Croissants – Page 5

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Croissant from Pavel’s Backerei (Pacific Grove), Mission San Carlos Borromeo and Dinner at Aubergine (Carmel)

May 30, 2021 mmm-yoso Croissants, Fine Dining, Memorable Meals, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, Travel

We woke quite early on our "getaway day" in Pacific Grove. But we just took our sweet time packing and such.

While the Missus was getting ready, I decided to head on back to Pavel's Backerei to grab a croissant to share. It was just past 7 am and I guess the "Art Store Cats" knew we were leaving and decided to not be in the window on this morning?

There was also a line outside the bakery….even longer than the last time. It did move quickly though and before I knew it I had made it in.

Where I ordered a croissant and ogled the donut bigger than my head….. I purchased my croissant and headed on out.

Pavel's Backerei
219 Forest Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

And while I was sad that the Art Store Cats weren't available, it didn't mean that there weren't interesting things to see……

Sadly, the croissant wasn't very good; lacking in butter, not flakey enough, and too doughy.

And soon enough we were off to our next stop; Carmel. We arrived quite early to the city that has no street addresses, we were staying at 7th Ave & Casanova Street, no street lights, and where you need a permit to wear high heels……really, you do. We got to 7th and Casanova early and were able to check-in! Dropped off our bags and then headed out.

I'd heard some really good things about the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, it was the center of Missions in California and Saint (as of 1988) Junípero Serra is entombed there. There were no other visitors when we arrived. We paid our $6 admission and walked on in………

This Mission is the only Spanish Mission in California that has its original bell and bell tower. The grounds are beautiful and on this day as the only visitors, tranquil….

We were captivated by the place……

One could only imagine how things were when Junípero Serra himself walked these grounds from 1770 to his death in 1784.

And while there are controversies about how Native Californians were treated by the "Catholic Invasion", much of what we see as today's California has sprouted from the seeds planted by Junípero Serra. Who was canonized by Pope John Paul II on September 25, 1988.

It is well worth visiting regardless of your views.

We then drove back to the Green Lantern Inn, parked our car and just decided to do some exploring….which included a walk down to the beach…..

And then doing some shopping……

Because we were able to check in early, we even managed to have a nice afternoon nap, before heading off to dinner, which was at the only Michelin Starred place in SLO-Cal, Aubergine. I had picked our accommodation because it was basically a half block from the L'Auberge Carmel, where the restaurant is located. During this time of Covid, dining was carried out in the courtyard of the hotel. We arrived and were seated in a manner of minutes. There were heaters provided, the staff was amazing.

Service was indeed at the Michelin level. It was impressive to see….when it started raining, the chef came out to help his staff clear the water from the tops off the tents……while still working to serve the Wagyu Beef mains in person. After having been thru more than a couple hefty wine pairings, we decided to get a single "Sommelier's Tasting" ($155) to share. We told our Server that a single glass would be fine, but he insisted on splitting the tasting……more points for the service here.

The amuse bouche courses were a great indicator of what the meal would be like. From the decadent anchovy ,artichoke, spinach tart with bee pollen, think savory, complex sweetness, mild vegetal flavors, wrapped in crispness. And the briney Taylor Sheldon Oysters with caviar! My goodness! The South African Bluefin was excellent, perfect texture, very clean tasting……

First up was the Sawara – Japanese Spanish Mackerel in a Nasturtium "Pesto", which was more like a broth.

The calamansi pickled carrots were amazing…..the fish, perfectly cooked, moist, flakey, the "pesto" added an interesting mild bitter-sweetness to the dish.

The smoked maitake mushrooms in a shiro dashi was amazing.

Such wonderful smokey-earthy flavors, which held up to the savory broth; which had hints of sweetness to balance things out.

You definitely wanted to get every drop of the abalone porridge……my goodness this was so good! The pieces of abalone were so tender; buttery-sweet-savory, with a mild oceany brininess. The tomato added a hint of sweet-acidity to help cut the luxurious richness of the porridge….a porridge!

Also at this time some Parker Rolls were brought out.

Which did really well with the Aged Duck.

My goodness, the dry aging of the duck breast made this so tender. The fat had rendered off perfectly….this was a plain amazing dish.

And then for the last main…..well, it was "drama" time……

My goodness, triple seared a technique that I believe originated in Japan. Just the smell of the meat almost knocked me off my seat!

A small container of a wonderfully balanced jus was brought out.

And then a plate with several purees. And then the dish was put together on the table.

This was another amazing dish; from the wonderful, pure, clean beefiness…….to the texture, the perfect bite……..just crazy good. The eggplant puree was awesome as it seemed to capture the "soul" of the eggplant. An unforgettable dish.

The Missus enjoyed the wine pairing and desserts.

From the service to the food, this was an exquisite meal, and I'm quite surprised the place only has one Michelin Star. Dinner was not cheap coming in at a grand….but heck, with no international trips on the horizon, this was the meal we needed and wanted.

