More Like 'Open Your Pie Hole'

Ok, so pie is super trendy. I think we can all agree to that. And so is brown paper, letterpress, craftsman chairs and tables and all that jazz. And I am fine with it and all, but not if the product is severely lacking but people continue to eat at that institution because it is cool.

I am happy to report that that is not the case at The Pie Hole in Downtown LA. At least that is my assessment after one slice of Maple Custard Pie.

The pie was a little pricey for one small slice, but the flavor was great and I am guessing the quality of the ingredients used was the main perpetrator of the higher price tag. 

It was so sweet, smooth and comforting. The type of pie you want a hot black cup of coffee with. That is, if it wasn't 80 degrees outside like it is in LA and if coffee didn't do a total number on your body like it does on mine. 

Not to mention, the pie and whole experience was even sweeter because I got to share it with my good friend Allyse who I hadn't seen in far too long.

If you are downtown, I suggest you go grab a slice, 'open up your pie hole' and let me know how there other varieties match up.

Happy Eating!

Back At Sweet Rose W/ Some Sweet Girls

Here I am, in Fort Collins Colorado, sitting under my favorite snow leopard blanket listening to my Bridget Bardot (consequently a Bossa Nova) Pandora station with the sound of the thunder and rain roaring through my open window in the background. I finished The Sun Always Rises by Hemingway earlier today, and shared a good strong beer and a clove with my husband an hour ago; I can honestly say I am feeling pretty great right about now.


But as I reflect on greatness, I can't help but be reminded of the great summer the Lord allowed me to spend with some sweet girls in Santa Monica, CA during a month long mission trip. We learned together, laughed together, lived together and grew together under the care and guidance of our Great God.


The time has ended now, but will forever shape us thanks to the orchestrator of it all. And though I sit totally content in my bed at the moment, I can't help but think back and miss.


At the end of the summer, we ended our quality time together appropriately with some quality ice cream at Sweet Rose Creamery in Santa Monica, CA.

Yes, I have blogged about the place before, but I just wanted to highlight the sweet girls who went with me and the Bacon Bourbon Sundae :)


Here they are...

Here was our ice cream...

The Bacon Bourbon Sundae as promised. Pretty delicious and beautiful.

And there it goes.

Cue thunder.

I'm Back! And So Is Lemonade!

Hello to all my long lost readers! It's been so long and I apologize! Life has been a lot busier than normal, thanks to a new work venture that is incredible but takes up more of my time than my job does during the rest of the year. I am on a "Summer Project" with college students from all over the country back in my ol' stompin' grounds, LA. Well, Santa Monica to be more exact. 


The sad part about it though is that I don't have a mixer, or any baking ingredients, or cake pans, or even measuring cups! So that means no baking for me until August! But fear-ye-not! There are plenty of sweet things to eat in Santa Monica that other people have baked or made, which is where my story begins...


Lemonade. Sweet, sour, yellow, a favorite from my childhood, but mostly a memory of times past...until now. Lemonade has revamped itself and taken on different shades of color and flavors and is once again claiming the throne of Summer from young children to your grandma. Where might you ask is this come back occurring? Lemonade eatery in Venice!

At Lemonade they are squeezing out all sorts of flavors like cucumber mint, blood orange, watermelon rosemary and peach ginger. 

Not to mention, the iconic lemony liquid is not the only thing they have slapped a fresh coat of paint on, they are also reintroducing, in a oh-so-gourmet way, cafeteria style eating! That's right, when you get there you just grab a tray pick your sides and the pot roast of your choice and move on down the line.


My favorites thus far are their lima beans with shaved parmesan, brussels sprouts with shaved parmesan and balsamic and their harissa chicken with bulgur wheat and apricots. Yum!


Once you get to the end of the line make sure to pick up a dessert, the blondies are TA-STY!, and the lemonade of your choice. Really you can't go wrong with any of the flavors, but I particularly enjoy cucumber mint and peach ginger.

There it is! And don't worry, if you don't live near Santa Monica there are other locations in Brentwood, Downtown LA, Beverly Hills, inside the MOCA and coming soon.... Pasadena! 


So go to Lemonade and relive the glory years of summer in a new, fresh and very exciting way. I'll join you if you want :)

A Great New Bakery In LA. Knead Proof?

