Sweet Mouthful: Chocolate Bouchon from Garces Trading Co., Philadelphia

What does "Bouchon" mean?

Well, I suppose it depends on how you want to look at it. For instance, if you're a fan of fancy Ho-Hos, you might instantly think of the bakery adjoining the restaurant entitled Bouchon.

If you're still up to date with your high school French, you might say it means "a cork or stopper" as in, "Où est le bouchon pour cette carafe?"

If you like to eat French pastries, you'll know it as a bite-sized, generally quite rich, little mouthful of a treat.

And if you've ever been to Garces Trading Company in Philadelphia, you know that even further, the literal translation is "a small bite of something chocolate that I wish I could eat my weight in". 

Garce's Trading Company is a restaurant, it's true, but they have a highly respectable pastry case. Here's a peek.

But the first item tried by the Spy was the Bouchon. It was chocolatey. It was gooey in the middle. It was dark and sweet and the type of sweet that sticks to the roof of your mouth and teeth. Chocolate, yes!

It is worth seeking out. If you are in Philadelphia, go to Garces Trading Company, and proceed to the pastry counter. You won't regret it.

Garces Trading Company, 1111 Locust Street, Philadelphia; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Metropolitan Bakery, Philadelphia

Photo: Metropolitan Bakery facebook pageI have a big, sweet, carbohydratey crush on Philadelphia's Metropolitan Bakery. Why, you ask?

Well. There are a few reasons.

First off, they make wonderful bread. This is important. But sometimes, when a bakery excels at baking bread, their sweet treats seem secondary. And I get it--bread is their "thing". But very happily, Metropolitan Bakery doesn't fall into this category.

First, I will address their sticky buns. Like, whoa. Nice and yeasty, but with a pleasing amount of gooey filling, these buns are generously bathed in a caramelly coating and topped with pecans, making for a decadently delicious breakfast treat. I heated mine a little bit, and it sort of tasted like heaven. Really. I think I heard the "Dream Weaver" music playing.

Next, I will address their lemon bars. Now, by appearances only, the lemon bars are fairly average. I don't mean this as an insult. All that I am saying is, how could you know that this unassuming bar holds such a treasure of flavors? Assertively--nearly puckeringly--lemon, these cool and tart bars are anchored by a rich, buttery shortbread crust. Please, let me have another.

Next, I will talk for a moment about their raspberry crumb bars. Once again, not saccharine sweet, and beautifully finished off which a slightly salty, very buttery brown sugar crumb topping. I can see how one could even convince oneself that it's vaguely healthy. 

Speaking of vaguely healthy, they also offer something called a Millet Muffin. Now, in general, such a title would not entice me--but wrapped in liner paper that made them look like little flowers, I was intrigued. And I was assured by the counter lady that they were very, very good. "Are they healthy?" I asked. And she said, "Well, not really". That's all I needed--"I'll take it!" I said. And you know what? These muffins are very good. The millet adds a nice, nutty flavor and a wonderfully crunchy flavor which doesn't fall into "crack yo' teeth" territory--but the muffin base is deliciously dense and buttery. I call it a winner. 

And because this stuff contributes to the overall bakery experience, I should say that as an artistic person, their logo, which is inspired by the Paris Metro, pleases me greatly. 

Their menu is pretty extensive, featuring cakes, cookies, Frenchie-stuff like caneles and macarons, and tarts. And everything I have sampled has been quite good. What I am getting at here is: go to this bakery.

Metropolitan Bakery has a few locations in the Philadelphia area; find out more about them on their website.

CakeSpy Undercover: Tiffany's Bakery, Philadelphia

For this assignment, I went undercover--and underground--to visit Tiffany's Bakery.

This is an unexpected spot to find delicious treats--for one thing, it is in the basement level of an urban shopping mall. In the food court. It's flanked by places like McDonalds and Auntie Anne's--not exactly where you'd expect to find a scratch-baked, totally awesome bakery.

