Pastry Profiles: the Montmartre from The French Pastry Shop and Creperie, Santa Fe

Now here's a pastry that makes me want to start singing "Isn't she lovely?". 

Beautiful red strawberries standing proudly at attention, gleaming under an apricot glaze. Thick whipped cream. Spongey cake. A rich layer of pastry cream. More cake to keep it all in place. That, my friends, is the Montmartre, a totally sweet pastry named after a Parisian neighborhood which I scored at The French Pastry Shop and Creperie in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

How did I choose this pastry above all the others in their delectably filled cases? Easy: I asked the employee working the counter what the very best thing was in the case. He kind of blushed, said of course everything was good, but that his personal favorite was this bad boy. And so I went with it.

I wasn't disappointed. The Montmartre was kind of like strawberry shortcake's more glamorous French cousin, with a little more sophistication and je ne sais quoi. But when it came down to it, the strawberries n cream was down-home delicious, to the very last bite. 

A sweet find indeed! 

The French Pastry Shop & Creperie, 100 E. San Francisco Street, Santa Fe NM; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Springtime at What's For Dessert, Spring Lake Heights NJ

I feel as though I would be remiss if I did not tell you that this is a most wonderful time of year to visit What's For Dessert, a bakery in Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey.

Why at this time of year, you ask? Well, because of their stellar springtime offerings. I feel very qualified to tell you about them, because I grew up with this bakery. Although it has changed locations since my youth, their offerings have remained just as I remember.

First up, the Frog Cupcakes. A Jersey Shore (and, if I'm honest, mid-atlantic) phenomenon, theirs are especially cute. You can read more about the frog cupcake here, but rest assured, this is where SpyFamily buys theirs.

Next up, the hot cross buns. Only available on the weekends, and only at this time of year, these brioche-like buns, studded with raisins and x-marks-the-spotted with thick icing, these are an ideal treat with tea: lightly sweet, and so good with butter. Simple but perfect.

Now. These are the primary reasons why you must go to this bakery right now. But there are plenty of reasons to go at other times of the year, too. For one, they have highly respectable old-fashioned doughnuts. 

And nice, golden, spongy cupcakes with a generous piping of frosting. Note that these are more old-school bakery style than fancy cupcakery style, but you're not necessarily looking at a fussy cupcake here. 

Though not pictured, What's for Dessert also makes a very fine crumb cake, with fat pearls of brown sugar crumb perched atop a buttery cake base, and very nice sugar cookies, which they'll decorate according to season.

Everything is super-affordable in the bakery (lots of things under a dollar!), too. I should tell you it's not a place to hang out--no seating, inside or out--but overall, we're here for the sweets, not comfy seats and wi-fi, right? I think that What's for Dessert is a charming little spot, and I think you will, too!

What's for Dessert, 1901 Highway 71, Spring Lake Heights, NJ. On Facebook.

The Curious Case of the St. Patrick's Day Frog Cupcake

It's a funny thing about regional baked goods. Sometimes, you don't realize they're regional until you move away from an area. And for me, one such baked good is the St. Patrick's Day Frog Cupcake.

I grew up in a magical part of the world known as the Jersey Shore. And every year around the first of March through St. Patrick's day, local bakeries such as Freedman's Bakery would bake up a very interesting confection: the frog cupcake.

Let me explain a bit further, though. A frog cupcake is NOT simply a cupcake decorated with a frog face. Its construction is like so:

When assembled, it looks like this:

Now, chances are, if you aren't a local in the NY metro area, you may never have seen this glorious confection. For me, it wasn't until I relocated to Seattle for a time that I realized that this wasn't an everywhere treat. So what gives?

Well, I have to say, this is a moment where I want to say "Bless the Internet", because, as it turns out, there's an entire website dedicated to the subject  (and preservation of) these delightful frogs. It's called Follow Your Frog. It even has a page dedicated to the evolution of the frog. The research isn't scientific, but references that the frog pheneomenon could date back to the 1920s, in Australia:

A place called Balfours, which evidently still has them today. These Froggies are quite different than their American cousins (well, OK, we haven’t tasted met them yet, but from what we've read). These are tea cakes, originally just green, then also pink and chocolate coated (yes, chocolate!). Were these the frogs that came to America and were supersized? Or are the Frogs that settled in the New York metro area instead from Europe? Frog historians (ok, there really is no such thing...crazy people obsessed with Frogs) are attempting to trace their path…

But then the page goes on to say, 

Next sighting - bakeries in the NY Metro area in the 1960s-70s. These are the frogs of our childhood, and all the local bakeries (Coquelle’s, New Garden) in the Newark NJ area had them for St. Patrick’s Day (and ONLY then).

Newark area bakeries disappear over time, with Coquelle’s ending in the 90s, and we thought they were extinct. Uncontrollable sobbing continued every St. Patty’s Day. Until…

Frogs found in Central Jersey! In fact they were there all along, probably as long as the Northern NJ frogs – we just didn’t know. Vaccaro’s in Clark NJ saves St. Patty’s Day!

Frogs go mainstream with the Wegmans supermarket variety – although for the last 2 years in NJ they were MIA… so hopefully they have not gone the way of the dinosaur…

An internet search leads to the discovery of La Delice in NYC – another older bakery which has had them for a long time. And these frogs don’t hibernate – they proudly show their googly eyes every day of the year.

The fantastic creators of the Follow Your Frog site have even started something called FrogFest, which pits frog cupcake makers from NY, NJ, and PA against one another to see whose frogs are the finest. My goodness, why haven't I been to one of these?

As the site notes, and as I can attest, the frog is a dying breed. When I visited Freedman's in Belmar recently, which is under new ownership since my childhood, the employee had no idea what I was talking about when I inquired about frog cupcakes. A longtime employee's face, however, lit up as she said "Oh my god! I remember the frogs. They were like sugar bombs! So good!". 

However, in nearby Spring Lake Heights, the frogs are available at a bakery called What's For Dessert. Their specimen is a fine one, with a decadent edge owing to a butter cookie leprechaun hat (adhered with a birthday candle!). And by a "fine" specimen I mean a true and complete sugar bomb of a delight. It's not fancy eating but it sure is fun. Here is my nephew about to dig into one:

It is humane to remove the eyes before eating, but that's not to say you can't have a little torturous fun with your frog. Sensitive readers may want to skip the next few photos.