Aubergine at L'Auberge Carmel
Monte Verde & 7th St.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921

Arriving back at our accommodation, one block from the L'Auberge Carmel, I broke open a beer I had gotten earlier in the day. I had gone out while the Missus was resting looking for a shop to grab a bottle.

Walking up the street I saw a couple; she had a mask on and he was walking around sans mask. They came across a sign stating that there would fines starting at $100 (This was during November of 2020) for not wearing masks. The guy freaked out and he and the woman, who I'm assuming is his wife started getting into quite the argument. I walked on over….not quite sure what response I would get, reached into my back pocket and pulled out a spare mask I had in a baggy.

"Good afternoon sir, why don't you try this on to make sure it fits?"

"Uh….um…oh……."

I was ready for some kind of weird response…perhaps he'd yell at me…..or worse, so I said:

"Getting fined for not wearing a mask, whether you believe in it or not sure can ruin your day, and we're loving Carmel and I would like to make sure you do too!"

The woman sighed and thanked me. The guy, nodded ok, and put the mask on…….

And hopefully, we had a happy ending to a rather tense situation…….

I'm still not quite sure why I did it. Maybe it was the tone of sad disappointment in the woman's voice….I'm not sure; but I'm hoping all worked out well.

Paris – Boulangerie Régis Colin and Maison de la Truffe (Since closed) in La Grande Epicerie de Paris

April 23, 2021 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants, France, Paris, France, Sandwiches, Travel, yoso-silly

We slept well after our wonderful dinner at Pertinence. Though the Missus got me up at 630am……because, well, She needed you know what. Yes, this was the Paris moment I mentioned in my Gala Chicken/Zion Market post. Sigh…….well, I needed to head on out. I showered and got dressed, then headed out to find a Pharmacy.

Things were pretty quiet on Rue Montorgueil at 7 in the morning. Mostly just delivery trucks and such. I headed down, then back up the avenue checking out the Pharmacies; all of them closed. I later learned that most Pharmacies in Paris open between 800 – 900 in the morning. I passed Pharmacy after Pharmacy, all closed. Man, I was having a longer hitless streak than Chris Davis! Finally, in the Marais, I came across an open Pharmacy and walked in. I headed to the Fem Hygiene aisle…..and was kinda stumped; so I started taking photos and sending them via text message to the Missus. Soon enough, I heard a loud clearing of the throat behind me…..yes, I was busted by the Pharmacist…..a fairly serious looking woman…..with one eyebrow raised, checking out the Asian guy with a maxi-pad obsession.

"Monsieur, what are you doing???"

"Ummmm, I need to buy pads for my wife."

"Hmmmm…..but why the photos Monsieur?" Yeah, like she really believed me.

Right then the Missus replied to my text instructing me on what to purchase. Relieved, I showed the woman the text, grabbed the package and we walked over to the register to pay. After ringing me up, she looked at me, warmly smiled, and said:

"Monsieur, you are a good man!" And handed me my package. Ah yes, more souvenirs from Paris.

On the way back to the apartment I decided to reward myself and grab a croissant. I'd seen a place on Rue Montmartre, which runs parallel to Rue Montorgueil that I wanted to try. By this time of the morning; folks were starting to get out and about.

The Boulangerie I was interested in was Régis Colin as I had seen the le Prix du Croissant sign near the doorway earlier.

**** Boulangerie Régis Colin has closed

So, I went in and got a croissant aux beurre. The system was interesting, you tell the nice saleswoman what you want; she bags it and enters it into the register; you then pay via a machine….so the staff never touches currency…..a hygiene thing I guess.

The croissant was delicious; nice balance of butter to salt; flakey, light and airy, moist……..a definite winner!

Boulangerie Régis Colin
53 Rue Montmartre
75002 Paris, France
Hours:
Monday – Friday 630am – 8pm

After finishing up the croissant we headed out, but not very far for our morning "pick-up" at Café Montorgueil and people watched for a bit.

After getting our caffeine fix, we headed off……with not much in mind.

I had wanted to check out La Grande Epicerie de Paris, a fairly high-end ("haute") food/grocery store so we headed off to the 6th and 7th. I've stated that there always seems to be something interesting to see; no matter how many times you've been down a street. This time around, I noticed this impressive building on Rue du Renard.

Apparently, this is the Syndicat De L'épicerie Française, originally built in 1901, which used to (I believe they still have an office in the building) the grocer's union.

And off course a little more than a block away is the Hotel de Ville – that would be City Hall to us American folks.

Crossing over to Île de la Cité.

It was a beautiful day in Paris. Of course, we took another look at Notre Dame (this visit was at the end of May 2019). The tragic fire had just occurred about 6 weeks earlier.

It was such a sad sight to see…….

