All bakers are supposed to have shelves and shelves of yellow, dog-eared cookbooks. Well, I don't. When seeking out new recipes or recipe inspiration, I seldom turn to printed material; rather, I typically look to my fellow food bloggers. I browse sites like Foodgawker and Tastespotting and use Food Blog Search. I also rely heavily on Google and shared recipe sites like All Recipes.
My online searches, however, have never led me to anything even remotely like The Flavor Bible. The Flavor Bible is not a traditional recipe-laden cookbook. It is a guide to flavor combination that makes coming up with your own recipes so much easier! Since receiving a free copy of it, I've used it several times a week! Remember my pistachio cupcakes with rosemary?
The Flavor Bible is organized alphabetically by ingredient. Wondering what to make with those peaches that are going bad on your counter? Simply turn to the peach page and get inspired. The Flavor Bible is so handy that I wish I had a Kindle
just so that I could easily take the e-book version with me to the market.With all due respect to every published cupcake book
(and there are a lot), The Flavor Bible (without a single cupcake recipe) is my favorite cupcake book. It encourages creativity in the kitchen - and to me, that's what makes baking fun.Here's How You Can Win a Copy
I'm giving away two copies of The Flavor Bible. Here's how you can win:
- Leave a comment and tell me about a flavor combination that you love. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win.
- I will randomly select one winner from everyone who comments.
- The second winner will not be random. It will be the person whose flavor combination I most want to turn into a cupcake. So, be sure to sell me on why I should pick your idea. As most of you know, I am not scared off by strange combinations.
- All comments must be submitted by Tuesday, July 20 11:59PM CDT.
- I will announce both winners and reveal the cupcake that I made with the second winner's suggestion by the end of the month.
- Due to potential bias, family and friends (if your number is in my cellphone or if I've sent you personal emails, that's you) are not eligible for the non-random prize.
- The books can only be shipped to a U.S. address.
That book looks very cool! I just made a strawberry basil sorbet (recipe on my blog) and I bet it would be a fantastic cupcake!
ReplyDeleteI really want this book... it looks like something I would love.
ReplyDeleteAs for a flavor combination -- watermelon mint. It seems so summery and a bit of a challenge too since watermelon is such a watery fruit I'm not sure how it will translate to a cupcake.
Hey there Stef! Great giveaway! So this is really funny. I read how to answer, and thought about my combo in my head...strawberry basil is one of my combos ever since I made it into a sorbet...and then I look to the left as I am typing and Niki said the same thing. If I have to be different, I also LOVE orange cardamom! Trader Joe's use to have these awesome OC cookies...now, like everything else I seem to love that they carry, they don't...
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat giveaway! In the summer time I love the combination of strawberry and rhubarb!
ReplyDeleteI love fresh chevre + strawberries. Mmmmmm! I wish I could turn that into a cupcake!
ReplyDeleteLavender and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations-- I thought it would be weird it first, but I loved it.
ReplyDeleteAmazing giveaway girl..My favorite combination is Banana, Hazelnut and Cinnamon together..
ReplyDeleteTomato basil is my all-time favorite flavor combo, and it would make a damn fine, slightly savory cupcake. Maybe with an olive oil cake base?
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway prize!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite flavor combo is vanilla, strawberries and balsamic vinegar (balsamic reduction over vanilla panna cotta + strawberries = YUM!)
bonesmurphy2@gmail.com
definitely jasmine and cherry....two pretty distinct flavors that really seem to go together for me :)
ReplyDeleteTough question! I'd have to go with butternut squash and cinnamon.
ReplyDeleteNot necessarily novel, salt and caramel.
ReplyDeleteI know you aren't a fan of the pb, but peanut butter & chocolate is one of my favorite combos.
ReplyDeleteI also have a big thing for salty/sweet combos - chocolate covered pretzels, krispie treats with salt, a bit of sea salt sprinkling the top of some cookies... YUM.
email: starmonkeybrass(at)gmail(dot)com
What a good give away! Would love to have it. Allthough I'm not eligable for receiving if winning (living in Paris) here's my suggestion: I made some peach-verbena cupcakes for Cupcake Camp Paris. Everybody love it's summery taste. Including the jury which rewarded them first prize !
ReplyDeletehttp://cafecreme-n.blogspot.com/
What a great book! I agree that salt and caramel are unbeatable.
ReplyDeleteI love beets and goat cheese together! So so good!