OK, OK. I hope I've expanded your sweet horizons by offering you the fable of the Jersey Shore frog today. If you're curious, I highly suggest visiting the Follow Your Frog website, where you can find frogs and report sightings!

It may not be easy being green for these frogs, but life is certainly sweet for the eaters of these treats. 

Sweet Times in Lewes, Delaware

Recently, I had the sweet good fortune of spending nearly a week in Lewes (pronounced "Lewis"), Delaware. I was there to paint a mural for three very lucky little girls in their home. 

I already shared some process shots with you, but here are a few photos of the finished mural. 

But guess what, my friends? Muraling wasn't all I did in Lewes. I also ate some totally sweet treats.

First up was a breakfast of baked oatmeal at Café Azafrán. This does, I realize, veer slightly toward health food, but it was sweetened, and it was so freaking good that it needs to be mentioned. Somehow, the geniuses at this cafe have turned oatmeal into a baked brick of lightly sweetened deliciousness. It had the texture of crumb cake, and remained cohesive enough to handle, but had the taste of oatmeal. It was a splendid breakfast, and they will serve it with milk or yogurt (or just plain). Unfortunately the photos don't do it much justice, so you'll just have to trust me: it's well worth a try.

Although it is not food related, I should tell you that Lewes has a dutch history museum, and over the entryway...well...that looks a lot like a unicorn to me! Clearly, I was meant to mural here.

Back to the sweet stuff. Lewes also has a bakery. It's called Notting Hill Coffee Company, but it has a big sign above the store that says Lewes Bake Shop.

Now, instead of asking what I tried here, you should ask "what didn't you try?". Because it is the primary bake shop in town, and I was there for DAYS. So I got to try a lot. 

Including...the "Ooey Gooey", a treat all their own which is described as "not a twist, a danish, a biscuit, or a sticky bun...it's all of the above!".

Visually, they look like a twisted cruller.

But taste-wise, they defy one definition. They're definitely ooey gooey. More solid than a doughnut. Not quite as sturdy as a biscuit. COVERED in gooey caramel icing stuff. Oh goodness are they good. It's possible that more than three were consumed during the muraling time.

This bakery featured a lot of sweets made with pastry dough rolled into sticks--including the "gorilla stick", which included a chocolatey nut mixture...

As well as the "Lewes Creation" which had a cinnamon-sugar-apple mixture smeared in the middle.

In both cases the pastries are surprisingly light and shatter when bitten, but are very pleasant in the mouth, indeed.

For breakfast treats, the croissants could not be beat. Here's the "Swiss Almond" one, made with a mixture of almond paste inside and almonds and chocolate on the outside. Yum.

Similarly delicious, though quite different than the croissant, was a sticky bun. Served in generous slabs and rich with caramelly topping and nuts, these yeasty rolls made mornings happy in this wintry seaside town.

The bakery also does coffee in several flavors (they are beyond happy to let you try all of them) and they do all sorts of flavored hot chocolates. My favorite was the one where they double the chocolate (no, really). It sounds like it might be too much, but trust me, it's not. 

Oh, what a delicious trip! Thank you, Lewes, for the sweet memories.

Places mentioned:

• Notting Hill Coffee, 124 2nd Street, Lewes, DE; online here.
• Café Azafrán, 109 Market Street, Lewes, DE; online here.
• Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE; more info here.

Interested in your own CakeSpy mural? E-mail jessieoleson@gmail.com.

CakeSpy Undercover: Potito's Italian American Pastries, Philadelphia

Where once, on Walnut Street, was the Philly Chocolate Company, now there is Potito's.

The chocolate company has moved, and Potito's has opened a center city outpost of their bakery, which is based in South Philadelphia.

And of course CakeSpy has visited. How could you NOT visit a place that offers a huge cannoli filled with millions of baby-cannoli?

Photo: ThrillistDudes, I know. I know. It's like witnessing the miracle of cannoli birth.

At the bakery, you'll be greeted with a generous display of baked goods, ranging from Italian classics (cookies by the pound, cannoli, lobster tails, etc) to American sweets (cupcakes, pies, etc). Because the bakery prides itself on being Italian-American, I decided to stick with an Italian roster of sweets to sample.

First up, the cannoli. At $3.95 each, I consider them fairly heftily priced, but obviously made with love and care. I've been told that in Chicago, there is a place that sells them for $9.00 per, though, so maybe I shouldn't focus so much on the cost, but rather tell you that the filling was dreamy?

Photo: Potito'sA rainbow cookie was highly satisfactory, a solid version of the Italian bakery staple.

Next up, an Italian ricotta tart. It's that lovely featured at the top of the post.  Clearly they know their ricotta filling, which was a very nice texture and flavor. Lightly sweet and nicely complemented by a cocoa topping and strawberry on top. The crust was lightly sweet, making for a pleasant backdrop for the tart.

Potito's Bakery, two locations (Center City and South Philadelphia); online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Nook Bakery and Cafe, Philadelphia

There it is, hidden in plain sight in the middle of a busy city block: Nook Bakery. 

I say hidden not because it really is, but because somehow I had walked by roughly a zillion times without ever actively noticing that it said "Bakery" on the door. I thought it was just a coffee shop! No offense to coffee shops, of course, but for me, bakeries hold higher interest. 

But you can bet your bottom dollar that on the day I had my glasses prescription updated and finally noticed the word bakery, I went right in to buy something. 

They have a very nice bakery display, including cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and bars. I hope nobody minds, but I snagged a few photos from their Yelp page to give you a better idea, because I only had my phone camera. Here are some of the things you might see there. 

After much debate, I settled on a brownie and an apple custard bar.

Mostly, I am going to talk about the apple custard bar, though, because that was my favorite.

What seemed a pie like pastry molded into a Napoleon shaped brick, this apple custard bar had a sturdy bottom shortbread-y layer and a sturdy brown sugar crumb topping, but the inside was all gooey yum. The custard was smooth and played oh so nicely with the light spice of the apples, which permeated all parts with a sweetness that was most welcome to this mouth.

I would definitely need another. 

I will certainly be visiting Nook again, and I have my sights set on more bar cookies and the delicious looking cupcakes (one of which is pictured above, courtesy the Nook Yelp page).

Nook Bakery and Cafe, 15 South 20th Street, Philadelphia; online here.

Sweet Times at Ms Goody Cupcake, Philadelphia

We're going to talk about Ms. Goody Cupcake today, I promise. But first. When you walk into a bakery, do you consider every single little thing that had to come into play for this experience to happen? 