I know, I know. I use a lot of puns. But really, this one was too good to pass up and so is Proof Bakery in Atwater. Although it has only been open two weeks, they really get high marks from me for putting together a great bakery and coffee bar. Their pastry style and decor is simple yet elegant, superbly executed with no frills. To tell you the truth it really reminded me of Tartine in San Francisco, even down to the same set of shiny steel tables chairs on the outside patio

This might make some cry foul, but if they did I would flash my yellow card and tell them to stop arguing with the ref. After all, what is wrong with admiring the greatness of an institution like Tartine and wanting to incorporate some of their award winning aspects into your bakery. Especially when those aspects are delicious pastry, tasteful decor and the absence of trendy treats like whoopie pies, cupcakes and made to order expensive-a*# doughnuts. In fact, the pastry chef was not offended at all when I told her Proof reminded me a lot of Tartine, she even said "Thanks, Tartine is doing a lot of things right." 


Ok, ok enough comparison, on to the food and coffee. So what is behind the glass? Let me rack my brain... things like Croissants, Creme Brulee Tarts, Orange Ginger Meringues, Florentine Ganache Sandwich Cookies, Gingerbread Pudding, Palmiers...

You know, elegant yet rustic goods; things you want to see behind the glass because you know the lack of pounds of buttercream means they speak for themselves, and they sure spoke to me.


I decided to start with a sampling of things that sounded most delicious to me, this included an Orange Ginger Meringue,  a Florentine Ganache Sandwich Cookie and a Swiss-Austrian spice cookie called a Zimeral?...Zimeraldi?...Zim-something! Does the name matter, it was good!

It was so spicy warm, with a hint of candied orange peel, chewy in a good way and a little almondy. Just the sort of cookie you want to be eating in December.

The meringue was huge! Very tasty, but probably my least favorite of the three since it lacked a certain kick I was expecting from the orange and the ginger.

The Florentine Ganache Sandwich Cookie was a knock out. It was more like a brittle sandwich than a cookie sandwich, but it was still intense. The brittle was so nutty and toasty and was spotted with zingy currants. 

Not to mention the dark chocolate ganache center made it just lovely.

The coffee was good, well I got an Americano, but it was excellent. They serve Four Barrel! which is my favorite espresso in San Francisco. Granted, they were out when I was there, but I guess glitches like that come with being two weeks old. The set up is kinda confusing, because they advertise the coffee as a pop-up shop called Cognoscenti within the bakery, but it seems like it is there to stay since there is a massive espresso machine installed on the counter. At least I hope they are there to stay! Or where else will I get Four Barrel in LA?


Lastly, but definitely not leastly (I think "leastly" makes the phrase sound cuter). The people there are nice and not pretentious! They are passionate about good food and coffee and glad to share it with their customers. So if you "knead" more "Proof" than that, go shove a Pain a Chocolat down your hole! As for me, Proof Bakery had become my new go to.

Danish Ice Cream Is Like Paradis!

Thanks to a suggestion from one of my readers, who in fact lives in Denmark, I made the journey out to Paradis Ice Cream in Montrose, CA, the only other location other than the shops in Denmark. Isn't that funny? Denmark and Montrose.


Regardless of it's perplexing location choice, which I really shouldn't bag on since Montrose is conveniently 10 minutes from my house, the ice cream is outstanding! It is sort of Gelato-esque. Very smooth and silky, with very little air churned into it unlike most american ice creams. It's like velvet on your tongue.

The flavors, outstanding! Pistachio was my favorite, with Nougat coming in a close second. Lactose-intolerant? No worries, their sorbets are just as amazing. 


All-in-all, Paradis is a must try and perhaps my new favorite ice cream in LA. So thanks for the suggestions Hanne! I plan on making Ris Ala Mande soon.

Apple Pickin' And Finger Lickin' Good Cider Doughnuts

From a very young age I have always dreamed of picking apples in the fall. That is a fact... about me. (That was a Parks and Recreation reference. If you didn't get it, you need to watch or re-watch the 2nd season right now. It is the best show known to mankind.) But that dream was never realized until this past week, at the age of 25 years and 42 days to be exact. 


Let me back up a little. You see, I am a very seasonal person. I have strict rules about what can be done in what season, for example When Harry Met Sally can only be watched in the fall, Christmas music and shopping must not begin until after Thanksgiving, you get the idea. In addition, I hold hard and fast to tradition and always make more out of it than I should. All this just adds to the specialness of moments and conjures up fond memories all year round. 


To me apple picking is a quintessential fall activity, and as I mentioned before, I had been dying for years to add apple picking to my fall repertoire. My husband, knowing this, took me to Oak Glen last Friday to clear our minds and help me realize my dreams. We had an amazing time! 


The trees lining the roads leading to Oak Glen are all beautiful shades of orange, red, and yellow, warmly welcoming you to pick the fruit of their near relatives. 

Apple picking itself is satisfying in a way I can not describe, you will have to experience it for yourself. But maybe you can get a faint idea from these pics of Josh at Riley's Apple Farm...

Not to mention, devouring half a dozen warm Apple Cider Doughnuts at Snow-Line before heading home is the cherry on top of any apple picking trip.