ReplyDeletewhitney(dot)pilkington(at)gmail(dot)com
Oooooo... gotta go with Mint and Raspberry! I make a jam with those two flavors and folks go crazy!
ReplyDeleteWow... My husband could totally use this book - he's always trying to come up with new and interesting pairings, but since he's relatively new to cooking he's come up with some pretty disgusting ones! :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite sort of "strange" combinations all seem to revolve around olive oil, lemon, balsamic vinegar, basil, and strawberry. I've actually made cupcakes with combinations of each of these, and they are SO very good. They all play really well together (although I'll admit that you sort of feel like you're making a salad dressing!). Olive oil makes a really tender beautiful cupcake!
My dad makes appetizers with jalepeno, apricot, bacon and cream cheese. If someone can translate that into a cupcake, it's you!
ReplyDeleteGreat give away. I am always looking for different flavor combos.
ReplyDeleteljvizcarra(at)gmail(dot)com
Considering it's summer and it's hot, my favorite flavor combination is watermelon, lemonade, and vodka :D Mix them all up and it's a refreshing dessert and an after dinner drink (or an instead of dinner drink) all in one. Just be careful, it tastes so good, you won't even notice how sloshed you're getting until it's too late. Actually, you could probably toss in a sprig of rosemary to give it a different dimension too.
ReplyDeleteOk I'll play. I think my favorite flavor combination that I have found has to be the combination of bananas, rum and cinnamon in a bananas foster syrup. The sweet, mixed with the spicy kick of rum, and the tropical addition of banana makes this an irresistible combination for me. I have actually been perfecting a cupcake for this, and it is SO good! It is also fun to make because you get to play with fire >:) . I'm a big cinnamon fan, so these are perfect for me and maybe they will be for you too! - Jamie
ReplyDeletejgunter0411@gmail.com
One of my favorite flavor combos is caramelized onions (sweet-ish) with brie (salty).. preferably on bread. Mmm.
ReplyDeleteMy flavor combinations are pineapple and chocolate. Also, gorgonzola and honey.
ReplyDeleteI recently became a fan of baby spinach and blueberries after trying to clean out my fridge lately. I don't know how that would really work with a cupcake though, since on baking the spinach would change flavor and texture.
ReplyDeleteeirias(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks for this lovely giveaway...My favorite flavor combo is definitely mashed lentils with ghee(clarified butter)..It is my ultimate comfort food!!!
ReplyDeleteramvinayak_81@rediffmail.com
My best created flavor combination was candied ginger with vanilla and chai spices (cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, and ginger powder) all put into a biscotti. They were excellent.
ReplyDeleteSummeriffic food - Grilled zucchini with mint and s&p. DELISH!
ReplyDeletethis book sounds awesome. one of my favorite flavor combinations is maple and bacon. the local donut shop has the most perfect donut. it is a maple bar with cooked bacon pieces on top of it. sounds a little disgusting at first, but once you try it you will be hooked. they only make 2 dozen a day and you are lucky to get one after the first hour they are out.
ReplyDeletei know it's not the most original flavor combination, but i'd have to say there is nothing like pumpkin and cinnamon. yummy, fall flavors are the best!
ReplyDeleteI have been lusting over this book for a while now.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite flavor combination that I think would be a great cupcake is blackberry, thyme and goat cheese. There is a local restaurant that makes a goat cheesecake with a thyme crust and blackberry sauce. I could eat it everyday.
I think my favorite thing EVER is thinking up new flavor combos! Not that I am good at it or anything.
ReplyDeleteHow about...
ginger/soy sauce/honey/vanilla?
Right now I am in love the the marinade I make with these ingredients but I don't know how the cupcake translation would go.
I love coconut combos...
Toasted Coconut/cayenne/dark chocolate?
oh goodness. Lavender and lemon would be my cupcake selection.
ReplyDeleteOn a non-cupcake note, my absolute favorite combo is savoury german sausage (which I guess is more of a food than a flavor) and apple. Yum! Especially with some brie in a crepe.
Hm. I'd have to say one of my favorite flavor combinations is apples and bourbon. Either that or dark chocolate, orange, and almond. Yum.
ReplyDeleteI love dark chocolate/cinnamon/cayenne.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway! I love sweet w/ spicy and sweet with savory... Chocolate truffles with goat cheese & balsamic is a really delightful combo. But so is jalapeno, cream cheese, pineapple, and bacon (I make appetizers using these ingredients). Oooh, a pineapple jalapeno cupcake w/ cream cheese frosting and a piece of crispy bacon on top would probably be awesome!
