BUNDT CAAAAAAAKE!!

Wow. Delicious. Steph has done it again with her tasty treats. She's been working tirelessly, making us some delicious new goodies. Introducing.... BUNDT CAKE MADNESS!! Premiering now, Capogiro's own homemade Banana Bundt Cake and Pumpkin Bundt Cake. More flavors are in the works as we speak. They. Are. Amazing. So moist and delicious, these cakes go great with either a cappuccino or a cup of gelato. For a mere $2.95 a slice, they're going quick, so come and grab a piece at your local Capogiro today. For your viewing pleasure, here is a picture of a stunning bundt.

And for the sake of sheer ridiculousness, here is a picture of a bunny stunt.

A TRIBUTE TO CHALK MARKERS

Life-altering Flavors...

One of my most favorite tasks as a Capogiro barista is to use chalk markers to write daily flavor recommendations and/or soup offerings, decorate tip jars and bagel displays, and update our signs with new treats. Something about the liquid, opaque, bright colors is just PERFECT for filling every available surface with block letters or cursive handwriting.
When Dawne came back from the store one day with a brand new orange marker, it was like Christmas!!

Check out some recent chalk-marker art at 13th street... It will brighten your day right up.

Love,
Kristin, Chalk Marker Master

Omg delicious.

Sooooo refreshing!

           

We love you!

Its TOTALLY Dan's Birthday.

Heres to everyone's favorite Capogirian.

He's the most awesomest guy we know and today he's celebrating his birthday.

If you see him today, give him a big hug and maybe some pastries. . . a cannoli from Termini if you REALLY want to make his day. Happy birthday, Dan.... we loves ya!

Reason #2,946,501 of Why I Hate My Dogs

I love animals. I am not an animal hater. I do not wear fur and I have adopted many a street cat in my life. BUT (big but), I hate my dogs. I know, I know, "hate" is a strong word. Strong, and appropriate. I don't want to hurt them or starve them, or anything like that...I just want some sweet old dog lady to take them away from me. Far away. Only a sweet old dog lady could give them what they need. You see, a few years ago the best dog in the world, Virgil, died. He died suddenly and unexpectedly. One day he was running about doing his usual "sheriff" stuff and within two weeks he was dead due to cancer. It was horrific. One of the worst days of my life. He was 14 years old. He enriched our lives and his absence was painful. I think about him on a daily basis.

Fast forward four months...."Let's just go look at some puppies." John suggested. "No buying, just look. It's too soon." Well, any idiot knows that you do not "look" at puppies. We left with not one, but TWO puppies after jumping through some imaginary hoops. There were so many signs that something was seriously wrong, but we were so traumatized that we just did not notice. When we walked into the barn, the puppies ran away and hid. She did not allow you to touch any puppies. You could only touch them once you purchased them. Who does that? Have you ever not been allowed to touch puppies? Also, why were they running and hiding against the back wall and why were some of the puppies laying flat on their bellies? This was not normal behavior. When we asked, she said that these were "therapy dogs" and they are bred not to bite or exhibit any aggressive behavior. Okay.. She needed to "screen" us to see if we could purchase a dog. Seems legit.

Of course we purchased two pups. I took them to the vet and they both had some serious parasite that was present in dogs that live in bad conditions. The vet questioned me heavily and I assured her that the property seemed clean and sanitary. We went through a thorough process to purchase these dogs. This was not a mill (I started to sweat. Did I just purchase puppies from a mill. I felt sick.) I emailed the breeder (to inform her about the parasite. If they had it, all the pups did.) and she responded, "Can't read your email. Blank." So I emailed again. Same response. I called and left a message. No reply.

Quickly, we realized that these pups were not normal. They were terrified of everything. I mean everything. If you simply stood up from a chair, they were traumatized. Yelled that dinner was ready? Pee on the floor. I don't know what happened, but these pups had to have been abused. Fast forward 5 years later...... nothing has changed, in fact, it is worse. They are terrified of cars, horns, other dogs, people, walking too fast across the floor, laughter, sneezing, dropping spoons, raising your arms, the phone ringing, the door chime, bouncing balls, sweeping the floor, popcorn, I can go on..... I cannot take them to a dog park because one will attack any dog and try to run away. The other runs away after playing for a minute.

