French and fabulous

The dustings of flour, swirls of sugar, and streaks of eggy batter on every other shirt and sweater (the silly goose doesn't believe in aprons) are proof that most of the time my assistant spends in the kitchen is time spent baking. However, every now and then, she likes to take a walk on the savory side. Opportunity presented itself when her friend Justin invited her to a French-themed dinner party he was hosting for a crowd of friends. While she brought dessert (naturally), she had a ball watching the process of savory cooking unfold into a meaty souffle, rich consomme, hearty beef bourguignon, buttery mashed potatoes, and caramelized fennel bulbs, all a la Justin.

For a sweet ending to a delicious, indulgent meal, she brought some Vanilla Babycakes splashed with Grand Marnier to fit in with the French theme:
Sweet, bite-sized vanilla cupcakes with the tops brushed with Grand Marnier syrup and a swirl of Grand Marnier cream cheese frosting, these mini cupcakes were perfect photography subjects. I like to call this one, "Peas in a Pod":
And the following, "It's All Relative" -- is that a very, very small cupcake or a very, very large flowerpot?
Thanks, Justin, for hosting such a fabulous dinner party! I hope you and your guests enjoyed the cupcakes as much as my assistant and I enjoyed making them and taking them on our little photoshoot.