In your own life, zillions of little tiny things have happened, of course. But I'm talking now about the bakery itself. It may have started as a dream, but then it went through a strenuous time of buildout, health inspections, and refining recipes that work perfectly in a home kitchen to be suitable for commercial production and consumption. It boggles the mind. 

Recently I had the opportunity to chat with Gigi, the owner of Ms. Goody Cupcake in Philadelphia, and had the pleasure of learning more of her story. And with that, here are a few things you may not have known about this sweet little spot nestled in the up and coming East Passyunk area: 

What's in a name? The name came to her in an unexpected way: at a big box store! Owner Gigi was debating cupcake shop names--she had already dismissed Gigi's as it was already taken, and had rejected several others that seemed to generic. Then, while in a Wal-Mart parking lot in New Jersey, she overheard a conversation in which one person called the other a "Ms. Goody Two-Shoes." She thought--that's it! Ms. Goody Cupcake was born.

Sweet Trivia: Gigi's husband owns a pizza shop a few blocks away. I found this impossibly romantic, the perfect marriage of the foods I always eat on my birthday! 

Overcoming obstacles: On the day that she opened, Gigi slipped on the store's newly mopped floor and had to close! When she re-opened again, she suffered another injury shortly thereafter and had to close yet again! Luckily, her supportive neighborhood was ready and waiting for her sweet treats. 

Playing favorites: Gigi doesn't like to play favorites, BUT. Her personal favorite cupcake from the menu is the Tiramisu cupcake, offered as a special on occasion, which features coffee and mascarpone. Yum. 

Happy Hour: Ms. Goody cupcake does offer several boozy cupcake options. They're not available all the time, but they're popular when they are around. Beer-pretzel cupcake? Sounds perfect for Father's Day. Talk about a sweet buzz.

Now that I've given you some fun tidbits, let's talk about the cupcakes. There is a roster of about five flavors (basics, you know) that are always available, and then every day you'll see several other flavors that are specials. On the day I went, they included a "Banana Split" (banana cake, chocolate drizzle, cherry on top--pictured top), "Lunch Lady" (peanut butter and jelly), and "Holy Cannoli" (cannoli cream-esque frosting, bits of shell on the top - yum).

I tried one of their regular cupcakes--the "Pretty In Pink", which is a champagne cupcake available in the prettiest cake color, and the aforementioned "Banana Split". I thoroughly enjoyed my cupcake experience on both counts. I wouldn't call the cupcakes here fancy--but don't think that is an insult in any way. They are homey types of cakes, and that is sometimes very satisfying. The frostings are assertively dense, and perfectly sweet. The cake itself falls somewhere in the middle--not poundcakey, but definitely not spongey or over-light. The champagne cupcake had a nice bite from the champagne which was rather nice with the sweetness of the frosting. The banana cupcake was satisfyingly moist, but not to be confused with banana bread, ever, with all the sweetness happening on the upper level.

I also tried a cake truffle--once again, the "Pretty In Pink". You could still taste that little bite of the champagne, which was especially nice against the white chocolate coating, which can be so-o-o-o sweet sometimes. Nice. 

Thought I didn't try them on this visit, they also have cookies, a different type of cake every week (Jewish Apple cake on the day of my visit), and doggie treats. They also offer custom cakes by request. 

In the East Passyunk area? Go check them out, yo. It's a fun neighborhood to walk around in, as well.

Ms. Goody Cupcake, 1838 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia PA; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Sugar Mama's Bakeshop, Austin TX

Here's a bakery that really excited me: Sugar Mama's Bakeshop in Austin, Texas.

Now, I should tell you that even before I tasted their sweets, I was hungry for them. A few years ago, I had 

Here's a detail, so you can see the subject matter, which focuses on cupcakes baking and getting tattoos. Since this is what they had requested, I hope you can see why I already kind of loved them.

So upon setting foot in Austin, I hot-footed it over to this sweet spot as my first stop. 

Oh, what to get! Well, certainly not just one thing. So we settled on a couple of bourbon chocolate pecan bars, a chocolate chip scone, and a Pistachio chocolate chip cupcake (a special on Fridays; view their website for a daily cupcake menu).

First, let's talk about that Pistachio chocolate chip cupcake. Buttery vanilla cake swirled with rich chocolate chips and topped with creamy pistachio buttercream frosting. A nice cake foundation, topped with an addictive as crack pistachio frosting. Like a good pistachio pudding, only buttery. Kind of like the cupcake version of these cookies. Big thumbs up.

Next, the scone. I'm showing it to you realllll close up because that's about how close I got, to look it scone-cold in the eye, and ask it if it was feelin' lucky. When it didn't answer, I took it as a sign of disrespect and just cause to bite its face off. And I will tell you, its face was delicious. The chocolate chips were joined by chocolate swirled throughout the scone, and it was nice and moist, biscuitlike. A nice, sweet scone.

Finally, and my personal favorite, the bourbon chocolate chip pecan bars. Like, OMG. As they put it on their website, this is "Our delicious take on an old favorite. Pecans, chocolate chips, and a hint of bourbon on top of a pie crust." This description does not do this bar justice. May I humbly suggest that they change it to "this is the type of foodstuff that makes you want to eat it continuously until you're obese." Rich pecans in a buttery, gooey sauce. Punctuated by dark, deep, delicious chocolate. Made better with a shortbread crust. Given just enough "bite" from the bourbon to cut through the richness, giving it a lovely, lingering caramelly contrast. I want another right now.

And you know what? Right after leaving, I went to another shop where I found this unicorn statuette. Now, if that is not proof that Sugar Mama's is capable of sprinkling magic on your day, I don't know what further proof you need.

1905 S. 1st Street, Austin; online here.

Sweet Product: Whoopie Pies From Chococoa Baking Company

Not so long ago, I received an email from a place called Chococoa Baking Company, asking if I'd sample their whoopie pies.

Turns out this retail bakery (with an online and wholesale division) has made quite a name for itself in the North Shore of the greater Boston area, where they've been churning out what they call "the Whoopie"--a mini (3 bite-ish) version of the popular treat that is "A smaller, richer, triple chocolate version of the childhood treat." 