My trip was doubly delightful in that it was the spot suggested by my friend Margaret, a brilliant editor at Quirk Books. It's amazing, she promised. I didn't need to be told twice.

I was glad it had been suggested, because purely based on looks, the the bakery might not get you right away: the shelving and lighting are fairly generic and utilitarian.

But the crowd surrounding the sweet-smelling bakery is your first indication that you've reached an unexpected goldmine of deliciousness. And clearly they've got a loyal following: they've been baking up sweets for 33 years now!

And because we never do anything halfway, we got not one but about a half-dozen of their sweet treats, including a sticky bun, a cookie, a red velvet cupcake, a mini cherry cheese danish, and a "George Washington Slice", a sort of spicy brownie-gingerbread type bar. 

And you know what? Everything was very, very good. Standouts for me were the cherry danish and sticky bun, which were lightly yeasty, not too sweet, but pleasingly decadent on both counts. Also very strong was the cookie, which was spicy and flavorful. I personally did not try the cupcake but was assured it was a good specimen. The chewy "George Washington Bar" was like a chewy spice cake meets brownie--interesting, a little different, and I think it would make a great companion to eggnog around the holidays. 

I learned that Tiffany's is known and highly regarded for their generous slices of Strawberry Short Cake - making that my #1 pick for my next visit.

Another nice thing about Tiffany's is that they offer many of their items in two sizes, which I estimated to be "small-medium" and "very large".  The smaller size is perfect for mixing and matching or if you're serving a crew at a brunch or event. Or, you know, if you want to try six pastries in one sitting and convince yourself it's ok because they're "mini".

The final word? Visiting Tiffany's is an adventure, you'll have plenty of good people watching, and the pastries are worth a visit.

Tiffany's Bakery, 9th and Market, Gallery Mall Food Court; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Sweets at Coal Creek Coffee, Laramie WY

Funny thing about crossing the country by automobile: sometimes, it is really hard to find good coffee.

And when I say "it's hard to find good coffee" I mean that sometimes you find yourself praying to the coffee gods to just send you a Starbucks. Please. 

But happily, while passing through Laramie, Wyoming, I had a sweet discovery which satisfied my caffeine needs as well as my sugary desires: Coal Creek Coffee. 

A coffee roaster with a few retail locations, Coal Creek not only has rich, bold coffee, but a delicious selection of sweet treats.

One of the standouts? The Raspberry pie, which was on the menu during the Valentine's day week. The berries were tart, not overly-sweetened, and bursting with flavor. The crust was the perfect rich, buttery, flaky complement, sturdy but not overwhelming. It was an exceedingly pleasant pie. I'd warrant a guess it would be even better with whipped cream or ice cream, but these toppings aren't especially friendly for traveling, so I suppose I will just have to dream about that.

.

Also in their bakery case? A variety of brownies, cookies, other pies, and bars. These cookies in particular seemed interesting:

For more information, visit the Coal Creek Coffee website!

Five Reasons Why CakeSpy Loves Bassett's Ice Cream

In 1861, Lewis Dubois Bassett, a Quaker school teacher and farmer, began making ice cream in his Salem, NJ backyard using a mule-turned churn.

In 1885 he began selling his wares at 5th and Market in Philadelphia; in 1893 he moved shop to the newly-opened Reading Terminal Market.

And the sweet, creamy stuff has been sold there ever since.

Fast forward to the modern-day. Bassetts now churns out ice cream which is sold all over the Philadelphia area and even beyond, but the heart and soul of the company remains at the Reading Terminal Market.

And here are 5 reasons why I love Bassett's:

1. Their ice cream is not fancy, but it is very good. It's proof that when you've got a good process and good ingredients, the product will shine; there isn't much that is gimmicky or trendy about this ice cream, and that's part of why I like it.