Which brings me to Reason #2,946,501 - they steal food. If I turn away for a moment, they will snatch things off the table. It is almost impossible to train them because they are terrified of everything. They slink around like they are being punished most of the time. You know that look? I don't have to yell, they punish themselves. It is impossible to train dogs that do not respond to rewards because they are scared to death all the time. Please don't email me trainers and articles about medicating your dogs. We have tried everything. Nothing helps them be less scared. Yesterday was John's birthday. I baked him a red velvet cake and made gnocchi. While I was putting the potatoes through the ricer, I turned around and found this! NOOOOOOOOO! I looked and the dogs where no where to be found. They were hiding. I ran out to the two corner stores and Rite Aid trying to find red food coloring and cake flour. None. I was so consumed I had forgotten about the potatoes. I returned to cold and now unusable potatoes. I started crying. Yes, I cried. Like a baby.

So, we went to L'Oca for dinner (which was delicious) and had half a cake. John was a good sport. Happy Birthday, Love. Anyone interested in two terrified dogs? Please do think me horrible for wanting to give away such tortured creatures. I realize that I cannot tend to them in the way that they need. We live a chaotic life. Honestly, I don't think the kids would allow it. But if we found great homes? Together? They are sweet and if you live is a quiet house...what a match! Anyone?

Apropos of nothing more than it being Friday...

Hey you know what's great on a Friday? Beats. Beats and non sequiturs. Sooooo...

--

Damn. Y'all feel that? (Would have been funnier more promptly after the earthquake. Oh, well. MOVING ON.)

--Dude, that shirt must have been REAL expensive, 'cuz it sure is ugly.

--Hands down the best bolg (sic) about the Phillies: I Want To Go To The Zoo With Roy Halladay.. Give a brother some page views and admire the MS Paint masterpieces! And the gifs. Can't forget the gifs!

--Know what this post needs? The Beastie Boys. Obviously. Let's go old school!



The bemused Mariachi band just slays me.

--So you got the memo that Steph's been lurking in the kitchen again, yeah? SOUP'S BACK! Which we're all thrilled about. BUT! She also came up with these new blackberry+almond+oat energy bars. Tasty? YOU BET! Healthy? OF COURSE! Weird stuff in 'em? DON'T YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE? COURSE NOT! Totally all natural, with ingredients you can pronounce. Come and git 'em quick, 'cuz they're flying out of here!

--Is this mostly a disjointed stream consciousness as I run up and down the stairs to my office to type ideas in as they occur to me? No WAY, dude! TOTALLY not.

--Hey, maybe we could show a little more restraint with the cologne there, huh guy?



(Real talk: I've never actually liked this song.)

--Where has my comforting gray murk gone?! There is some new yellow orb in the sky, and it's gaze is like fire on my skin! And the heavens! They are BLUE!

--You know, this whole concept was working better this morning. Let's just wrap it up with this:



BOEUF.

If it weren't for nonsense, I'd make no sense at all. Have a great weekend everyone! Come say hi!

People Love our bagel bags.

Zuppa!

Soup is back, everybody! Steph has already started making batches of deliciousness for us, and that means that autumn is on the horizon. So far, we have some timeless vegetarian classics like Black Lentil, Cream of Potato, Yellow Lentil, and Cream of Tomato, just to get you started, and others will appear in our stores shortly (I can't wait for Potato Corn Chowder with BACON). In the meantime, here are some fun facts about soup:

Soup was first discovered about 60,000 years ago when a chicken lost a knife fight with a llama and was subsequently tossed into a molten geyser. The llama was a strict vegan but watched with smug satisfaction as the cave people started chowing down on his enemy.

Morbidly enough, the first 'wedding soup' was the result of a cannibal who hated his in-laws so much that he served them for a ceremonial nuptial supper. When asked what his secret was, he replied, "it's all relatives."

In post-industrial Britain, 'orphan taunting' was a popular sport amongst the aristocracy. The elite would stand around eating countless bowls of soup, whereas adorable little street urchins would be mocked and publicly humiliated if they asked for more. The famous combination of soup AND sandwich was invented by these rich fancypants who sought to take their bullying to a next level.

Dr. Campbell invented the first condensed soup because he was going to ride on the Hindenburg airship and didn't want to have to pay extra for checked baggage. Luckily for him, Campbell was detained at customs for questioning in an unrelated drug smuggling operation and never ended up boarding the vessel.

It is widely rumored that cold soups such as gazpacho are just as good as hot soups. This is a vicious lie and was created by General Electric in order to sell more refrigerators.

Seasons Schmeasons!

After over 2 decades in Philadelphia, I've finally come to the conclusion that I just don't have a favorite season. It's not that I don't like them, I sort of like them all, actually... for different reasons. But there's not one part of the year that I like more than all the rest. What took me 25 years to discover, is that it's the transition periods, the times between the true hearts of the seasons, that I love.
Cozy feelings of fall to winter, hopeful sunny mornings from winter into spring, gently warmer spring to summer, and  summer to glorious fall. Summer to fall is just plain wonderful. If you don't let your mind wander far enough into the chilly weather mindset, fall is perfect. Absolutely nothing compares.