Crossing over the Seine to the Left Bank, down Rue Saint-Jacques, then taking a right turn on Boulevard Saint-Germain we came across a street market which kept us occupied for a bit.

From here we strolled down the street, then turned on Rue de Sèvres…..

Stopped for a short; ahem, break at the Hermes store…..luckily, the Missus didn't find anything She was interested in and my credit card lived to see another day. Finally, across the street from Le Bon Marche we got to the La Grande Epicerie de Paris. I probably should have taken more photos in the huge store; but was just plain distracted.

After all this walking….well, I was feeling a bit hungry. And just at that moment I saw Maison de la Truffe…….I looked at the menu…foie gras and truffle? Croque-Monsieur with truffle……smoked salmon with truffle? Are you kidding me? We decided to grab a "light" lunch here.

Sadly, as I was getting some general info on Maison de la Truffe, I read that the place has closed…….so I'm just going to mainly post photos.

I will note that the young man waiting on us was a joy and the food was surprisingly good…..of course with things like truffle oil, truffle chips, and truffle salt…..

And the Croque-Monsieur with Truffled White Ham and Gouda…..and a few nice, fragrant shaved truffles for the heck of it.

It's too bad this shop closed as we really enjoyed our shared meal. There are other locations around Paris and I hope to be able to check them out one day. On our second trip to Paris in 2019 we'd visit another similar shop in BHV Department Store which wasn't nearly as good as this one.

Oh well……..I'm glad I got to try them out.

And also buy some fairly pricy food gifts for friends.

La Grande Epicerie de Paris
38 Rue de Sèvres
75007 Paris, France

Paris – Boulangerie Collet, Dinner at Pertinence, and the View She Never Tires Of

March 30, 2021 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants, Fine Dining, France, French Restaurants, Memorable Meals, Paris, France, Travel

It had been a fun day so far and after taking a short break at the apartment; the Missus wanted to head on out again. So, off we went to the Marais, and resumed our "lèche-vitrine". We eventually came across a wonderful green space; Paris is full of these little parks. This one had a lovely garden, benches (of course), and wonderful waterfalls. I came to find out that this was Square du Temple.

It was a lovely little oasis.

On the way back to the apartment, the Missus said She was feeling a bit "peckish" and I mentioned checking out another Boulangerie right around the corner from the apartment, Maison Collet.

And we got ourselves a croissant aux beurre to share. This was a bit overdone, hard, dry, and lacking in the amount of butter I enjoy.

Well, it was good to try. Another one for the books.

Boulangerie Collet
100 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

We managed to get in a short nap, then got ready for dinner. We had reservations at a restaurant in the 7th Arrondissement, Pertinence, which held a Michelin star. As has been our habit in recent years, this one was helmed by a Japanese Chef, Ryunosuke Naito from Japan and Kwen Liew from Malaysia. The little restaurant serves only 14 covers a night!

The sun was still shining rather brightly as we finished our walk to the restaurant. It was the end of May (2019) and the sun doesn't set until past 930pm during this time of the year.

It's a clean, spartan dining room and the only folks working were the two chefs!

There is what looks like some kind of sleek manhole cover in the middle of the dining area, which turned out to be a hatch to the cave below. During our meal, the Chef had to run down to grab a bottle, the fellow eating at the other table went "ooooh" and looked at me humming the tune of Mission Impossible. I answered with "Monsieur James Bond"! And he cracked up….who said the French don't have a sense of humor?

Speaking of wine; we took the 6 course tasting menu (105/€). The Missus got the wine pairing, which cost a supplement of 70/€ and was enough for the both of us to share…..as for me; I got the caviar supplement at 30/€ which was worth every last bit of money.

After the wonderful and warm bread bites, the amuse was brought out; a Green Pea Foam, light as a feather, with a slight sweetness and tart from the kiwi jelly.

And then the first dish……the Langostein which came with a Konbu Sauce and a Miso Sauce. Check out that caviar; which really complemented the plump, sweet-briney langostein.

I preferred the konbu sauce with this as it heightened the nice seafood flavor. Also loved that nothing was over-seasoned.

The Missus loved this bottle of wine the best.

Man, look at the size of that Foie Gras…….

And yet, it was the thin slices of pickled daikon that really impressed me. It also was a nice foil to the rich-livery foie gras. Not a big fan of the Amaretto sauce though.

When the Red Mullet came out; I really didn't know what to think as it looked like a solid piece of fish; but it was amazing and my favorite dish of the meal.

The skin was light, yet very crisp, it was a treat indeed. The flesh was perfectly moist and mild in flavor….cue in the caviar. The grilled lettuce had a nice sweetness to it; but it was the celery micro greens that were really amazing, packing quite a punch of flavor!

Next up, the pork neck, which was done medium rare – yes medium rare…..I trust places like Pertinence. And this was very tender, considering it was pork neck, and had a touch of anise lingering on the tongue.