ReplyDeletemeganemails(at)gmail(dot)com
Strawberries roasted in balsamic vinegar - so wonderful chilled and mixed in with homemade vanilla ice cream :)
ReplyDeletefig and caramelized onion cupcake/corncake with goat cheese spread/frosting
ReplyDeletedobbslau(at)gmail(dot)com
I have two:
ReplyDelete1)White wine(pinot grigio or chardonnay) & homemade chocolate fudge (it's amazing)
2) feta, cranberry & mint (perfect for summer)
I have been dying to buy The Flavor Bible, but alas, it is not in the grad school book budget. I really enjoyed reading all the other submissions. : )
I'm a peanut butter/bacon fan... sounds so gross (my husband refuses to try it!) but 2 slices of bacon on a peanut butter sandwich? Delish!
ReplyDeleteIt's probably not going to do me any favors in inspiring a cupcake but I just can't lie about my favorite flavor combination: avocados and artichoke hearts. For something more in the sweet realm I prefer lavender and chamomile, though. So ridiculously relaxing...
ReplyDeleteGoat Cheese and Carmel! For icing I am thinking something salty/sweet, maybe with peanuts involved? I'm going to make the cupcakes this weekend. Yum!!! (missnan128@gmail.com)
ReplyDeleteI love chilies and chocolate. Like spicy Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes!
ReplyDeleteCoconut and Meringue - Makes for a fruity buttercream frosting. Yummy!
ReplyDeleteI have picked up this book so many times at the book store and been amazed at how wonderfully detailed it is. As for a sweet flavor combo - LOVE coconut and lime. For a savory combo, ADORE anything marinated in garlic, citrus and cilantro. YUM.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, my favorite flavor combo is PB & chocolate. But I also like coriander and lemon. Cinnamon and strawberries. My friend swears by sharp cheddar and dark chocolate, but that sound gross to me.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the winning flavor combo cupcake. There's some interesting mixes listed.
mmmmmmmm orange and coconut...i'm from the south so i'm pretty sold on ambrosia combinations like that.
ReplyDeleteI made a sorbet that was strawberry with balsamic vinegar. It's strange as the vinegar makes the strawberries taste even more strawberry like. Super strawberries! While not adding much flavour of it's own, maybe just a slight kick at the end depending on how much you use.
ReplyDeleteI have been lusting after this book for a while,
Awesome book! I added it and his spice herb Bible to my wishlist on Amazon (maybe I'll be lucky and win one here???)
ReplyDeleteIts summer so I always think of my favorite summer beverage Raspberry Limeaid. That would make an awesome cupcake!
Ohhhhh, sounds like a wonderous book!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite flavor combos usually include sweet and salty. Like fish sauce with sugar, like in Thai food. If you could capture THAT - fish sauce in a cupcake, you'd have me.
Well, it's not as exotic as many of the suggestions, but I do love white chocolate and chai.
ReplyDeleteSo warming and comforting - lovely in the winter!
Ok, this may be a smidge crazy...but I love orange and cucumber together. From fresh squeezed orange juice over fresh cukes to washing down a big dill pickle with a glass of orange juice. That last one may sound a big disgusting but it is kind of a go to snack for me =)
ReplyDeleteAnd the book looks great! I really need to be more creative in the kitchen!
Awesome giveaway! I'm going to go with the flavor combo of grapefruit and thyme. The bitterness of the grapefruit goes really well with the herb-y thyme, and makes for a great flavor combo in a cake or tart.
ReplyDeleteOooh, flavour pairings. I have a tie for my favourite pairings. The first would be the fairly traditional butternut squash and curry. The second is real peanut butter (chunky) and dill pickles. So delicious!!
ReplyDeleteI want this book! I played around with http://www.foodpairing.be/ to find flavors for cheese based cupcakes (based on your cheese chocolate ganache), and came up with Brie, Chocolate and Ginger fudge! It was great!
ReplyDeleteI also love spicy food combinations. Robicelli's cupcakes in Brooklyn (The Best Cupcakes that you can Buy) makes a Peach Ghost Chili cupcake that I finally get to try this weekend! :)
amanda (at) attemptedcooking (dot)com
One of my absolute FAVORITE food combinations is a classic: tomato, basil and mozarella. I've had tomato cake before and it's delicious- no reason it wouldn't be excellent as a cupcake with some yummmy basil frosting.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, maybe pretzels and M&M's, but if that's cheating, garlic and olive oil.
