After riding out the joy of hanging out with a bunch of good friends at my party, life’s never been the same. I have to go back to the reality of school: papers needed to be done and the coming of finals within a month from now, my happiness has decimated to nothing.
Instead of sounding mopey, I’ve gotten a few good edible presents! I’ve received two Donna Toscana bars from K and a box of Mary’s Chocolate and Amano bar from Robyn. (Thank you!! In case I haven’t told to either of you.) It’s chocolate related since they know I love chocolate and conveniently, they’ve attended the Chocolate Show was on prior to my party.
Donna Toscana Bars
Box of Mary’s Chocolate and Amano bar
The Toscana bars were good. Personally, I prefer the bittersweet almond brittle over the bittersweet pistachio brittle since the pistachio bar’s chocolate had a woodsy flavor that I don’t really like. It sort of reminded me of the Green & Black‘s bar that I tasted which I don’t like at all, but in the Toscana bar the flavor was a bit more controlled. Somehow, I polished off those two bars within 2 days…
As for Mary’s Chocolate, they were my next victims…
Plated chocs
They’re almost too pretty to eat…almost. All but one survived. Why did one survive? Well, I kind of felt bad that Robyn have forgotten to get a few chocolate samples for Ariel from the Chocolate Show, that I’m willing to save him one aesthetically pleasing, delicious bonbon for him. Yeah, I’m too nice to him…
Back to the chocolates, as for the ones I’ve consumed they were all very delicious despite the fact that I didn’t know what the flavors were since there weren’t any chocolate tasting guide packaged with this box. That’s until I came across my Flickr friend Sera’s Chocolate Show photo. Thankfully, she helped me in regards to what I ate.
Mary’s truffles and its innards
The remaining chocs…
Just to cut to the chase of what I’ve eaten, just click on the truffles and its innards photo above and you’ll know what they are since I don’t want to kill you with me rambling on about the chocolates. Simply stated, they’re awesome. Just get some if Mary’s is in your neighborhood or when you get the chance to go to the Chocolate Show. You won’t regret it. It’s unlike any American or European chocolate you’ve ever tasted.
As for real food (sort of), I was craving for something salty and pastry-like for breakfast. The only thing that could equate the aforementioned is City Bakery‘s addictive pretzel croissant.
My Breakfast
Close up of the croissant
This salty, crisp, buttery yet light pastry was delightful. It satiated my craving and the coffee was pretty good to boot. The coffee was balanced between acidic and bold with a touch of berry, and it’s not diluted. It’s a good breakfast, albeit not a healthy one either.
A few days later, I had a strange urge to eat pies and tarts. Most likely the reason is the coming of Thanksgiving, which in my house it’s a food fest that lasts for two to three days. Oh, help me from the food/stomach explosion… Going back to the pie/tart craving, I first went to Bouchon Bakery (I know, again!) for their new seasonal tart of sorts, the fig and hazelnut crème brûlée tart. In case you haven’t known this, I love figs and if it’s on a dessert, I’ll try it and have expectations to be swooned or at least like it.
The tart; in different angles
Wedge of fig tart
What I love about Bouchon’s food is that they’re so darn…photogenic. What’s even better that it’s very good (and I’m talking about the tart). The crisp, buttery pâte sucrée, encrusted with chopped, toasted hazelnuts along the edges contrasted the firm vanilla custard (which I prefer to have an extra oomph of vanilla) and sweet, dense fig paste. The burnt sugar topping was the least favorable part since it’s done ahead of time and sitting in the refrigerated pastry case, it lacks the brittle, glass-like characteristic hence it’s a bit gooey.
Then after classes (on the same day of the above tart), I had a pie craving. The only place where I’ve remembered that has good pie would be the Little Pie Company so I hop on the nearest subway down to the Meatpacking District.
Little Pie Company
Non-food photos inside Little Pie Co.
Cupcakes!
Small Carrot Cake & Meringue Pie
I was somewhat surprised that the interior of this place was part bakery and part diner, or at least it reminds me of one. I sat on one of their stools and perused their menu. I remember from reading an article from somewhere years ago that Little Pie’s signature or best pie was their Sour Cream Apple Walnut pie, since it’s considered the best, why not go for it? Along with a cup of coffee and some ice cream on the side. Yep, another round of sinful eating…
Coffee + Pie = Yum!…
Close up of the pie a la mode
Whoever written the article and a ton of other sources I ever read about this place, they have not steered me wrong. This pie was very good. The crust was buttery but not exactly flaky. The ratio of filling to crust was quite good. The streusel topping made of brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and walnuts were crisp and complimented the thinly sliced, cinnamon-y, Granny Smith apples. The vanilla ice cream was fine, not the best I’ve ever tasted. It has a good amount of vanilla flavor but it’s not creamy enough for me. But overall, I’m quite content with this pie.
The coffee was fine as well. It’s a bit too light for my preference but it does work well with the pie; it doesn’t dominate or dissipate when drunken with the dessert.
That’s pretty much the bulk of what I’ve eaten the past week and a half. Come to think of it, the things I’ve written for you people are basically more sweets and desserts! Gah, I need to eat more “normal” food but the normal food I eat are banal sandwiches and salads that are from Whole Foods near my campus. Well, at least there will be some better things to read in the near future that doesn’t necessarily pertains to sweets alone.
Addresses:
City Bakery
3 W 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
Addresses:
Bouchon Bakery
10 Columbus Circle, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10019
Little Pie Company
407 W 14th Street
New York, NY 10014
everything you’ve had at bouchon is seriously very photogenic…but i think a lot of that has to do with the fact that you’re such a good photographer!! :)
sour cream apple walnut pies…momofuku soft serve…city bakery baked goods *emitting food thoughts/waves* – i feel as if we eat our way though each other’s minds, hehe! :)
p.s.
hope school isn’t killing you…you’re almost done!!! =)
i couldn’t agree more with the first comment! I’ve seen plenty of murky photos that I’ve come to appreciate good photography, particularly that of food, which like it or not, while delicious, is for the most part not very photogenic 99% of the time.
hey, what’s wrong with eating sweets ALL the time? I do it way too much and i would probably scare myself if I documented it all.
Kathy: Haha…oh, thanks for thinking I’m a good photographer. I’m good but not as good as others that I’ve seen…
We telepathically think about food, unconsciously! Jeebus, we’re odd.
I’m surviving school. Thankfully, it’s going to be over very soon. I need a break.
Dana: Thanks for the compliment. :)
What’s wrong?! I’m eating too much sugar that I’m giving myself diabetes!
I love those pictures of the cupcakes at the pie company. such pretty colors! And that pastry from city bakery looks so yummy.
Amanda: Thanks! :) The pretzel croissant is awesome!
Oh wow, lots of sweets! mmmmm
I found it hilarious when you wrote ”Somehow, I polished off those two bars within 2 days…” HAHAHAHA, that was the best.
Since I a am a big chocolate taster myself, I will try not to skip those ;)
Is little pie company really that good? I came across it once, but nothing looked that appealing to me…
p.s I LOVE Whole Foods stores! :))
xoxo
Tea: Little Pie Company was good but not extraordinary. I haven’t eaten that many pies to tell you what’s really “The Best” in the city. But Ed Levine’s written a great article about pies in the city.
I thought Robyn was a girl?
Studentreader: Yes, she is. I guess you’re confused about the part when I’m talking about Ariel and giving him a few chocolates since Robyn deprived Ariel of some?
TWE: Those cupcakes are great if you are craving them.. hmm.. heading out to Grand Central soon… hah!
dbdtron