift the cupcake with the sole and lean the sole on the top of the wafer heel so that it will stick. If you can still see some of the chocolate cup cake where the sole meets the cupcake fill it in with some more white icing. Let dry completely.

It’s a lot less complicated than it looks and it will really wow your guests.

You think the old woman who lived in a shoe chose a stiletto? Just wondering…..

Judy Joszef can be reached at judy.soiree@gmail.com