ReplyDeleteTwo favorite flavor combinations: Really ripe plantains (black skin...SUPER ripe), butter, brown sugar and butter. The last one is pretty classic...strawberries, balsamic vinegar and black pepper...YUM!!! cynthiavanessa@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteorange & koriander!
ReplyDeletenijwedoub (at) hotmail (dot) com
Peaches and sweet, white ice wine. A lightly lemony cupcake strewn with tiny chunks of firm fresh peaches, soaked with an ice wine syrup, topped with a swirl of ice wine-spiked cream cheese frosting, and finished with a drizzle of peach & ice wine syrup.... I can taste it already!
ReplyDeleteThis may not sound cup-cakey, but I LOVE avacado and lime...
ReplyDeleterebecca.e.riley@gmail.com
Chocolate & Balsamic Vinegar! I've made truffles with this combo and it was delicious!
ReplyDeleteI WANT THIS BOOK!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic concept.
I have two recommendation:
-I grew up on Spumoni which main flavors are chocolate, pistachio and cherry. I have always wanted to make cupcakes like these, but for some reason never have.
-I love avocado and honey
(nolie13@hotmail.com)
I love the idea of this book. My favorite food combination is chocolate with raspberries. I know, quite pedestrian.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I get frozen yogurt at a place nearby, I always always get taro frozen yogurt with fresh kiwi on top. Taro + kiwi = WIN!!
ReplyDeleteLemon mint. I always find it refreshing and light for summer time.
ReplyDeleteI am so excited to read this book! I have been eyeing it up for awhile!
ReplyDeleteMy 3 strange (to me) but good combos are:
Strawberry/ basalmic vinegar
canteloupe/ sea salt
peanutbutter/ chili powder
Can't wait to read what cool cupcake you come up with from all the random flavors people are giving you!
This book looks amazing! I definitely want a copy!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite flavor combination right now is rhubarb and yellow sweet potatoes. With butter to bring out the mellow-sweet of the potato, and salt and olive oil to highlight the juicy sour of the rhubarb. Even their textures compliment with yellow sweet potatoes being a little drier and crumblier than their orange counterparts and rhubarb being juicy and moist when cooked the right way. Yum!
Hmmm...I made Cola BBQ pulled pork before. I'm thinking this is a great cupcake flavor :)
ReplyDeleteThat book looks amazing! I try to find new flavor combinations by searching online, but it would be so handy to have one book with lots of ideas.
ReplyDeleteMy suggestion would be violet and lemon. Either a violet cupcake with a light lemony frosting, or a bright lemony cupcake with a delicate violet icing... maybe topped with candied violets... YUM!
Ooh, I'm glad to see someone mentioned the strawberry and balsamic and vanilla panna cotta; I made that a while and it was wonderful. HOWEVER. My absolute favorite combination, which most people recoil in horror at (I honestly don't get why), is cinnamon and rare steak. I think cinnamon is far too often overlooked as a savory spice, and that the richness in a good steak can be a great complement to a sweet dish. But...a cupcake? Yeah, I bet you could do it. Maybe a slightly-sweet cinnamon cupcake with a spoonful of steak tartare instead of frosting. I don't know. I'm not the expert here.
ReplyDeleteMust. Own. This. Book.
ReplyDeleteOkay, here's mine:
Thai Cupcake
(Coconut/ginger/peanut/soy)
I'm actually going to give this one a whirl tomorrow!
http://cupcakeinshe-devilpanties.blogspot.com/
Thanks for doing this giveaway! I recently made a roasted vegetable salad and discovered a new love for orange peppers (which get SUPER sweet and delicious when you roast them!) So I thought a fun dessert could start with an orange pepper jam, and the flavor I was thinking would pair well with it was mango. A very orange cupcake!
ReplyDeleteklorman@wisc.edu
I love walnuts + carrots as a combo..kinda like carrot cake!
ReplyDeletethats my favorite combo :)
In terms of a cupcake that I'd love to see tried out, I would have to say a SESAME cupcake perhaps with a creme brulee topping?
ReplyDeleteIf you've ever had chinese dim sum with a jin doi (fried sesame ball), you may catch my drift :)
oh shoot, i forgot the email...
ReplyDeletelexiincali at gmail dot com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI would love this book!