Man, I was pretty full after this……I usually leave dessert totally up to the Missus; but this time it was Roquefort with Umeboshi Caramel Camambert. How could I resist???

This was a fine and enjoyable meal. Service was excellent and relaxed, the dishes well paced, quite impressive with the restaurant staffed with only the two chefs. It was well worth the price!

Pertinence
29 Rue de l'Exposition
75007 Paris, France

Since we like to eat rather early; our timing was perfect as we left the restaurant and headed up to Rue Saint-Dominique and then up Avenue de la Bourdonnais crossing the Seine on Pont d'Iéna to see the sight the Missus never tires of.

And then we headed back to the apartment……

And then off to sleep. Where I'm sure the Missus was dreaming of the "City of Lights".

Thanks for stopping by!

Paris – Jefrey’s Cocktail Bar, Stohrer, Sainte-Chapelle, and Café Montorgueil

March 18, 2021 mmm-yoso Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Cocktails, Croissants, France, Paris, France, Travel

**** Sorry, not much food in this one, but if you like amazing stained glass…..

Our train from Stuttgart arrived right on time to Paris 'Est. We then caught the metro to Les Halles to the apartment where we'd be staying. On our last visit to the Missus's favorite city, we found that we really enjoyed staying on the Right Bank and I found an apartment close to a street we loved on a prevous visit. After getting the keys to our flat and freshening up for a minutes….well, you know the Missus, She wanted to get out and about. I had a route in mind and we headed East on Rue Grenata and then took a quick turn on the corner. The Missus was wondering why I seemed to be going around in a circle when we came to my first destination….to which I replied to Her "voila!"

This is Passage du Grand-Cerf, a shopping arcade if you will. Created in the 19th century, these glass ceiling shopping arcades once numbered over a 150….but most are now gone. There are a few left; the most well known….at least to me is Galerie Vivienne. There is such charm in places like this….it transports you to a different time. The window shopping….or as the French call it "lèche-vitrine" which literally means "window licking" is fun. I'm guessing those folks with their faces right up to the windows….steaming it up with their breath do look like they are licking it. We've all seen (or done) that, right?

From here we headed down to the Seine, taking Rue Sainte-Denis until we came upon this square right in back of Les Halles.

The rather lovely looking square has quite a grisly history. It is now called Les Fontaine des Innocents and was once the site of a cemetery. I had read that the cemetery had become so full that the bodies were pushed into the cellars of nearby residents. Eventually orders came down from Louis XVI to move cemeteries out of the city for sanitary reasons.

And so the residents of Holy Innocents' Cemetery were moved. But it doesn't quite end there. Apparently, all the intact skeletons were moved to what is now the tourist draw, the Catacombs of Paris.

And it's not only large squares and fountains. Right on the corner of Rue de la Reynie and Rue Saint-Denis I saw this.

Which for some reason grabbed my attention. After doing a bit of searching…luckily the inscription on the monument is readable; I came to find out that this is a monument to Eugene Scribe a popular Playwright and Author.

That's the Tour Saint-Jacques ('Saint James's Tower'), which is all that remains from a church, Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie ('Saint James of the Butchers') which was sponsored by the butchers at the nearby Les Halles. The church itself was destroyed at the end of the French Revolution. But by contract the tower was saved. There's something around every corner in Paris it seems.

Our last trip to Paris had been in November of 2018 (this was the end of May 2019) before the horrible fire at Notre Dame in April of 2019. We were horrified watching it on the television. We took a walk past….the fire had just occurred the month before and we were wondering what we'd see.

We were happy to see that Notre Dame was still standing; but saddened at the damage.

We crossed over to the Left Bank on he Petit Pont and strolled around for a bit…this is the lovely Square René-Viviani.

Then passing the super crowded (with tourists) Shakespeare and Co.

And then decided to go turn around and head back…..and grab a café allongé on one of the cafe's near to where we'd be staying.

And so, we ended up at Café du Centre on Rue Montorgueil a half block from where we were staying.

There's something about this mostly pedestrian market street that we enjoyed.

It was lively. And yes, there are tourists. But there seemed to be the hustle and bustle of everyday like as well.

I'm wondering how much Covid-19 has affected the café culture in Paris. There's something wonderful about sitting outside with our café allonge….you can spent 10 minutes or 3 hours with your coffee if desired….you can read a book, a paper, socialize, or just be like us and watch the world go by. It just seemed so therapeutic.

Losing this would be tragic.

Café du Centre
57 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

After spending a good amount of time just chilling, we headed back to the apartment.

The evening we had reservations at a place I posted on earlier. Before dinner, I wanted to grab a cocktail from a nearby Cocktail Bar I had read about named Jefrey's. It was just one street down from where we were staying.

**** Jefrey's has closed

It's a cozy little place with both upstairs and downstairs seating. We had two of the four seats at the bar. We loved the service here; the folks working were so friendly.

