As our readers may have read in other blogs, the GT team recently took part in a private cooking class in Philadelphia for a team-building excursion. Mexican dishes were on the menu, with appetizers, two main courses and a dessert. Global Traveler’s editor in chief Kimberly Krol and I tackled the challenging dessert round: margarita cupcakes. I have no shame in admitting I am not a baker. I find the precise nature of baking a bit intimidating and tend to stick to cooking. Kim is our office’s resident baker, so I was happy to be paired with her!

The cupcakes featured tequila in the cake and frosting, making for a boozy end to the meal. We had a good bit of prep to do to make the cake and frosting from scratch. In the end, they turned out tasty and even won the favorite dish vote from our group!

With plenty of great fresh ingredients available at the farmers market in my neighborhood, I’ve invested in a few cookbooks to try my hand at some new recipes. I’m excited to try dishes from Dining In, Ottolenghi Simple and Smitten Kitchen Everyday. I’m hoping to use the recent cupcake success as motivation to try some new recipes and maybe even bake a thing or two.

— Katie Skrzek, vice president/digital director