And now that I have gone apple picking, I am pleased to report my friends, it is here to stay (along with the Snow-Line Doughnuts). At least... once a year only in the month of November, of course. 


Josh and I arrived back in good Ol'Glendale refreshed, with an ample amount of apples and a great idea... to make our own Apple Cider Doughnuts!


Well maybe it was just my idea, but regardless it was a great idea because they were amazing! It helped that I was having my friends Allyse and Lisi over for brunch, because it gave me a reason to make them, as well as help eating them. 

Half were rolled in Cinnamon Sugar and half were glazed in a Cardamom Apple Cider Glaze (my personal favorite) and all were eaten.


However, this recipe is not for the faint of heart; making doughnuts is a lot of work! Especially these ones. It requires a lot of time and oil. In fact, I made a point to compliment the lady at my favorite doughnut shop on Sunday for making such great doughnuts and to thank her for all her hard work. (Please no jokes about me being friends with the lady at the doughnut shop.)


Anyways, here is the recipe and some fun pictures of our brunch food and my fall centerpiece.


Apple Cider Doughnuts
*adapted from Smitten Kitchen
-yields about 9 doughnuts + 9 doughnut holes


Doughnut Ingredients

• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp butter, room temp
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• vegetable oil for frying

Topping Ingredients

• Cardamom Apple Cider Glaze ( 1 cup powdered sugar+ 2 tbsp apple cider+ 1 tsp cardamom)
• Cinnamon Sugar (1/2 cup sugar + 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon)

Doughnut Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat the 1/2 cup of apple cider over med-low heat until it reduces to an 1/8 cup. (About 20-30 min.) Set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, in a med. bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. With the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, or with hand beaters, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium until the mixture is smooth. Add the egg and beat until incorporated, using a spatula to scrape down the sides as needed. Reduce the speed to low and add the reduced apple cider and the buttermilk, mixing until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix just until the dough comes together.

4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle generously with flour. Turn the dough onto one of the sheets and sprinkle the top with flour. Flatten the dough with your hands until it is 1/2 inch thick. 

Transfer the sheet to the freezer for 20 minutes. Pull the dough out of the freezer and use a 2-inch or 3-inch round cookie cutter a 1-inch round cookie cutter (I used my cannoli mold) to cut out the doughnuts. Place the doughnuts on the other floured baking sheet. You can re-flatten the scraps to cut out more doughnuts. Freeze the sheet for 30 minutes. 

5. While the doughnuts are freezing, heat your oil in a low wide pan to 325 degrees and prepare two plates by lining them with multiple layers of paper towels. Also, prepare the two toppings.

6. Take the doughnuts out of the freezer and fry 3 at a time until deep golden. You can test them with a toothpick, like a cake, to check if they are done as well. Place the fried doughnuts on the plates. Roll the warm doughnuts in the cinnamon sugar, but let the ones you want to glaze cool a little before glazing. And most importantly, serve fresh and warm!

Look at that spread! Everything thing was delicious and the company was fantastic, thanks Allyse and Lisi!

I used the some of the apples I picked at Oak Glen as place markers.

My fall centerpiece, made of stuff lying around my house, acorns I found at Oak Glen and glittered, and some beautiful leaves shed by our neighborhood trees. 

And a yellow rose from the plant my dear friend Abigail gave me :)

Good Friends And Good Ice Cream In LA

In the past couple of years I have become a little bit of an ice cream snob, which is actually quite funny since I am lactose-intolerant. It must have been the year I spent in San Francisco chowing down on the delectable offerings of Humphrey Slocombe, Bi-Rite and the like. I was spoiled. 

Living in LA has been quite a challenge, as far as ice cream goes, nothing I have had here quite hits the mark. And before you comment, "Have you tried Scoops?" don't bother, I have. I found it gritty and not very creamy.

So I resorted to making my own, as you probably have gathered if you are a regular reader, and as a result have been able to fulfill my need for really good ice cream. But sometimes a girl just wants to go out and get ice cream! Sometimes I want ice cream spontaneously and don't want to wait over night for the cream to set! Luckily, I found a solution... Sweet Rose Creamery.

After hearing rumors for months of how good Sweet Rose was, I finally got a chance to taste it for myself. The downside is that it is in Santa Monica, well its a downside if you live on the east-side, therefore it was hard for me to justify battling all that traffic just for a cone of creamy goodness. But I finally had an excuse one September evening as Josh and I had a dinner date with two of our good friends Crystal and Sean in the area. So after filling our bellies with burgers and fries we made our way over. This is Crystal below btw, she is really for peace in general.