While working through a round of the standards….you know, an Old Fashioned for me, etc. We chatted with the bartender who was so knowledgeable and friendly.

After mentioning that I enjoy smoky flavor profiles he recommended that I try the "Smokey Monkey" made by, well, Monkey Shoulder. It was really wonderful. Sorry to say, I was told that while Monkey Shoulder is available in the U.S.; Smokey Monkey is not.

We were happy to have found a place to grab a cocktail in the neighborhood and would revisit on later trips.

Jefrey's
14 Rue Saint Sauveur
75002 Paris France

Sadly our dinner at Le Pont de Sichuan didn't live up to the first visit. But that was ok……

The next morning I got up and did a couple of things online; then it was time to grab a croissant.

I decided to head to the oldest Patisserie in Paris, Stohrer which has quite a history, dating back to 1730 and just happens to be on Rue Montorgueil.

Another claim to fame that Stohrer brought the Rhum Baba to France. It is claimed that the modern version of this cake was in this spot sometime around 1835.

I stood in line and ordered a croissant au beurre, which looked lovely, nicely lacquered, crackly, but on the dry side and not quite to our taste in terms of the butter flavor.

It was not bad….perhaps I should have gotten a rhum baba as well, but it seemed to early in the day.

Stohrer
51 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

After having the croissant, we headed out. I had purchased advance tickets for Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie. We got to the location right before opening and were quickly allowed entrance.

The very gothic exterior of Sainte-Chapelle is somewhat obscured by the surrounding buildings. And you really don't get the full scope of the chapel.

And then you enter and are simply awestruck at the beautiful stained glass.

There are over 1,000 biblical scenes depicted in the stained glass of the upper chapel in the photo below!

And the lower chapel!

Originally built over the period of ten (!) years – 1238-1248 as a Royal Chapel by Louis IX to house relics including the supposed Crown of Thorns.

The chapel was damaged during the French Revolution, but restored in he 19th century.

Amazing!

Sainte Chapel resides in a large complex of structures originally called Palais de la Cité, now called the Palais de Justice.

Right next to the Palais de Justice is a place with a grim and dark past; once a palace, the Conciergerie became a place of detention after the French Revolution. It is where the Revolutionary Tribunal tried "enemies of the Revolution". During a two year period (a year of which is called "The Reign of Terror") almost 2800 people were executed by guillotine.

Entering the barren and haunting halls is quite an experience if you know just a bit of French history.

And even in the most somewhat innocuous places, the reality strikes you. The lovely courtyard looks so peaceful…..

Until you look up and notice the scary looking spikes; still in place, to keep prisoners confined.

There's a memorial room in La Conciergerie that lists out the 2,780 names of those condemned to death, with some very familiar names.

Whew….we needed a break.

So, we headed back to the apartment and decided to stop for another caffeine break. This time at the place next door to Café du Centre, Café Montorgueil. We actually found that we enjoyed this café quite a bit….it had more of a relaxed local vibe and was actually cheaper than the place next door, go figure?

We enjoyed our Café Allonge; while watching time and people slowly pass……

Café Montorgueil
55 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

Before we knew it, an hour had gone by. We decided to head back to the apartment for a short break……

Before heading back out to do more exploring, shopping, and then of course; dinner!

For those that took the time to read this rather long and rambling post, I thank you! And I'd especially like to thank both Kerri and LaurieH who both mentioned missing our travel posts….thanks so much for the kind words!

Getting the Missus Her Croissant Fix – Wayfarer Bread & Pastry Revisited

September 4, 2020 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants

August was a pretty brutal month at work for me. During dinner a few nights ago; the Missus asked how many days off I had during the month…..I had to stop and think….and was shocked when I counted two! Of course, I did have the 30th off (but not the 29th), so let's hear for three whole days off for August! I had been grinding away so had even lost track of that fact.

During one of those days off, the Missus had to work. She had mentioned really missing a decent croissant. Her favorite in San Diego thus far has been the version from Wayfarer. So, since I was off that weekend day, I decided to stretch out my "roaming range", and head out to Wayfarer. I arrived at 815 (they open at 830), thinking the line wouldn't be too long….boy as I mistaken! The line stretched half way to the corner of Midway Street.

At least I kept myself entertained by doing some people watching. I did notice that all the folks in line had masks, but about a third didn't put it over their face until they got closer to the bakery. About half the folks walking around didn't wear masks either. I'm guessing that folks in the zip codes in my usual range have been pretty good after all.

I managed to get to the ordering "doorway/window" after about 45 minutes.

Heck, after waiting over 45 minutes in line; there was no way I was going to order just a couple of croissants….I ended up spending over $50 here on pastries….you know; it ain't really that hard to spend that much on a dozen pastries at Wayfarer.

