Ten years ago the idea of opening up a bakery that serves only cupcakes would have sounded crazy, but when Carrie and Miranda shared pink-frosted cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery on an episode of "Sex and the City," the cupcake craze was born. Sprinkles Cupcakes, which first opened in Beverly Hills in 2005 and now has locations in seven additional cities, plus two more on the way, credits itself as the first cupcakery (a bakery specializing in cupcakes), but the fad only hit Rochester in the past year. The first retail location to open was Sugar Mountain Bake Shoppe last October, followed by Dolce Cupcakery in Pittsford. Now, as of July 3, Rochester has three cupcakeries to its credit with the opening of Dollop in Penfield.

While Dollop may seem like the new kid on the block, owner Heather Saffer has been in the cupcake-baking and -selling business for more than a year. She previously sold her handheld treats at the Public Market under the name The Cupcake Dreamery, but found sharing both a kitchen and a selling space problematic, and decided to pour her energy into opening up her own retail location. In addition, Saffer decided to bring something to her retail store that would set it apart from the others: a create-your-own cupcake bar that allows customers to customize their treats.

"It's sort of the Cold Stone Creamery model of customization," says Saffer. "People can choose exactly what they want, from their cake flavor to the filling, frosting, and toppings. Sometimes people get a bit overwhelmed and we have to help out."

The cupcake bar features several different cake flavors to choose from, including daily choices like vanilla, chocolate, and red velvet and rotating flavors like banana and champagne. Then comes the choice of a filling, with options like fluff, raspberry, lemon, apple pie, and more. Step three literally puts the icing on the cake with several choices ranging from cream cheese to mint chocolate to buttercream. And finally you can top off your decadent treat with a choice of items like sprinkles, chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, or M&Ms.

"My ideal cupcake changes depending on my mood," says Saffer, "but if I had to pick a favorite it would probably be chocolate cake filled with fluff, frosted with peanut butter frosting and topped with peanut butter cups."

The cost to customize your dream cupcake is $2.50 for the cake and frosting, plus a quarter if you want a filling and anywhere from a dime to 50 cents per topping. And don't worry: Dollop also offers ice cold milk from Pittsford Dairy to wash down the ooey-gooey goodness.

Dollop currently has very limited seating and accepts cash only for orders under $20. In addition to the retail cupcake bar, Dollop also caters special events with a minimum order of a dozen cupcakes or two dozen mini cupcakes.

Dollop is located at 1865 Penfield Road, and is open Thursday-Saturday noon-8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call 205-8628 or visit dollopgourmet.com.

Charles not in charge

Anyone who has lived or worked in downtown Rochester has likely dined at Charlie's Frog Pond, a Park Ave institution for more than 35 years. The restaurant is known for great breakfasts (especially delicious when paired with a hangover) and its seemingly random selection of dinner specials, often featuring upscale food in a setting that is more akin to a diner. Fans of the popular eatery may have noticed one fairly substantial change recently: the removal of "Charlie" from one of their favorite restaurant's names.

In truth, "Charlie" left nearly 20 years ago when owner Charlie Carrado sold the restaurant to Betsy Wilson, who has owned the restaurant ever since. Earlier this year Wilson decided that it might be time to retire. Enter new owners Kevin Crego and Sam Taylor, who purchased the restaurant with intentions of changing up the menu and refreshing the interior, though they assure fans that they intend to keep all of the things that have made the Frog Pond such a popular institution all these years. Well, everything except the name Charlie.

To find Charlie's Frog Pond in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

The Frog Pond is located at 652 Park Ave. It is open daily 7 a.m.-9 p.m. For more information, call 271-1970 or visit its Facebook page.

Nathan's keeps it cool

With the record heat and humidity we've been experiencing lately, soup is probably not at the top of everyone's list of food cravings. Nathan's Soup and Salad aims to remedy that by offering summer soup options. The offerings include two daily selections - gazpacho, a chilled soup made with diced tomatoes, peppers, onions, celery, cucumber, and a variety of spices, and vichyssoise, a chilled potato and leek soup - as well as rotating options, like a chilled cucumber dill or the new shrimp and melon gazpacho. Nathan's will still offer hot soups every day as well.

Also keep an eye on this column for news on a second Nathan's, which is scheduled to open at RIT this fall.

To find Nathan's Soups and Salad in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

Nathan's Soup and Salad is located at 691 Park Ave. It is open Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information call 461-3016 or visit nathanssoupandsalad.com.

Old is new

The Genesee Country Village and Museum opened the W. Grieve Brewery last month, the only working 19th century brewery in the United States. The brewery is modeled and named after one owned by Walter Grieve in Geneva during that time period. Visitors not only have the opportunity to view the 200-year-old brewing process, but can also taste the beer produced there, 1803 Fat Ox Ale, a collaboration with Custom BrewCrafters of Honeoye Falls.

Genesee Country Village and Museum is located at 1410 Flint Hill Rd in Mumford. It is open Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through October 17. Admission is $15 for adults, $9 for youth (4-16), and $12 for seniors. For more information, call 538-6822 or visit gcv.org.

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