ReplyDeleteAnd I think it would be amazing if you made a grapefruit, yogurt, and mango cupcake.
My email is kellyctang@gmail.com
Lavender and lemon :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think you should turn this into a cupcake, but at some point, you should try making a grilled cheese with gorgonzola and honey. It's a favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteI love Licorice and Peppermint.
ReplyDeleteOr pork and Apple... also nom!
My favorite flavor combination is goat cheese and roasted cherries. It'd make TWO great cupcakes: a goat cheese cupcake with roasted cherries in the frosting, or cherry cupcakes with a goat cheese (think cream cheese, with more tang) frosting. YUM YUM!
ReplyDeletepb and honey with apples!
ReplyDeleteI love lemon, basil and mint pasta. There is the tangy lemon, sweet basil, and cool mint alll in one cupcake. Yum!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love the combination of white chocolate and dark chocolate - the contrast, both in look and taste, is always a winner with me.
ReplyDeleteldslawgirl at gmail
I haven't tried it yet but I think a wasabi and chocolate pairing would be a great idea. I agree with you about creativity being the most fun part of baking. I love trying new combinations and coming up with new recipes.
ReplyDeleteI love mixing flavors! I have so many favorites but my top ones would have to be Lemon-Basil made those cupcakes before and they were awesome. Blackberry and Chocolate and Blackberry-Cranberry-Lemon, I make a chocolate-orange w/a vanilla liquor. Fun giveaway, Stef! Have a great week
ReplyDeleteI love chocolate and raspberry, but that's nothing too out there. How about in honor of the King (Elvis Presley) a peanut butter, banana and bacon (yes, I've seen this added to his fave sandwich) cupcake?
ReplyDeleteI really like the combination of kahlua, strawberries, and a light vanilla flavored pastry base like angel food cake or cookies.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic book! So many wonderful flavor combinations just waiting to be unearthed!!!
ReplyDeleteOne of my absolute flavor combinations is that of pure maple syrup and bacon! MMMmmmmm, want to make some right now! Yummy!
At least one of my favorite flavor combinations is orange and vanilla
ReplyDeletejaminator8@earthlink.net
I love the combination of chocolate and cinnamon in ice cream!
ReplyDeletergelhaus@hotmail.com
Strawberry and Black Pepper
ReplyDeleteI love bacon and chocolate together! Not sure if you've already done that combo on a cupcake, but it's good any which way you can get it!
ReplyDeleteA couple other combos I've been wanting to try myself... Lemon lavender. They make great scones, but haven't done them in a cupcake yet. The lavender brightens the lemon w/out making it too tart.
Also, cucumber melon. I know it's a hugely popular lotion and I love the flavors together in fruit/veggie salads, why not make a nice bright cucumber melon cupcake?
Basil lemonade is one of my fav summertime drinks. Basil infused simple syrup mixed w/ lemonade? So good. That would prob make a good summery cupcake too!
Looks good. Have you considered a cream cheese base with crunched-up Frito chips?
ReplyDeleteGimme gimme.
Thanks for sharing...the book looks fantastic. I'm crazy about ginger so almost any ginger combo would be of interest to me. How about a ginger/fruit combo for the summer - like ginger/lemon or ginger/lime? Saffron is also a good flavor - Saffron/lemon maybe. I think the summer heat is making me lean towards citrus combos right now.
ReplyDeleteJere - james106@snet.net
Another good combo would be cucumber dill...love to have them in water, it makes me think of a spa. you can combine this comment with my last post. Jere james106@snet.net
ReplyDeletechocolate and avocado!
ReplyDeleteok..this will..I warn you..sound INSANE. But my brother and I used to put cheez whiz on oatmeal creme pies and it was AWESOME. I need to try to create something similar!
ReplyDeleteI love kiwi and cheesecake flavors together. They're both sweet but kiwis have that acidic bite to them that makes it so wonderful and refreshing.
ReplyDeleteeatmyrubikscube@hotmail.com
I have to vote for blueberry and lavender. There's an ice cream shop that makes a blueberry lavender ice cream which is amazing.
ReplyDeleteMy second favorite is semi-sweet chocolate and lemon. The tartness of the lemon nicely offsets the richness of the chocolate.
Great book!
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite food is bacon, so i love any combination... chocolate/bacon (like your cupcake finalist), maple/bacon, maple/apple/bacon, etc.