As I crossed the street and headed to my car' the line stretched all the way down the block and around the corner of Midway Street.

So the folks the Missus worked with on that day had some stuffs from Wayfarer….and I was told that they really liked the Ham and Cheese Croissant, the Tomato Tiles, and Prosciutto Scones. So, maybe I'll check those out when I have a chance.

I did save an extra croissant, which She thoroughly enjoyed. She said the while they tend to over-bake the pastry here; the Missus says that the butter-salt balance is decent. It made Her day; and that also made mine. So it was worth the wait in line; at least on this day.

Wayfarer Bread & Pastry
5525 La Jolla Blvd.
La Jolla, CA 92037
Current Hours:
Wed – Sun 830am – 230pm
Wayfarer will be closed from Sept 7th – 15th, Reopening on the 16th.

In case you're wondering how far I've roamed since mid-March; I updated my map……

I mentioned getting a swamp cooler for Frankie – I actually have two. I use one in our home office. I've noticed that F has a certain part of his anatomy that is a priority to keep cool…..guess where that is?

It's going to be a scorcher this weekend, so please keep cool!

Mexico City – Our Last Morning; Panadería Almuerzos and Cafe Toscano (Mercado Condesa)

February 8, 2020 mmm-yoso Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Croissants, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Mexico City, Travel

As we were walking back after dinner at Temporal, it started pouring again. We decided to quickly duck under the awning of one of the taco shops that lined the streets.

There was a group of musicians also using the little shop as shelter from the rain. One of the guys saw us; waved us in…..and they started playing! Just for the other seated customer and us. It was a blast!

Sorry to say I didn't get the name of the taco shop…I tried to give the band a couple of pesos, but they declined.

So, the least I could do was to buy a couple of tacos….to go.

You gotta love CDMX……..

The next morning was our last in Mexico City. Our flight didn't leave until 1245. So we decided to check out the bakery that was right across the street from where we were staying. It was quite discreet, but we always saw a line and decided to check it out.

This was Panaderia Almuerzos and the breads and pastries looked so fresh.

So, of course we got……

Croissant, which was surprisingly decent; flakey, good butter, light sweetness….light and fluffy inside….and still warm!

Panadería Almuerzos
Av. Vicente Suárez 64A
Colonia Condesa, CDMX, Mexico

We took our croissant to the next block over; the Mercado Condesa.

And we got our caffeine fix.

All while taking in the neighborhood, like all those amazing dog walkers.

Cafe Toscano
Calle Michoacan sn Mercado Condesa
Hipódromo Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, CDMX, Mexico

Soon enough we had to head on over to the airport. We even had an ok sandwich on our flight.

We had really enjoyed Mexico City. Our experiences, the people, the food had exceeded our expectations.

I'm sure we'll return soon.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Croissant Files – Herb & Eatery and Le Parfait de Paris (Liberty Station)

February 5, 2020 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants

I should probably call this episode of the Croissant Files, the "Bruddah James" episode, since he is the one who asked/recommended the two places in this post.

Herb & Eatery:

**** Herb & Eatery has closed

Well, James was really eager for me to visit, he even reminded me in my last Croissant Files post. And of course "CC" really enjoyed the croissants here as well. I arrived on a weekend morning, just past 8am and opening time for the opening of the "market/restaurant concept" that is Herb & Eatery.

I really liked the young lady working the counter; so friendly and personable…..when I ordered my "Butter" (aux buerre) Croissant, she smiled and cheerfully told me; "these are still warm, you're going to like them!"

And so, I took my mineral water (I'd get some coffee from Bird Rock and deliver the Missus's croissant after) and my croissant and had a seat.

The pastry was indeed still warm but a bit over-done and crumbly….not flakey, crumbly. Still, there was a decent butter and salt balance, but it could have used a tad more sweetness and a touch of yeastiness. The interior was fragrant, a bit too wet for my liking, but had a decent chew. but this wasn't bad at all.

Not what I'd consider the best; and I won't post that photo of the croissant from Maison Isabelle in Paris again…..but this wasn't too bad.

Herb & Eatery
2210 Kettner Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101
Hours:
Daily 8am – 8pm

Le Parfait de Paris (Liberty Station):

So, Le Parfait de Paris is another recommendation from James, but his description – "They're gorgeous but a little bland" wasn't exactly the seal of approval. I dropped by the Liberty Station location to try the croissant.

The young lady working was very sweet…..and of course I got the croissant, which I took outside and enjoyed how quiet Liberty Station was at 8am on a Sunday.

The actual croissant looked quite generic in a way…..sort of what you'd think a croissant would be; if you've never seen one that had that wonderful glistening sheen.

So this, while not being priced at four bucks (it was $3.25) like H&E's croissant (which would be highway robbery in Paris), looked decent, but was very dry…..and was quite dry, and totally lacking in butter flavor….plus, not enough sweet, a bit too much salt. The exterior texture was nice and flaky; but like I said, it was much too dry.