2. Gadzooks!  The flavor. What is it? As I learned from their website, 

Bassetts decadent chocolate ice cream with pieces of Brownie Points peanut butter brownies, chocolate chunks and a rich caramel swirl. Gadzooks Original was unveiled at WMMR's Spring Break '06.

3. They are steeped in sweet lore and adventure. Per their website, in 1935, Lewis Junior, who took over the business, "ships 10 quarts of ice cream, packed in dry ice, via freighter from New York through the Panama Canal to the American Embassy in Tokyo. The voyage takes several weeks but the ice cream arrives in perfect condition".

4. Details matter: their waste bin at the Reading Terminal Market is shaped like a big ice cream cone. 

5. Daily specials: on a recent visit, I had a double-header: one scoop of macadamia nut ice cream paired with one scoop of vanilla butterscotch. It was decadent, creamy, and completely dreamy. I loved every moment of that ice cream (pictured top).

Seek out your own reasons to love them; find Bassetts online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Doughnuts and More at Cle Elum Bakery, WA

I've been to Cle Elum Bakery in Washington before.

I've tried their tantalizing Torchetti, and lovingly learned about the bakery's history.

But on a recent visit, I had the good fortune of trying a few more goodies: their quiche (savory, I know), as well as several of their doughnuts (cake and a yeast variety with coconut coating) and their divinity.

The quiche (not pictured) was truly outstanding. The crust was just flaky enough, and full of flavor. The filling (vegetables on the day I went) was not at all bland (a common quiche complaint for me)--it was simply bursting with flavor, and required no seasoning whatsoever. It paired beautifully with the dark, rich Caffe Vita coffee which they serve.

The doughnuts were divided, in my mind: the cakey varieties were pretty perfect, just greasy enough, and delicious with coffee. The yeast varieties were not quite as memorable in this Spy's opinion, relying more on the toppings for flavor, with a slightly drier interior. 

The divinity was unlike any other I've tried, more like a meltaway cookie. Extremely delicious, melt-in-your mouth, with a tantalizing slight saltiness that will make you want to keep on eating more. 

The bottom line? Cle Elum Bakery is well worth a visit, and not just for the famous Torchetti. Of course, next time I know I have to try the butter horns--or else, says my friend Molly!

For more information, visit the Cle Elum Bakery Facebook page.

Sweet Surprise: Delicious Pumpkin Cake from a Rest Stop in Council Bluffs, IA

I'm going to file this one under "unexpected deliciousness": pumpkin cake from a Sapp Brothers Travel Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

I found myself in this rest area for the typical reasons: to refuel the vehicle and to use the facilities while road-tripping.

But I spied something unexpected while I was about to exit the building: a display of cakes and cookies, which said that they were homemade. Say what? 

There was Red Velvet Cake, Carrot Cake, and a variety of cookies.

Oh, and Pumpkin cake. Yeah, let's try a piece of that. Well, actually, three: the box came with three thick wedges, each about the size of a butterscotch Krimpet, for $2.99.

And guess what? This cake was genuinely good. Not just good-for-something-purchased-at-a-gas-station, but actually good. The cake was moist and nicely spiced, and the frosting was generous, and very sweet and rich.

Much better than picking up a big gulp and corn nuts on the road, in my humble (and sweet) opinion.

Seek some sweetness for yourself: you can get this cake at Sapp Brothers, Council Bluffs, Iowa.

CakeSpy Undercover: Sugar Bakery, West Roxbury, MA

Not long ago, when I was in Boston for my Tour de Sweet Book tour, I happened upon a bakery that had a name I liked: Sugar Bakery, located in West Roxbury.

I liked the look of things once I went inside, too. They had whoopie pies:

and cupcakes:

and cookies:

and something really magical called Alpine Cake, which I want to try next time.

but on this trip I kept it simple and got the toasted anise cookie with icing and rainbow sprinkles (or jimmies, if you must).