Co-owners Alan and Julie have some eclectic inspiration. For Alan, this is the realization of a lifelong dream to develop a snack food. He thanks his two heroes: first his mother, and then...former Federal Reserve Chairman, Alan Greenspan. Of course. As he explains it, "My mother was a great baker and always trying new recipes." As for Mr. Greenspan? He said that you do not need to develop a new product but rather improve an existing one. Nice. 

Julie, Chococoa's co-owner, is a Maine native who grew up making whoopie pies with her grandmother and mother; she felt that the classic treat could benefit from a makeover, too. 

Sure, I said, and they sent me a sample. But I don't know if they were aware of what exactly awaited their sweet treats when I received them. Because, you see, I like to get to know baked goods before I sample them. So, I unwrapped them and had way more fun with them than I ought to have.

First, I showed one my hamburger phone.

HAMBURGER PHONE!

I showed a few my book. They made appropriate cooing sounds of approval.

I gave some a healthy snack.

I safely wrapped a few and took them for a walk.

I took them to an 18th Century Garden. Bet you're wondering how I knew it was an 18th Century Garden.

I showed them statues.

I showed them historical landmarks.

Back home, I introduced one to a naked baby.

One enjoyed a conversation with a cupcake.

I shared with them some of my artwork.

I showed them my unicorn collection:

They were so happy.

and then I ate them.

Wow, you're thinking, when did this turn into a Whoopie Pie snuff film? No, people. They're just whoopie pies. They're meant to be consumed.

And for sure, these ones were rather tasty. In the parcel, as you've noticed in the pictures, there were several different flavors of filling. I tried ones filled with vanilla cream, salted caramel cream, raspberry cream, and chocolate ganache. 

What's clear is that these are a step above your typical ubiquitous whoopie pie, quality-wise--the fillings are on par with the frostings at a high end cupcake shop, and the cake is quite nicely made--very chocolatey, and not crumbly or devoid of flavor like so many whoopie pies can be, in my opinion. 

I vote that they are a highly satisfying treat. And proof that sometimes it's great to take some childlike joy in your food, and play with it!

Buy your own whoopie pies to mess with! If you're in Newburyport, visit 50 Water Street, where they have a retail location; or, order online. Here's their website.

Almond Croissant, Elizabeth Street Cafe, Austin TX

I have sampled the almond croissant by Elizabeth Street Cafe in Austin, and I found them highly satisfactory. 

My path was indirect, however. Although I have been to the cafe, which specializes in Vietnamese food with a Frenchy twist, I actually sampled the croissant at the (sadly) now closed trailer La Boîte. It was a very cute spot: a trailer on a hill selling macarons, coffee, croissants and sandwiches. Here is a photo by Aimee Wenske and Jeff Kauffman.

I had visited after it was suggested by a reader; me and a buddy stopped by the pre-funk before breakfast at 24. 

Which takes us back to that almond croissant. 

It was supplied by the Elizabeth Street Cafe, I learned, and it was a fine specimen. A crackly exterior that did that nice shatter-crunch thing that a good croissant should do, in your mouth, not in your hand. A rich, almond-y flavor that permeated each bite. Crunchy almonds on top to give it a texture contrast with the smooth, slightly gooey interior. Overall, a very satisfying croissant experience.

That's all. Go get one yourself.

You can't enjoy one at La Boite anymore, but go right on over to Elizabeth Street Cafe, 1501 S. 1st Street, Austin; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Brown Betty Desserts, Philadelphia

Let's sit for a spell and chat about the magic that is Brown Betty Dessert Boutique in Philadelphia.

First, because I know you like to get the nasty bits out of the way straightaway, I need to tell you that the only flaw in this delectable beacon of sweetness is their hours. They have two locations: the main, have-a-seat-enjoy-a-treat spot in the Northern Liberties neighborhood. This one doesn't open til noon. The second location, a tiny spot at the Liberty Place mall in Center City, doesn't open til 10am. I know. Don't they know I need cake for breakfast?

But--and it is hard for me to say this, trust me--it's worth waiting til 10 or noon, depending on where you are. Because the desserts are really good.

The bakery definitely veers toward southern sweets, and has a very cute story (per their website):

Brown Betty Dessert Boutique is named after our mother/grandmother, Elizabeth Ruth Hnton (friends and family call her either Betty or Liz). Every Sunday when we'd go to visit there'd be a few baked goods already baked: hard tacks (a country word for biscuits), apple pies (always two at a time) or those mile high poundcakes. Everyone loved them! Elizabeth's love and talent for baking and the stories she told of her youth while doing so are the inspiration for Brown Betty. While Elizabeth doesn't bake as much as she used to (she is still our most trusted and toughest critic) - we still remember how good it all used to taste.

The menu is heavy (pun intended) on pound cake, which is a specialty and the base for many of their cupcakes and layer cakes. But while cakes dominate the menu, they're not the only item available. There are also some very nice looking cookies available, and they also do rice pudding, peach cobbler (seasonally), and, of course, Apple Brown Betty.

After doing the jerk thing I do and asking "what is the best thing here?" to the employee working at the time, I was advised to go for the "Only For Eliza"--sweet potato poundcake with spiced Vanilla buttercream. A lovely poundcake with a nicely rounded-out flavor, earthy and soothing, from the sweet potato; sweet as can be and far more enjoyable with frosting. "That's a good cupcake" I say. Only for Eliza...and ME!

I have also sampled their "Sing Little Alice"--Chocolate and Vanilla Cake Swirled and Vanilla or Chocolate Buttercream. And their "Company's Comin'"--Vanilla Poundcake and Coconut Cream Cheese Buttercream. I freaking love how they use poundcake as the base of many of their cakes and cupcakes. It makes them so enjoyable, and the cake is rich and nice and buttery, so it isn't a bummer if you ration out the frosting wrong in your eating and end up with a bite or two of just cake. The cookies are good, too. They are nice, big softies. Just the way I like it.

Of course, if you're not in Philadelphia, or even near Philadelphia, they have a cookbook: The Brown Betty Cookbook. 

They do weddings too, and--I love this--their guiding principle is, "We are obsessed with the concept that our wedding and special occasion cakes taste as good as they look (if not better)."

Brown Betty Dessert Boutique, two locations; main location, 722 N. 2nd Street, Northern Liberties neighborhood; petite location, Liberty Place mall in Center City, near the 17th Street entrance; more info on the website.

Mac Attack: Ryba's Fudge from Mackinac Island, Michigan

Sometimes, a sweet comes along that makes you want to become their official ambassador and travel the globe spreading the sweet gospel, introducing everyone to this magical stuff. 