Evenings begin to get cooler. The smell of the air changes. Time outside can be t-shirt or cardigan time. Or both! Nights around the fire pit aren't mosquito-ridden. Leaf piles begin to appear. You can play in (most of) those leaf piles. Teenagers aren't quiiiite as scantily clad. Pleasantly brisk mornings, and the piping cup of coffee that is so satisfying on those brisk mornings. Layers of clothing - often starring flannel - start to come out. APPLES happen! Delicious, amazing, crisp, juicy, pure, fresh, APPLES.

My top three? The things that make leaving the warm days of summer behind worth it?
1. The bea-U-tiful colors of changing leaves!
2. It's appropriate to bake pies again.
3. Sweet Potato Pecan Praline Gelato.

I just can't wait.
Neither can my boyfriend, obviously. See below. What a cutie.

CapoYunk!!!!

People really love us here in south Philly. If being here practically every day for the last 6 months has taught me anything it is that. Here at Yunk' we can't even classify certain people as 'regulars', to do so would be silly seeing as I see the same hundreds of faces day in and day out. Around these parts EVERYONE is a regular. Heck, right now as I type we have our weeks knitting circle chatting it up over lattes and gelato right above my head! (our office is in the basement :3)

A few months ago MANY of our customers began questioning me on what day we would be closing this year. I tried my hardest to be as informative as possible, but to be honest I had no idea! Slowly the curious questions turned to forceful demands (in the sweetest way possible), "PLEASE! We love you guys, don't close!" If I had a nickle for every time this summer a customer insisted to me that they, "Love gelato in the winter too." I would probably have a fortress made of nickels. Maybe a Bentley made of nickles too.

I promised everyone I would let them know of any developments in this matter ASAP. I mentioned this blog many times so everyone knew that they could check for updates as much as they wanted (I imagine many of them sitting up late at night, refreshing the blog over and over, bloodshot eyes, waiting....waiting) Well folks get ready, because this is the first update in our schedule for this season I have received!

AS OF RIGHT NOW: We will remain open as long as you guys keep getting pumped for gelato! That's right! You guys keep your enthusiasm as high as it has been and hey, who knows? We could be open forever! Everyone should keep this in mind especially considering how South Philly has missed out on some of our AWESOME winter flavors the past two years.

SO KEEP UP THE EXCITEMENT AND WE'LL KEEP SLINGIN' THAT CREAM!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Gelato will save the world.

--When Chocolate Peanut Butter starts his guitar solo, Jimmy Page gets his lighter out.

--When you eat Chocolate Peanut Butter too fast, you don't get brain freeze. You get brain ASPLODE.


--Chooch tells Roy Halladay to pitch around Chocolate Peanut Butter. (And Ruben Amaro Jr. keeps calling us wanting to know what we'd want in trade.)

--Hurricane Irene thought about pummeling Philly, saw Chocolate Peanut Butter giving her his cool glare, and left to go beat up Ben and Jerry's instead.

--We can't make Chocolate Peanut Butter and Black Raspberry on the same day because we spend too much time shooing away unicorns and wood nymphs.



--DeSean Jackson held himself out of training camp because he'd heard a rumor we weren't going to make Chocolate Peanut Butter anymore and needed a few days to collect himself.

--Chocolate Peanut Butter is dismayed at our addiction to fossil fuels, but he's confident we'll get our act together.

--Chocolate Peanut Butter doesn't melt.

--Last week's earthquake? Too much peanut butter, not enough chocolate. Our collective shui got all unfenged.

--Chocolate Peanut Butter is always happy to change a diaper.

--In the outtakes of Anthony Bourdain's "elBulli" episode, you can just make out Tony whispering reverently to Ferran Adria, "Yeah, but have you had the Chocolate Peanut Butter?"

--Chocolate Peanut Butter doesn't have any job references on his resume because he's always been "The Boss."

--I tried to pack a pint full of only Chocolate Peanut Butter a few minutes ago. Got worried when I saw the fabric of reality warping in on itself from the sheer mass of awesome.

--Chocolate Peanut Butter thinks you should wear a bike helmet.

--The next deeper dream in Inception past the snow fort? Chocolate Peanut Butter, and no one wants to wake up.



--Chocolate Peanut butter always cleans the oatmeal pot.

--You ask Chocolate Peanut Butter, he'll tell you you're gonna be okay.



--Chocolate Peanut Butter thinks your hair looks great.