Also, I apple and ricotta. Topped with bacon? jk. ;-)
I definitely have to back the caramel and sea salt combo - even better with orange! Yummm!!!
ReplyDeleteI also really love dried cherries and dried apricots together. It is a total sweet-tart sensation. Next time anyone makes a brisket with a beef broth base throw these two in for a flavor enhancement. It's great!
I am loving seeing everyone's ideas and am itching to get in the kitchen!
j_caroline@sbcglobal.net
Hi Stef! I'm new to your blog and I love it. You have helped me develop quite a reputation amongst my friends. When I was a child, my Puerto Rican grandmother use to make my famiy a cake with Brie, Rosemary and Peaches. I've never been able to duplicate it or find the recipe and sadly she passed away when I was 13 yrs old. That recipe was in her head and went with her to the great beyond as they say. If you or anyone of your fans has something similar please share. Anyway, enough about that, my flavor combo for your review and giveaway is warm rosemary brie cake with peach preserves. Good luck to everyone.
ReplyDeleteI have the Spice Bible and love it. Not sure if it's the same authors, but I highly recommend you check it out.
ReplyDeleteAs for flavors, I certainly second a lot of these! And while it's not as summery, I love Manhattans and have been dying for a great whiskey-cherry combo. I just can't seem to find a good Manhattan inspired cupcake/cake recipe!
Oh my goodness... I need this book! I'm just learning to cook, and ALWAYS underseason my food. Never the worst you've ever tasted, but never the best either.
ReplyDeleteAs for flavors, I'll just go with my two favorite -- chocolate and tea. I've never had these together, especially not in a cake, but I imagine it might be good.
I've been cooking a lot of savory dishes lately with tea, so why not sweet?
You know this flavor combination thing can be fun just for kicks...forget the giveaway, LOL..
ReplyDeleteI've never had rhubard and I always see recipes that use rhubard paired w/strawberries or pears. But, I've never seen rhubard paired with roasted ginger. I love Ginger, how bad can it be?? So that is my second pairing: Roasted Ginger and Rhubard. - Jackie
I know they aren't exactly flavors, but french fries and vanilla milkshakes are great together. A fry dipped in a milkshake is my favorite.
ReplyDeletespecide@gmail.com
Wow, this book looks amazing - and it's so much fun to read the flavor combinations that everyone's posted!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite flavor combinations is brie, hazelnut, brown sugar, and apple. It's hard to beat the combos of salty/sweet and creamy/crunchy/crisp.
I love dark chocolate and orange.Anything that's chocolate and orange,candy,ice cream,cupakes,and the list goes on.
ReplyDeleteI have been debating on buying this book for a while. I love the classic chocolate peanut butter or balsamic and strawberries. YUM!
ReplyDeleteI have two favorite flavor combinations. First is a gorgonzola dolce + ribbon of caramel + light sprinkling of espresso powder in the frosting and cupcake batter. Absolute bliss. Second is cantaloupe and ouzo with a dusting of rosemary. A subtle, lingering taste redolent of summer.
ReplyDeleteI love cilantro and lemon. :)
ReplyDeletebeet almond chickpea dip
ReplyDeletei love chocolate and raspberry. too obvious huh.
ReplyDeleteilean811[at]hotmail.com
I am a 10-year-old at heart, so . . . chocolate and peanut butter. But I'm always willing to try new things, so this book looks great!
ReplyDeleteHazelnut and Mascarpone is my favorite. Or Hazelnut with cinnamon.
ReplyDeleteThe farmer's market is just bursting with blackberries and peaches right now. I think a blackberry/peach cupcake in cornmeal/thyme base would be awesome
ReplyDeletejenwoods@fuse.net
dark chocolate/cherry/ginger
ReplyDeleterosemary/peaches/cinnamon
I LOVE cinnamon and chocolate together...it reminds me of hot chocolate. I have some mini brownies in the oven right now with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, and chili powder topped with some salt. The batter tastes goooood!
ReplyDeletemy favorite combination would be maple syrup and bourbon. great in savory and sweet applications. ana153@students.jwu.edu
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete*sighs* Let's try this again...
ReplyDeleteWow! After reading all the comments, I'm drooling on my keyboard. So many amazing combinations!
My personal favorite is avocado, cream cheese, lemon, and salt.
I LOVE to chop the first two up and mix 'em together until they're creamy. Then I'll squeeze fresh lemon juice on top with a sprinkle of salt and dig in with a spoon.