Too bad.

Le Parfait Paris (Liberty Public Market)
2820 Historic Decatur Road
San Diego, CA 92106
Hours:
Sun – Thurs 8am – 9pm
Fri – Sat 8am – 10pm

And so, we have the "Bruddah James" edition of the Croissant Files.

Thanks for stopping by!

More of Vienna and a Caffeine Break at Cafe Central

January 11, 2020 mmm-yoso Austria, Caffeine Fix, Croissants, Travel

**** Not much food in this one……lots of churches and monuments though.

On our second day in Vienna, we set out to explore what we had missed on the previous day. We just walked through Stadtpark onto the Ringstrasse, the road the circles Innere Stadt, Vienna's "Old Town" where many of the city's sights are located.

Like the Opera House, which we passed the previous day.

Right past the Opera House is a Statue of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the famous German writer.

We had to crack up when we walked past the statue….there was an empty wine bottle on the statue's lap……..I guess Goethe might have had a pretty tough night?

Right past the statue is a nice little green space; this is the Burggarten; which is famous for the statue of Mozart that resides there, as well as the Butterfly House.

Just a few steps further up the Ring, you'll pass the Museum Quarter. The impressive Maria Theresa Monument sits between the Natural History and Art museum.

Maria Theresa was the only female ruler of the House of Habsburg, the Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of Hungary and Bohemia. Though she was married to Francis I, the holy Roman Emperor, Maria Theresa reigned over the House of Habsburg due to the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, which her father, Charles VI put into place during his reign.

On the monument, Maria Theresa sits on a throne; the four horsemen represent her four top military commanders. Her four top advisors stand a the ready between the horsemen. Behind and above the left shoulder of the statue of Gerard van Swieten, Maria Theresa's person physician, you'll see a young boy, on the boy's right shoulder rests a hand. The boy is none other than Mozart. The gentleman whose hand is resting on Mozart's shoulder is that of Joseph Haydn. Haydn and Mozart were close friends; it is thought that Haydn, thoguh a quarter century older than Mozart, taught him quite a bit and was a mentor to the child prodigy.

Even though the museums weren't open and it was a windy and damp day; it was fun wandering around the area.

We especially enjoyed the cute elephant statue in front of the Natural History Museum.

From here we crossed the street and took a look around Hofburg Palace, where we had ended things the previous day, before having lunch then heading to Belvedere Palace.

There are actually some Roman Ruins on display on Michaelerplatz right in front of the Palace. And right across the street is Saint Michael's Church. Since it started to drizzle a bit, we decided to head on into the church to take a look around.

The Altar is quite impressive.

St Michael's is also well known for the Pipe Organ that Joseph Hadyn once played. This is also the church where Mozart's Requiem, unfinished at the time of his death on December 5, 1791 was first played. You can see the date along with a death mask of Mozart on the wall as you enter the church.

At this point we needed a break. The drizzle had ceased and the Missus wanted to visit another Viennese Café. Café Central was just a few blocks up Herrengasse, so we headed on up the street for something light to eat and a caffeine fix. According to what I read, the café was opened in 1876. Among the noted regulars at the café were some pretty (in)famous names. As a matter of fact; during early 1913 it is said Hitler, Trotsky, Tito, and Freud were said to have visited the café. Crazy….

And so we had our coffees and a fairly mediocre "homemade" croissant with paintings of royalty gazing at us.

The coffee was good, the service professional, though not quite a elegant as Cafe Imperial according to the Missus….at least it was less than half the $30 that I doled out at Café Imperial.

And then there was that rather lifelike Peter Altenberg statue……

Cafe Central
Herrengasse 14
Vienna 1010, Austria

We headed out, and decided to take a peek at the Schottenkirche ("Our Lady of the Scots") at the top of the block. The interior was quite impressive.

We headed back down Herrengasse, then across Michaelerplatz and down a passageway to our next destination…….and to our surprise saw some horses walking across the way.

I'd forgotten about the famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

Apparently, these are the rather posh stables.

Where I saw an interesting sign…..

We headed to our last destination; but decided to make one more stop along the way. To visit the Augustinian Church, where many of the Habsburgs were wed and where the hearts of 54 Habsburgs are interred in urns in one of the Chapels, and their bodies are in the Crypt below.

The Missus was kind of "Churched out" by this time……

So, we mainly spent time checking out the very interesting Monument to Maria Christina.

And then we were off…..to our next destination…..

Thanks for stopping by!

The Croissant Files – Wayfarer Bread and O’Brien’s Boulangerie

January 8, 2020 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants

I was pretty surprised at the response to my "Croissant Files" post back in October. I was great to get some recommendations, two of which I had on my list and one that was totally new to me. This should actually be one of those "R(ecommendations) & R(equests)" type of posts, but I decided not to wait. So here goes.