One such sweet, and you'll know exactly what I am talking about if you've ever tasted it, is Ryba's Fudge from Mackinac Island in Michigan.

If you are in any way tempted to say "I don't like fudge," well, I urge you to silence your dirty, untrustworthy mouth with a piece of a fudge unlike any other you have tasted. 

And while you let it melt in your mouth, let me tell you a little of the story of the late Mr. Ryba, who left a legacy as the "Fudge King" of Mackinac Island, and his fudge.

Mr. Ryba was born in Detroit on June 19, 1907 and grew up the eldest of five children in Utica, Michigan. He began working on the family farm, and in the mid 1930’s rented a storefront in which he began selling caramel corn and popcorn near a Detroit movie theater. In 1950, he grew both amused and irritated with a twelve year old boy selling The Detroit News outside his store. The young man had such a loud voice that Mr. Ryba always claimed he would scare his customers away. He also admired the young man’s drive, so he hired “Victor”, his eventual partner and son-in-law. Together they started making fudge. They were so successful, they branched out to sell at state fairs and other events that brought large crowds.

In 1960, they rented their first Mackinac Island store and began selling their fudge. Since that time, Mr. Ryba and his son-in-law have been a major force in the competitive fudge trade and have helped put this originally small resort town on the map. Also know as “the man of ideas,” Mr. Ryba helped transform this island into the place it is today. He was up at first light, a hands-on type person who was everywhere his many business ventures took him.

In March of 1996, he passed away at the age of 88. He left a major legacy in the generations that have followed in his footsteps. His son-in-law and grandchildren have continued in the fudge and candy trade, and today five stores are operated in the downtown area. Ryba’s trademark pink stores and pink bags represent the past and present of the fudge and candy trade. “Victor’s Caramel Corn” is the seed of the industry and what started the company so many years ago.

What started in Detroit, and moved to Mackinac Island may now be found at Chicago’s McCormick Place and Navy Pier. His grandchildren happily continue the legacy of fresh, quality fudge cooked in copper kettles and creamed on marble slabs. “When you see it made you know it’s fresh,” and we make it fresh daily at two of our downtown locations. Like Mr. Ryba, we’d be happy to put on a show!

I need you to know that I love that story. I love the idea of such an enterprise--fudge as something that would please tourists and give them a unique sweet memory, as well as a treat to bring back home.

But more importantly, I need you to know how much I love this fudge. I, like some out there, am not the biggest-hugest fudge fan. Growing up with substandard "chocolate sand" varieties sold on the Jersey Shore, I have often found the stuff underwhelming. 

But this Ryba's fudge is different. I think that the pictures at least slightly conveys it, but not completely. The texture is nothing like the gritty stuff that all too often passes as fudge. This is the absolute smoothest fudge I have ever had. It is like silk on the tongue. It melts like ganache. It's sweet, but not obnoxiously so. It begs you to have another bite. Although it's so smooth that it's not so much a bite as a gentle avalanche of sweetness in your mouth.

I had a sampler, so there were plenty of types to try--plain, Chocolate Pecan, Turtle, Cookies and Cream, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Peanut Butter. One after the other, the fudge varieties were simple and straightforward--I wouldn't call them a fancy food, exactly, but each one was just as smooth and as simply exquisite as my first bite.

But don't take my word for it--take a five year old's. I watch and do baking and art lessons for two sweet girls every now and again, and the younger one, upon tasting the Cookies and Cream variety, said "this is really good stuff."

It is really good stuff. And for me, an evocative food memory, and a telling one. It was like the taste of this fudge was good enough to match my idealized memories of growing up by the Jersey shore, but this treat needed no filter of time or memory--it was just excellent, plain and simple.

Ryba's Fudge; for more information or to buy, visit ryba.com.

CakeSpy Undercover: Cocopelli, Santa Fe NM

It's the age-old story: CakeSpy will tell you about something sweet she got to eat. I don't know about you, but for me, this never gets old!

This time, I'm going to tell you about a place called Cocopelli in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It's by a megatron movie theater. Honestly, by sight alone, this shopping complex is not the type of place you'd expect to find unique, baked-on-premises sweets. But looks can be deceiving.

Image: Cocopelli

After viewing a movie at aforementioned megatron jumpoplex theater, a friend and I were walking in the parking lot when a gentleman wearing a chef's hat, apron, and carrying a tray of cupcakes approached us. "Red Velvet Cupcake?" he asked? Well, I think you know my response. I know you're not supposed to take candy from strangers, but cupcakes from strangers are OK, right?

The cupcake was rather impressive--the cream cheese frosting was perfectly tangy, the cake was nice and rich. I wanted more.

The marketing gentleman was kind enough to suggest that we visit the bakery, and we did. 

Since it was getting late-ish, the supplies had dwindled, but I was delighted by what they had. One of the bakers, who was on-site, told us that the owner was a chocolatier, and that she had bakers who did the other sweets. The main offerings you'll see upon entering are chocolates and cupcakes, but there are some other items available, including ice cream from Taos Cow. The baker we spoke to knew her stuff--she's a trained pastry chef, and brings some serious love to her cakes and cupcakes.

After viewing all the choices, we settled on the Tres Leches cupcake, which looked so saturated with sweet dairy that it was coming out of its jacket. It weighted about a pound (I say this as a compliment). It was very good. The almost-wet cake was so dairylicious that it almost felt like eating cake and ice cream at the same time. The frosting was rich and smooth and probably not even necessary with a cake that rich, but oh so welcome. The spice on top provided a nice roundness to the extreme dairy overload.

This was a good cupcake, and the chocolates we sampled were very nice, too. I think it's well worth a visit, and not just if you find yourself at the movies next door!

Cocopelli, 3482 Zafarano Drive, Santa Fe; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Cake and the Beanstalk, Philadelphia

CakeSpy Note: Because I seem to have misplaced my photos of Cake and the Beanstalk, many are from their website, and the banana cake is from Penn Appetit. 

You are pretty much bound by honor to love any bakery that has the tagline "Fee fi fo YUM". 

Such a bakery can be found in Cake and the Beanstalk, a place where children can play and adults are invited to along with them. And there are sweets enough for everyone.

When I say children can play, I mean that literally. They do all sorts of events and story time activities at Cake and the Beanstalk, in their sun-drenched cafe room. 