Maybe an avocado cupcake with a lemon cream cheese frosting? OMG. Typing that made me want to cry. Want!
mistressdanzig (at) gmail (dot) com
For my bacon lovin husband....bacon and peanut butter sandwiches are a fav here. So a Peanut butter cupcake infused with bacon would be a delight.
ReplyDeleteCilantro and lime is a personal favorite.
ReplyDeleteAlso: Dark chocolate and Mandarin Orange. YUM.
kvetching dot editor at gmail dot com
This book would be such a great resource! I'd say coconut lime but they are already so many great sweets with the combination out there. How about coconut and chili powder? I put those three things together on a simple mango salad this Spring and thought they were fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI love cooking with sage since it grows rampant in my back yard. I seriously cannot kill it, and it just keeps coming back. Usually I love pairing it with sweet potatoes, but since you've mastered a pumpkin/sweet potato cupcake I'm trying to come up with something else.
ReplyDeleteSince it's summer I'm thinking a sage/peach combination would be loverly.
I'd love the book - it'd be great to see what else I could pair all this sage with! (That and my chives. I can't keep anything else alive, but I have enough sage and chives to feed the neighborhood...)
Nothing makes me happier than pistachio & rose. Must be the Indian in me. :)
ReplyDeleteI like peanut butter and caramelized onions together. You could do a peanut butter cupcake with a cream cheese and onion frosting. Or, you could do an onion-based cupcake (sweetly savory?) with a creamy peanut butter frosting.
ReplyDeleteall these comments are giving such sophisticated and random combinations, so i feel silly saying that i love cinnamon with apples and cumin with black beans. lordy, i'm a bore. :)
ReplyDeleteNot weird, but I'm crazy for the peach/basil combo!
ReplyDeleteI just love the combination of savory and sweet when baking. One of my favorite cookie recipes uses sage in the cookie dough and finishes with a thumbprint of raspberry or blackberry jam/jelly. It's so delicious that I have to freeze the cookies so that I don't eat them all at once!
ReplyDeletegreat giveaway....I love chocolate and cherries..
ReplyDeleteCarole
gram122@comcast.net
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI put a mixture of honey and lime on watermelon. So refreshing and yummy.
ReplyDeletedonnach4@hotmail.com
I'd love to try something with chocolate, lavender, and thyme. I think it would be an aromatic wonderland!
ReplyDeletekmsampson@gmail.com
I recently made a pear cardamom sorbet that was awesome. I bet it would make a great cupcake with a goat cheese frosting.
ReplyDeletelanewoods@fuse.net
I found an online recipe where the two main components were chocolate and sauerkraut!! I won't say where I found the recipe but let's see if Stef can do something with these two ingredients w/o google's intervention!! Ta-da!!!
ReplyDelete-jackie
I live in the UK, but I wanted to share an awesome combi I tasted in a Japanese confection - Salted crinkle potato chips with white chocolate! The saltiness and creamy chocolate flavour combined with a satisfying crunch made it a winner.
ReplyDeleteMy two favorite combos: the not-so-out-of-the-ordinary dark chocolate & espresso and the middle eastern inspired cardamom & rose water. (Ever made a Persian Love Cake? It's heavenly!)
ReplyDeleteChili and chocolate. Love, love, love it! But that's already been said, so my 2nd favorite is red wine and chocolate.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteNothing new but almonds and apricots. So delicious!
abby.m.cooke at gmail
I stumbled across your blog and I am HOOKED! I am a newer foodie, so my flavor may be nothing new and exciting but I LOVE almonds, cheddar and broccoli. YUM!
ReplyDeleteOooh, I heard about this book a month or so ago and I so want a copy!!
ReplyDeleteOver Christmas my husband and I ate the most amazing fig and goat cheese tart at a restaurant at Disney World, and ever since I've been wondering how that might be turned into a delicious cupcake. So that would be my flavor combo suggestion!
That book looks awesome! My current favorite flavor combination is kimchi and nori (seasoned seaweed). Maybe it'd work in a cupcake? I've heard of kimchi chocolate and kimchi donuts...
ReplyDeletegood luck with whatever you choose!
crushlow(at)gmail(dot)com
When I go out to eat I will dip my french fries in pretty much anything except ketchup, depending on what the rest of my meal is. So far though I would say the best combination is with guacamole.
ReplyDeletee.e.den@hotmail.com
I love garlic and parmesan cheese together.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks amazing. I am always trying to think of new flavor combinations for my cupcakes. I would love to win this!!!!