Not only was this cookie pretty to look at, but it was sweet to eat: buttery-crumbly, slightly softer than a typical biscotti and fatter, and scented with anise, but not in an overpowering way. It was a perfect post-breakfast cookie after a massive morning feast at the nearby Rox Diner, and ideal when paired with milky coffee.

So you know what I say? Go to Sugar Bakery in West Roxbury.

Sugar Bakery, 1884 Centre Street, West Roxbury MA. Online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Cake Gumshoe Jenny's Sweet Texas Finds

Photos: Purple House DirtCakeSpy Note: Cake Gumshoe Jenny, who blogs at Purple House Dirt, is an invaluable source of sweet knowledge. She's visited sweet-shops in Ireland and was a recipe tester for my lovely and amazing book. After recently visiting the State Fair of Texas, she also hit up a couple of other sweet stops along the way:

After the State Fair, I also snagged some snaps at a little roadside hand pie shop I found in Hillsboro, TX. I had the tastiest sweet potato pie in this bakery-in-an-Exxon. I watched as they rolled out fresh dough and filled each pie full, and then fried the whole thing in peanut oil. They advertise for miles before you get there - and if you don't pay attention you'd just pass it on the interstate. But it was worth the stop for a hot pocket of sticky sweet potato. 

Funky Monkey DonutI've added some pictures from another sweet spot I encountered in Austin - Gourdough's. It is manna from doughnut heaven. Open really late in the night, they have drunken cravings covered - from donuts with fried chicken and honey butter to menu items that make you giggle when you order them (Blue Balls, anyone?). I caught Gourdough's the night before Austin's all-mobile-food bonanza, the Gypsy Picnic, and was lucky I did - it wasn't open any other night I was visiting. Although I know the area well, finding this little truck was a bit of a challenge - I must have driven by 6 times before I saw the driveway. I watched groups of 5 and 6 eating single doughnuts, and I was worried I over-ordered...but sacrifice I must! I got the Funky Monkey - which is basically bananas foster over cream cheese icing and a fresh fried old fashioned doughnut (it might have been a cake doughnut, but it was hard to tell). I ate that one blazing hot, standing in my rental kitchen gorging at midnight. I also grabbed a Miss Shortcake (pictured top), one of the favorites on the menu, and at it for breakfast. Another cake doughnut covered with cream cheese frosting, but then topped with sliced strawberries. I know I'll be back there again. 

For more of Jenny's adventures, visit Purple House Dirt.

Sweet Find: Nokodi Cookies from Tabrizi Bakery, Watertown MA

While I was on book tour in Boston, I took a little jaunt outside of the city to see what I could see. Happily, I was rewarded, sweetly, with a type of cookie I'd never tried before: Nokodi, spied at Tabrizi Bakery, a Persian bakery in Watertown.

I'd never heard of Nokodi before I walked into this sweet little spot, where I was greeted by the baker having what sounded like an oddly friendly shouting match with a--customer? Friend? Co-worker? who was standing by the counter. 

At the bakery, these tiny clover-shaped cookies are simply labeled "Nokodi - Chickpea Cookies". The website reveals that the ingredients include chickpea flour, flour, vegetable oil, sugar, vanilla, and cardamom. 

But this doesn't come close to explaining the exquisite, spicy, meltaway quality that these cookies have when you eat them. They're almost powdery in texture, but when paired with a spicy mint tea, they're a thing of great beauty, not overly sweet but rather nutty-tasting, and decidedly addictive.

Of course, the small shop, which is in a state of charming dissaray, also boasts a variety of other Middle Eastern cookies (Berenji, rice flour cookies; Gerdeui, walnut macaroons; Nazok, flat cookies with seeds and honey) as well as sweets such as baklava, Bami (a small ball oval shape cooked in corn oil dipped in honey syrup) and Zolbi (Golden color pretzel shaped, dipped in honey syrup cooked in corn oil). They also have imported canned goods and snacks.

Overall, a sweet destination if you're in the Boston area!

Tabrizi Bakery, 56 Mount Auburn Street, Watertown; online here.