The bakery area is small, but has a respectable case. Blondies take up notably more space than brownies, which is just fine with me. You might find blondies that are studded with rolo candies or caramel or something else tasty on the day of your visit. The blondies are nice and dense and thick, chewy and depending on what candies or goodies are stuffed in it, possibly gooey too. Blondies definitely have more fun at this shop. 

Cookies and cakes are well executed here, and nicely enjoyed in the sunny "sitting room" adjoining the bakery. Oh, and they also do custom cakes. Here's one that caught my eye: 

Mmm, cake depicting donut.

Source: pennappetit.blogspot.com via Cake on Pinterest

When I asked what cake could not be missed in their case, proprietor Dan led me to an interesting choice: the banana cake with chocolate ganache. What gives? As he revealed in an interview, 

"The banana chocolate walnut cake. It’s studded with chocolate chips and walnuts and is finished with a silky chocolate glaze. It’s my specialty; the recipe has been in my family for years. I tweaked the original recipe, reducing the amount of sugar and adding more bananas to add natural sweetness; I also added the glaze component. It’s a must-try."

As Dan revealed to me in a conversation, the glaze is something he honed while working at fancy restaurants as a pastry chef, so really, this cake is an amalgamation of high end meets down home baking. A delicious combination. 

Cake and the Beanstalk is a sweet little spot to enjoy a bite or ten of something sweet and feel like life is simple and sweet if only for a few minutes.

Cake and the Beanstalk, 1112 Locust Street, Philadelphia; online here. CakeSpy Note: Because I seem to have misplaced my photos of Cake and the Beanstalk, many are from their website, and the banana cake is from Penn Appetit. 

Cake Byte: New Sweets from Flour and Sun Bakery

You know that I don't like to be bossy. But. 

If you find yourself in need of some sweet treats for Valentine's Day, I suggest you hightail it to Flour & Sun Bakery in Pleasantville, NY. Or don't--they ship, too! You can have a parcel of sweetness sent to yourself or your sweetie. Details: they'll send it via USPS with a minimum order of 6 cookies (or 2 cookie necklaces). Shipping charges start at $5.50. For Valentine's day arrival, order by Feb. 8th.

I'm highly qualified to tell you all this as not only have I sampled their goods in person, but I recently received a sample parcel of their seasonal offerings.

It was very well wrapped, I must say. While they say that they are clear on the perils of shipping, saying "can't guarantee what happens to the packages once they leave our hands. If a package is greatly damaged, however, please contact us", this was not a worry for me--everything arrived in perfect condition.

So what was inside? 

First up, the I Love Ewe Cookie ($4): Large sheep cookie iced with royal icing, packaged in a cello bag, tied with a festive ribbon and pretty Valentine's Day tag. Very sweet. 

Next, Bee Mine Cookies ($5): Large beehive cookie iced with royal icing with two adorable fondant bees, packaged in a cello bag, tied with a festive ribbon and pretty Valentine's Day tag.

Then, what a cute idea: a Cookie Heart Necklace ($5.50): 12 small heart cookies strung on a ribbon, packaged in a cello bag, tied with a festive ribbon and pretty Valentine's Day tag.

The parcel also included some items that weren't specifically part of the Valentine menu. A soft pink frosted Heart Cookie was probably my favorite thing out of the bunch, because A) it was pink, B) it had the most buttery-luscious frosting ever, and C) it reminded me of a sweet I love from Seattle, but much fancier. 

It also included--joy!--a Saw Mill River Bar, which is a Flour & Sun original--a huge bar cookie comprised of layers of crackers, caramel & chocolate. Strange, say you? Delicious, say I. You've got to try one of these sweet and salty things. 

I asked owner Denise more about the bar, and she let me know "we started making Saw Mill River Bars about a year and half ago. They are our most popular bar cookie we have. It's club cracker, layer of homemade caramel and peanut butter chips, topped with chocolate and malden sea salt flakes. We also make a version with pretzels and toffee pieces. My baker suggested the name to be honest I can't remember why."

Who really cares though, when it tastes this good?

Pre-order your Valentine's Day cookie by February 8th by calling us at 914.495.3232. You can order just one or several of any of the options for pick up at the bakery. 

Flour & Sun Bakery, 19 Washington Avenue, Pleasantville, NY; online at flourandsunbakery.com

CakeSpy Undercover: Revolution Bakery, Santa Fe NM

I'll be totally honest: sometimes, gluten-free baked goods just taste funny to me.

I know it's not their fault. They're made using a different type of flour--flours, in fact! It's not just a matter of swapping "all purpose" for "gluten-free". It's a little trickier than that. Most gluten-free baking is actually done with a mix of a few types of flour, to guarantee a good combination of flavor and texture.

And likewise, the taste doesn't always translate exactly. Some gluten-free flours will impart a more assertive flavor than white flour. That, I think, is what makes the goods kind of funny sometimes. Like, they taste too healthy or they have too crumbly a texture or something.

So when I taste a gluten-free baked good, do try to be aware of these things, that they will never taste exactly like their floury counterparts. 

But they still can be a thing of beauty in their own, gluten-free right. And an example of a bakery that has a good thing going on is Revolution Bakery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

At Revolution bakery, they have a big focus on bread as you walk into the cafe, but they also have a very nice selection of pastries and baked goods--they do cakes, too.

Keeping it simple, I chose a quinoa chocolate chip cookie (which was vegan, too) and a cinnamon roll. 

The chocolate chip cookie was very nice. It was crispy around the edges but slightly softer inside. It crumbled lightly when bitten into, like a coarser sort of shortbread, and the flavor was slightly nutty and almost oat-y, which made it taste like a health cookie, sort of. I say "sort of" because it was assertively cookie-ish enough to not ever be confused with a granola bar. This is the type of healthy sweet I like: one that I can tell myself is virtuous, even if it really isn't.

The cinnamon roll was likewise lightly nutty in flavor, which worked quite well with the yeastiness of the pastry. But what this treat is really all about is the cinnamon-sugar filling and frosting, which play together to create a symphony of sweet morning music tastes in your mouth. A very nicely done cinnamon roll. Had I tried this one not knowing it was gluten-free, I might believe that a hippie-ish sort had hid flax or something inside of the dough, but I wouldn't instantly proclaim it gluten-free just upon tasting it. It had a very nice texture, too.

Baked goods are a bit spendy at this spot, but a lot goes into making a gluten-free baked good, and I think they're worth seeking out. So if you find yourself in Santa Fe, hit them up! Just remember to go early in the day, because they can tend to sell out of some things later on.