For a sweet flavor I think I'd choose cream cheese and fig preserves, maybe honey - I can't decide which I like better.
ReplyDeleteFor savory dishes my current favorite is fig preserves and mustard powder. I think I'm on a fig kick! I can thank my mom for all those homemade preserves.
I don't know where it started but putting fresh blueberries in my salads whether spinach or baby greens with a simple red wine vinaigrette pairs well - maybe b/c the subtle sweet/tart plays well in the background.
ReplyDeleteThat book looks awesome! I guess the flavor combo that I enjoy that I would like to see made into a cupcake would be potato chips + radishes. It's a super crunchy salt&pepper thing. :)
ReplyDeleteHow about fig and walnut with a honey mascarpone frosting.
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway :)
Wow! These all look so amazing, I can't believe you have to pick just one.
ReplyDeleteI suppose my favorite sweet combo is anise/orange. I have made anise cookies with orange buttercream and they turned out so good, I think it would be a fun cupcake combo.
sevin17@aol.com
I LOVE chocolate and salt or caramel and salt. I think a combination of these with a whipped frosting would be delicious! I was in your class today and had a great time! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteChocolate and lavender, love it and can't get enough. Although I've got honey-lavender ice cream in the freezer waiting on me tonight...
ReplyDeletePistachios and peaches? I'm quite intrigued. I love polenta flavored with coffee and goat cheese. Uh-maz-ing!
ReplyDeleteOf course, I have my favorite traditional flavor combinations like chocolate/peanut butter and chocolate/mint. For a less traditional match, I enjoy prosciutto and asparagus. (Now, that would be a challenge for a cupcake ...)
ReplyDeleteSo my combo suggestion may seem a little strange a first - but give me a minute to explain! Peanut butter, maple syrup and bacon - and here's why. My father always put peanut butter and syrup on his pancakes and waffles (rather than butter and syrup). So sometimes I did too - and if we had bacon with our pancakes/waffles - I just HAD to drag the bacon through the mixed PB & syrup. And it's delicious - salty and sweet and amazing. You know what else is good? A grilled peanut butter and bacon sandwich! I'd love to taste a cupcake based on these flavors...
ReplyDeleteThis book would be awesome!!!
ReplyDeleteI love raspberry and elder flower. I make a raspberry elder flower cake and then make a vanilla/elderflower icing... then top it with fresh raspberries! It's to die for!!
I'm cupcakegirlff at gmail!
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ReplyDeleteI so want to learn how to add different flavors to unusual items. Watermelon mint cupcakes is my next project. Can't wait to see how it turns out. Maybe doing it in the icing. We will see!!!
ReplyDeleteWasabi and ginger would make an awesome cupcake, I think, especially with chocolate.
ReplyDeleteGuava and cream cheese filling with Chipotle Chocolate batter and a Mole buttercream.
ReplyDeletebrowned butter with sage...perhaps add some toasted hazelnuts as well.
ReplyDeleteI like cheddar cheese and apples myself. : ) This book looks AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome book! I just made a yummy chutney style sauce for chicken breasts last night that would also be a tasty cupcake! It was granny smith apples, kiwi, mint and honey. Absolutely divine!
ReplyDeleteI've been eyeing this book for quite awhile!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite flavor combination? I'm thinking it's not terrible original, caramel & dark chocolate. Pure heaven to me!
There are two flavor combinations I love: Chocolate and peanut butter, and chocolate and raspberry. They're both awesome in totally different ways.
ReplyDeleteI love that book! I loaned mine to a friend and never got it back. Oh, to have a copy again *dreaming*
ReplyDeleteI love sweet and savory flavor combinations - like olive oil and fig. It makes an amazing ice cream flavor, so I'm sure it would be a tasty cupcake : )
email:amorrison74(at)yahoo(dot)com
Sweet and salty is a classic. I particularly love dark chocolate covered potato chips. Works best if they're the kind with ridges.
ReplyDeleteLooks SOOO fun... As for flavor combination I am thinking a strawberry cilantro combination for the cupcake and a lemon buttercream frosting. (If I had the flavor bible I could check out if that combo makes sense...sounds good to me!) (lswinimer@gmail.com)
ReplyDeleteI love banana, peanut butter and marshmallow, no matter what i make with that combination it is always such a win for me
ReplyDeletemy email address is olivejuice04@hotmail.com