The staff was very friendly and let us taste pretty much every flavor, since we were newbs. They had everything from standard vanilla and chocolate, to Earl Grey, Blood Orange Sherbet and Apricot Creme Fraiche. Plus they also had other frozen goodies like homemade fudgesicles, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream pies (below) and much more!

Between the four of us we ended of with three flavors: 

Mint Chip

Banana w/ chocolate covered homemade graham crackers 

and Chocolate Malt with homemade marshmallows and chocolate covered graham crackers. (Mine of course; I love s'mores!) 

Everything was great! The consistency of the ice cream was spot on, creamy and thick, and you could taste the freshness of the flavors in every bite! For example, we decided that the Mint Chip tasted like they used mint leaves they had just picked from their herb garden out back and that there Banana ice cream really tasted like a banana. And do I need to mention the Chocolate Malt was fantastic? It is, after all, chocolate. Did you have any doubts? Plus, with the addition of the mallows and grahams it made me want to go back for s'more! (I make myself laugh)

It was so refreshing to be amongst good friends having good ice cream in LA. So take a little tip from Mrs. Sass and go try it for yourselves, and make sure to bring some good friends with you, it makes it that much sweeter! (I'm sorry, I can't help it)

Hygge: Like No Danish or Concept You Have Ever Known

Have you ever had a danish? No, no, no.... I don't mean the jam or custard filled things you find at most bakeries. I mean a REAL danish. Well I have and you can too if you visit Hygge Bakery in Downtown LA. 

What does Hygge mean? Well, apparently it doesn't translate directly into english, but I found an illustration of the term on the world wide web. 

"Gather the family and invite over a couple of good friends. Push the sofas and chairs up close to the coffee table. Douse the electricity and light some candles. Better yet, light a fire in the hearth. Serve plenty of food and drink. Raise a toast or two, or three, and feel the warmth flow around the table. Look at each other until you see the candlelight shimmering in each other's eyes. You've got hygge!"

Isn't that beautiful! Well so are the danishes!

When I first walked in I was overwhelmed; I had never been inside a bakery whose pastries, for the most part, were completely foreign to me! I asked a ton of questions and received answers to all of them, plus samples,  from a very friendly and helpful staff. The "slice," pictured above, was one of my favorites and one of their best sellers. It is a light flaky danish filled with custard, chocolate and icing, all of which come together in delicious harmony. 

Here are some wonderful pastries I didn't get to try :(

But I did get to try these rum balls! They were chocolaty rummy goodness! 

And this tree truck was also excellent! Similar to the rum ball in the center: moist, chocolaty and rummy, but covered with a delicious layer of marzipan and drizzled with more chocolate.

Not to mention the prices were so affordable! I like this hygge concept, especially in the heart of Downtown LA where it is very much needed.

Magnolia Bakery Opens Tomorow!

As mentioned in my previous post, NYC's famed Magnolia Bakery (the same one from SNL's Lazy Sunday) has crossed the continent and been planted on the best coast. And guess what? It opens tomorrow, 7/17, at 12pm at 8389 W 3rd St. 

Just for fun, here is a pic of me, years ago, scarfing down a Magnolia cupcake in NYC.

De-lovely Delilahs

 Yummy baked goods? Check. Delicious sandwiches? Check. Kitschy cute interior? Check. Quiet but cool location? Check. That does it then! Delilah Bakery in Echo Park is officially de-lovely! Don't believe me? Follow along as I chronicle my visit through photograph and then tell me what you think.

As we entered we were confronted with a promise. A pretty hefty promise if you ask me, considering I was hangry (so hungry I was angry) and it would take a lot for me to leave "sweet".

When we first walked in my eyes were instantly drawn to the cookies (are you surprised.) They looked yummy enough, but my eyes seemed to say,"What else you got?"

I looked to my right, and what to my wondering eyes should appear? Yellow floral walls and my reflection in the mirror.

I was warming up to the place. Then I saw the shelves full of adorable ceramic creatures and my heart melted.

I really wanted this cake stand but it wasn't for sale. Apparently this fawn has a huge ego and demands to be atop his pedestal at all times.

On to the food. I started off with a small cinnamon roll appetizer with orange icing. And I must say, though it was no Cinnabon (then again, what is?), it was pretty darn yummy!

I moved on to lunch. I ordered a BLT, which came served on a fresh french baguette with a light lemon aioli and was stuffed with tons of thick crunchy bacon! Maybe one of the best BLTs I have ever had.

But just when I thought the fun was over, I saw a tiny little surprise poking its head out from behind my salad. It was a complementary mini cupcake to wash it all down with! Did they know me that well already?

There you have it. I left "sweet" and very refreshed. But if you still aren't convinced that Delilah's is de-lovely, take my friend Dan Birch's word for it, "It's so exclusive."