Revolution Bakery, 1291 San Felipe Boulevard; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Cookie Confidential, Philadelphia

I'm now going to take a few minutes to tell you about a place called Cookie Confidential in Philadelphia. 

I was first alerted to the magic that is Cookie Confidential by CakeSpy reader--from Canada of all places!--who told me, in so many words, "dudette, they have Philly cheesesteak cookies. For reals! Go eat one!". Of course I was intrigued, and a visit to the website revealed a treasure trove of interesting treats.

Although the name "Cookie Confidential" might suggest a strong emphasis on cookies, it actually seems to be comprised of three main elements: cookies, cupcakes in a jar, and brittles. At the store, they complement it all with Franklin Fountain ice cream. 

But for now, we're going to focus on the cookies. 

They have a large variety of flavors, starting with the classics: chocolate chip, sugar, snickerdoodle, peanut butter...but then, very quickly you'll progress into slightly less-expected flavors, such as chocolate chip bacon, "strawberry shortcake" ("A shortbread cookie is the base for this sweet and creamy treat. We add in fresh pureed strawberries & white chocolate chunks for a satisfying bite of summertime in you mouth, no matter what the weather outside!"), and Lemon cashew...

...and then the downright strange, including Philly Cheesesteak, which is described as "Dehydrated grass fed beef mingles with dehydrated red onions in our organic, cheesy, cheddar cookie topped off with a sweet tomato cream cheese. Try getting one of these from Mrs. Fields!"; Sriracha Mango, "The Rooster Has Landed. No that's not code, the Sriracha Mango cookie is here! Sweet, savory, spicy, spectacular! A little bit of Thai come to roost at Cookie Confidential."; and of course, who could forget the Peanut Butter Hot Dog, "Made initially as a custom order for some friends (thanks Ethan and Nate!), we loved this killer cookie so much it has been added to the line up. We take our traditional peanut buttercookie, splash in some balsamic vinegar and a touch of Philadelphia Bee Co's honey, then add in some chopped up, dehydrated, nitrate free hot dogs... next level intensity. "

We picked up a nice variety of flavors: chocolate chip, brown sugar peach, raspberry balsamic, lemon honey coriander, chocolate chip bacon, and chocolate coconut almond. Since they didn't have it on the day of the initial visit, I returned later for the Philly Cheesesteak (more on that below).

The cookies are not large, so I would suggest trying 2-3 flavors. They are fairly crisp, with a lighter slightly chewy texture in the center. They're quite buttery. In my opinion, you like the style of Tate's chocolate chip cookies, these will probably be right up your alley. 

The chocolate chip was nice, a rich and buttery version of the classic. Brown sugar peach was mellow and comforting, and begged to be paired with lemonade. 

Lemon honey coriander was intriguing, with a slightly spicy flavor that, had I not known what the flavor was, would have eluded me and made me continue eating out of curiosity.

Raspberry balsamic was probably my favorite flavor from the tasting, lightly abrasive from the balsamic but then smoothed around the edges by the sweetness of the berries. A refreshing and interesting cookie.

Chocolate-bacon was salty-sweet; a little bacon goes a long way, and I found myself craving a creamy counterpart--bet this one would have been really nice with ice cream.

Image: Phillymag.comBut I know the one you really want to hear about is the Philly Cheesesteak. I returned for this one because they didn't have it on the day of my first visit. Of course I didn't bring my camera, so to the left you'll see the picture from Philly Magazine.

Actually, I almost feel like this shouldn't be called a cookie--or perhaps it should be re-labeled "savory biscuit". Because when you eat it thinking "cookie", it's strange. It's salty and savory and feels like you want a bowl of tomato soup. But when I thought about it as "savory biscuit", and thought about how it might pair with a bowl of soup, it was actually quite a nice morsel, sort of like a crispy cheese puff with a soupçon of beef. Sort of like a cookie hors d'ouevre. 

So I guess it's all about the way you look at it. Looking at the cookie in that way made it enjoyable to me! 

Although I didn't try one of their cupcakes, I would like to give you a primer on what they do. Cupcakes come either single or double cake in reusable glass jelly jars (return your empty one to the shop for a free cookie!); the mini cupcakes are served in push pop form. As they put it, "Grab a spoon, and get ready for your new bad habit!". I like that.

Flavors include a rotating roster: Red Velvet, Maple Buttermilk, Maple Bacon Buttermilk, Chocolate Buttermilk, Chocolate Bacon Buttermilk, Vanilla Buttermilk, Strawberry Buttermilk, Neapolitan, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, Chocolate Jalapeno, Vanilla Raspberry, Chocolate Raspberry, Banana Split, Apple Chai, plus seasonals (ie Strawberry Limeade, Brown Sugar Peach, Coconut Key Lime, Ginger Snap, Pumpkin, Vanilla Peppermint, Chocolate Peppermint, etc). All available vegan EXCEPT bacon flavors.

They also have "Beer Cakes" which are made with various types of beer, and jars of brittle for sale. 

Overall, this is a fun and adventurous little spot to visit, and naturally I loved the undercover/spy vibe. The only warning I give is don't think you're going to have cookies for breakfast: they open at noon!

Cookie Confidential, 517 S. 5th Street, Philadelphia; online here.

Ask CakeSpy: Bakeries in Philadelphia?

Dear CakeSpy,

I live in Seattle and have been a blog follower since you started.  My daughter just moved to Philadelphia and I am visiting her in two weeks.  Please you suggest some bakery "musts", cupcakes included, for us to visit.

Coast to Coast Sweets-Chaser

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dear Coast to Coast,

First, let me commend you on your fantastic choice in website reading. CakeSpy rules! And so nice to hear from a reader who lives in the city I lived during many of the CakeSpy Years--Seattle--and is soon to visit the city I currently in which I currently reside, Philadelphia. 

Now, I don't like to give blanket suggestions, and if you were a buddy calling me on the phone, I would probably follow up with "well, where are you staying?" so that I could personalize my suggestions based on places you could reasonably get to. But assuming you're staying in the Center City area, and probably not staying too long, let me say that if you were MY guest, I'd probably take you to these places. 

