Savannah: Back in the Day Bakery

Location:

2403 Bull Street

Savannah, GA 

31401

One thing at the very top of my Savannah list of places to visit was the Back in the Day Bakery. I'd seen it on Jamie Beck's blog and she highly recommended it on the list of must-sees she gave me.

On a rainy day it was an amazing, indulging breakfast pit stop.

I mean, biscuits and jam? I could have those every day.

(Also, who knew that I could have been sitting so close to one of my Instagram connections - wow, small world!)

DIY: Create a 3-tier Stand

This is the best Martha Stewart idea I've ever implemented into my own parties. It's the DIY 3-tier stand for cupcakes or sandwiches!

It's ridiculously easy and looks fantastic in any table setting, especially when covered with pretty edibles. (This can also be done with paper plates, if you wish)

You will need:

3 plates of 3 sizes, large to small

2 bowls of the same size, but smaller than the plates

1. Take a large square plate, (can be square or round, I prefer square)

2. Place one bowl upside down on the 1st plate

3. Add a smaller sized plate on top of the upside down bowl

4. Repeat with remaining bowl and smallest plate, TA DA!

If that wasn't the easiest thing, ever, I don't know what is!

Add whatever fancy finger foods to each tier, and there you have a 3-tier stand!

New York City: Magnolia Bakery

Location:

1240 6 Avenue, New York, NY

magnoliabakery.com

You knew it was coming (if you follow me on Instagram, that is). There are several locations of Magnolia in NYC, and although I never made it to the original location in West Village, this one at Bloomingdale's wasn't too shabby.

Have you been? The cupcakes are divine - the red velvet cupcake was mighty tasty. 

Boston: Francesca's Cafe

Location:

564 Tremont St, Boston, MA

Everyone talks about the South End, so we made it there this past Sunday - it was cold you guys, and everything was closed! Why do they do that? Made it to Francesca's Cafe in a frozen state and thawed out nicely with a hot chocolate, tea and a tuna melt (apty named for this occasion). Oh, a pretty cupcake made the cut, too.

Boston: Curly Cakes

Location:

81 Charles Street, Boston MA 02114
www.izzyscurlycakes.com


My girlfriends were visiting from Toronto this past weekend.  As we toured around Boston and wandered towards Boston Common on Charles St. we came across Curly Cakes.  I'd been past it before and have always wanted to visit.

We did.

Gorgeous Little Shop. Gorgeous Little Cakes.

These babies were absolutely delicious.  Each one tasting different than the last.  We got three different kinds:

Triple Chocolate (Moist buttermilk, chocolate cake with a rich ganache filling, topped with creamy chocolate buttercream and dipped in melted chocolate, dusted with Cocoa Puff^TM streusel.  $3.95) Yes, THE Cocoa PUFFS!!!



Red Velvet. (A rich Southern Red Velvet Cake that combines classic cocoa and vanilla flavors, topped with velvety cream cheese frosting, dipped in melted white chocolate.  $3.95)






Boston Cream - how could you not? (Moist vanilla cake filled with rich vanilla pastry cream, topped
with chocolate buttercream and dipped in dark chocolate. $4.95)



With our lattes and coffees and teas, everything hit the spot.  Did I mention it was only lunch time?

NEW: L'eat

Location:

410 Adelaide St W

www.leatcatering.com/home.htm

In the cursed location where Zimbel's Cafe and before that,  Mosaic used to be, L'eat Express is the newest addition to the building beside Toronto School of Art.  Herbal Infusions is faring quite well so far, so maybe there is hope for L'eat (such a difficult name to wrap my head around.  Sometimes I think "teat", wrongly, of course).

I hear the brownies are amazing, but I walked by earlier today and the door was locked!  Will try again in a bit and keep you posted.

** So went back with some co-workers but they were still closed.  Someone did inform us that they were open this morning for a training session which included free pastries and plan to open again later this afternoon for another training session.  We were told they'll be open again tomorrow, so fingers crossed!

*** Went back on Friday and they were OPEN!  Found out a few things. 

Most importantly it's pronounced "ELITE", literally pronounce the letter "L" and the word "EAT".  I feel so much better, now. 



Owned by Tony Loschiavo with hand-crafted  goodies and gourmet meals made by Chefs Christopher Palik and Eric Walker, L'eat Express looks promising, especially with their original full service catering business (started 1983) in full swing at their Bathurt location.  I DID try the brownie, and it did not disappoint.  Shared with several co-workers, it was a huge hit! 



The complimentary bran muffin and double chocolate fudge cookie I scored was equally as satisfying, although I have to admit the cookie can't compare to Le Gourmand's chocolate chip walnut cookie which still reigns supreme. 





The teas on hand are from Language of the Leaf, which I love and which Neeta Khanna had sent me a package of teas to review in 2009.  I've also heard great things  about Paese, the sister restaurant to L'eat on King St W.

 

 

I really hope L'eat Express does well in this district, it's such a beautiful space and after speaking to Christopher, Tony and Rahim about their vision for this location, it looks like it's got all the ingredients to being as successful as the original.

Open Monday - Saturday (7:30am - 7pm)

Black Forest Pastry Shop

Location:
184 Lakeshore Road East
Oakville, ON L6J

I'm happy to announce that I have found possibly the best apple pie, ever.

It exists at Black Forest Pastry Shop in Oakville and is only $12.99!







After popping it into the oven for a few minutes, it came out flaky yet melted in the mouth. The apples were cooked yet crispy with just the right amount of cinnamon.


The other things on hand at the bakery: Red Velvet Cupcakes amongst other tasty treats.

TRAVEL: Boston: Mike's Pastry

Location:

300 Hanover Street
Boston, MA

www.mikespastry.com

Is it touristy? Yes. 

The woman behind the counter insisted that we take a plastic "Mike's Pastry" bag for our box even though we had a bag we were going to put it into.  Nothing like advertising by carrying their logo, right?



Is it ridiculously crowded, ALL THE TIME?  Yes.

Came here twice in one weekend and the first time, I was able to get to the counter.



The second time, it looked like this:

But are these the best mo-fo cannoli's you'll ever taste?  You bet your a$$ they are!

TRAVEL: Montreal : Les Glaceurs

Location:

453 Rue Saint-Sulpice
Montreal, QC

www.lesglaceurs.ca/

We just happened upon this cute pink cafe on our walk through Old Montreal and boy were we happy we did! Our friends C&K hadn't been to this ice-cream/cupcake place before either, so it was a real treat for all of us.



There were many gorgeous cupcakes; it was so hard to decide!

So, much like the Seinfeldian black and white cookie, we went with the vanilla cupcake and the brownie cupcake.





Iz..how you say...pretty, non?

And damn, that frosting was kickass!