Wayfarer Bread:

I had Wayfarer on my list for a while and just really didn't want to make the effort to drive there. But, after recommendations from Red Devil and Cathy Greene….well, I needed to visit. And to be perfectly honest, driving up to Bird Rock really isn't that bad early on a weekend, which is when I went. Though there was already a line formed when I arrived at around 745….one very nice fellow was in line letting people go in front of him since folks aren't allowed to order breakfast sandwiches before 8 am and he wanted a breakfast sandwich.

I ordered a croissant and an Americano for me and one pastry to go; which I dropped off for the Missus.

CathyG had mentioned the croissants are "well-browned"…..no kidding….

This was way too dark and over-baked; it basically exploded when I bit into it. That exterior is far past flaky. The layers are a bit too dry; though the interior is nice and light.

I also appreciate a nice "sheen" to the pastry, which this one didn't have.

Good balance of butter and salt; with just the hint of sweetness, and a whiff of yeast. Of all the croissants we've had in San Diego so far this is the Missus's favorite.

I've returned twice since this visit and I think the explosive nature of the croissant is the M.O. here.

Wayfarer Bread & Pastry
5525 La Jolla Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92037
Hours:
Daily 730am – 3pm

O'Brien's Boulangerie:

"Vickie" made this recommendation. Even though Cathy did a post back in December of 2018, I'd never have thought to look in a mostly office park/industrial area of Poway for a Croissant.

I also really liked the folks working; so very friendly early on a Saturday morning.

The place was quiet when I arrived right past 7am, but quickly filled up.

Like Wayfarer, I ordered an Americano, a croissant for me, and one to go which I dropped off for the Missus at work.

This one had a slightly fluffy, though almost too moist interior and needed a bit more butter and salt, though it was fairly yeasty, with a mild, though not overly sweet interior. The dough had a decent stretch, but again felt a bit too wet.

The exterior wasn't flaky enough and it lacked that perfect middle ground of flaky and mildly crisp. Better than the croissants from my previous post.

The Missus however, wasn't impressed……

O'Brien's Boulangerie
13615 Stowe Drive
Poway, CA 92064
Hours:
Mon -Fri 7am – 4pm
Sat 7am – 3pm
Closed on Sunday

So, I've got a couple more places on the list. Any recommendations are welcomed.

And….if you're wondering what our current favorite croissant is in Paris….well, as of our most recent trip it's this one.

Which actually won the Best Croissant au Buerre in Paris for 2018. We walked a mile-and-a-half each way twice for this baby on our last trip to that city.

Our favorite from our previous trips, just didn't measure up this time….though I'm sure we'll be back to check them out again.

Anyway, thanks again for the recommendations Cathy Greene, Red Devil, and Vickie!

The search continues!

The Croissant Files – The French Oven, Bread Bar (Little Italy Mercato), and Prager Brothers (Little Italy Mercato)

October 28, 2019 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants, Markets & Grocers

The Missus and I were planning a trip….well, this one is basically four trips out, and we started ruminating about croissants…..do we miss Paris, and even there, it can be hard to find a good croissant….to be honest, we've had our share of not so good croissants (au buerre) in Paris as well. The discussion reminded me that I had a couple croissant photos just waiting for a post. I guess today's the day. So, "allons y"…..

The French Oven:

Several folks in the office, who live in the Scripps Ranch area kept on telling me about The French Oven, telling me it's run by a fifth generation Boulanger from France. So, a few weekends later, I headed on over to a little strip mall in Scripps Ranch.

Man the place was hopping!

Service was fast, I believe the owner was working the front of house as he and another gentleman were speaking in French. It kinda made my morning.

As for the croissant, while it was the best of the three in post, well, it was okay…..light with a decent flakey-crispness, but really lacking in butteriness, and when broken lacked that hint of yeastiness we love.

Not bad.

You can read Cathy's post on The French Oven here.

The French Oven Bakery
10299 Scripps Trail Suite E
San Diego, CA 92131

Bread Bar (at the Little Italy Mercato):

The following week, I dropped by the Little Italy Mercato to do some shopping. And decided to pick up a couple of croissants for the Missus and I to try. First, was from Bread Bar.

This was more crumbly than flakey and crisp. It had enough salt, but lacked a good buttery flavor and was too dry. It also had that fishiness that pastries in the states sometimes have, usually from the eggs used, which both the Missus and I don't care for.

Bread Bar in the Little Italy Mercato.

Prager Brothers (at the Little Italy Mercato):

We enjoy the bread from Prager Brothers and should probably head up to their bakery in Carlsbad. But until then…..

The croissant was not bad; but lacking in enough butteriness, salt, and yeastiness to us. The texture of the interior was a bit too soft for us.

We'll stick to getting their wonderful breads.

Prager Brothers at the Little Italy Mercato.

So….the search goes on…..