Even if you were only here for 2 hours, I would make sure to take you to the Reading Terminal Market. Preferably between Wednesday and Saturday, because on those magical days, the Amish vendors are present. The Reading Terminal market is Philadelphia's equivalent to the Pike Place Market, but it's housed in the former terminus of the Reading Terminal Railroad. There are foods aplenty to enjoy there, but since we are talking dessert, I'd focus on showing you:

Bassets Ice Cream, which has been doing it since 1861 and doing it well.

Miller's Twist, where they also have ice cream and can serve it to you in a Pretzel cone.

Flying Monkey Patisserie, where I would insist you get the butter cake. If you're brave, go for the pumpple.

Beiler's Bakery, an Amish bakery where they wrap baked goods in plastic wrap like supermarket meat for some reason, but golly-me do I enjoy the Snickerdoodle Whoopie Pies. I would whizz right by the classic whoopies and go straight for the snickerdoodle. If you've never tried Shoofly pie, this wouldn't be a bad place to do it.

If you're there in the 4 o'clock hour or so, I'd take you to Famous Fourth Street Cookies, where at the end of the day the cookies are a dollar each. That is a steal, but other times of day they charge by the pound so you can be adding up a hefty bill.

If we had even more time, I'd take you by Termini Brothers Bakery for a cannoli and to Metropolitan Bakery for just about anything. Oh, and across from Metropolitan Bakery is a chocolate/candy counter where you can try a Wilbur Bud, which some say was the inspiration for the Hershey's Kiss.

Next, I'd once again ask what part of town you're going to be staying in. If you're staying in Old City, I vote that you simply must go to:

Franklin Fountain, an old timey ice cream spot and the next-door candy store, Shane Confectionery.

Tartes, AKA The cutest petite pink bakery ever; a walk-up window only, but very nice cookies and tarts.

Tiffany's Bakery, which is a great bakery in an unlikely location--a mall food court.

Wedge + Fig, for a fantastic grilled cheese and a cheese tart for dessert!

If you're further up, number-wise, in the street numbers in Center City (12th Street and up), I say that you simply must visit:

Brown Betty Dessert Boutique: They have a mini-location here, because you're probably not going to find yourself in the neighborhood where their main location is. Try the sweet potato cake!

Cake and the Beanstalk, for a homey and casual bakery spot owned by a dude who knows his baking--he was a pastry chef in a number of fancy restaurants before opening this cute place, which has the catch phrase "Fee fi fo YUM"! Though not a bakery, pop into Garces Trading Co. across the street too.

Capogiro Gelato: DO IT! One of my absolute favorites.

DiBruno Brothers, which is a gourmet food store but has a lot of sweet treats from various good bakeries in the city, and a case which is nom-worthy to gaze upon.

Federal Donuts, for donuts fried to order, and a tasty new location in the center city area!

Philly Cupcake Company, for very good cupcakes in a nice variety of flavors.

Scoop DeVille, for custom-made soft-serve including the mix-ins of your choice.

Swiss Haus Bakery, for some nice pastries and cakes.

You might not wander southward, but if you do, I also suggest:

Isgro Pasticceria, for a pricey but fun Italian bakery experience--try a cannoli!

Morning Glory Diner, for their delicious biscuits (not necessarily sweet but I will suggest it).

Other bakeries that I think are great but might not be geographically convenient: Belle Cakery, Bredenbeck's, Little Baby's Ice Cream, and Whipped Bake Shop!

There are a ton more bakeries, of course. I do not mean at all for this to be a comprehensive list. But, the ones listed above are very easily visited alongside with the Liberty Bell and all of the popular Philadelphia attractions, so they're the ones I am going to suggest for your first visit! Feel free to check out the Philadelphia tag to see more bakeries I've visited, of course.

Oh! And a regional specialty you'll see around at this time of year in Philadelphia: Irish Potatoes!

Enjoy! 

Love,

CakeSpy

Pastry Profiles: Muffins at Linda's Seabreeze Cafe, Santa Cruz CA

Normally, there is not much ado about muffins for me. I mostly consider them ugly, inferior and worst of all unfrosted cupcakes.

But every now and again, I am impressed. When I recently got breakast at a place called Linda's Seabreeze Cafe in Santa Cruz (also called "Linda's" by locals, I observed), I was offered either toast or a homemade muffin with my omelette. Well, a homemade muffin certainly sounded more interesting than toast, so I ordered one to see what it was all about.

Apparently they have a different flavor every day; on the day of my visit, it was butterscotch. A good start.

Now, I have to tell you, that in spite of my not-so-great photos, this was a truly fantastic muffin. It was served piping hot, and gently steamed when I cut it in half. The butter melted as I spread it, such was the warmth. 

Like a quick bread studded with butterscotch and topped with a delectable streusel topping, this muffin was completely satisfying, and, true to my instinct, much more interesting than toast. In fact, it was absolutely delicious, sweet and just a touch salty on the streusel topping--an addictive and highly enjoyable flavor combination. Mostly consisting of top with a little tiny bottom, it had an ideal ratio of "stuff on the top" to sort of disinteresting bottom.

Final word: if you go to this beachside cafe, you've gotta get the muffins.

Seabreeze Cafe, 542 Seabright Avenue, Santa Cruz CA; online here. 

Pastry Profiles: Carrot Muffin, El Tesoro Cafe, Santa Fe NM

I've never known a muffin like this before.

I met this muffin at a place called El Tesoro, which is located in the Sanbusco Market Center in the Guadalupe District of Santa Fe. Per the Sanbusco Center website, "This treasure, as the name El Tesoro implies, has been serving food to Santa Feans for the past ten years.  Breakfast and lunch are served daily.  The menus are a beautiful blend of New Mexican, Central American and American entrees; it is a local’s favorite for fresh guacamole, great green chile, pupusas, salvadorean tamales, salads and salmon tacos.  The food is prepared fresh daily with items made to order."

Now, a New Mexican-Central American eatery wouldn't be the place I'd expect to find a top-tier muffin...or to have a muffin on the menu at all...but that's just what they have here.

It's a carrot zucchini muffin you see in the picture above, and while the taste is just fantastic--spicy, lightly sweet, very moist--what is really intriguing about this muffin is the texture.

It's soft and cakey on the inside, but has a firm yet silky-smooth crust on the exterior. It's almost like the exterior of a popover. It makes you want to keep eating just for another bite of that perfect texture. How on earth did they do it? I would love to know!

But mostly, I'd like to eat another, and soon!

El Tesoro, 500 Montezuma Avenue, at the Sanbusco Center; online here.