The San Francisco IIHC Food Awards

January 15, 2014January 15, 2014 / beccalev / 2 Comments

Having just completed my most recent jam-packed and belly-expanding trip to San Francisco, I am now ready to give out the first ever Instead I Had Cake (IIHC) Awards to the Best Of San Francisco.

Best Pastry Award: Tartine Bakery (double pain au chocolat)

After coming back from a nine month stay in Paris, I have developed an acute ability to judge the difference between a decent chocolate croissant and a fantastic one. And this pain au chocolat was PHENOMENAL.

It’s ultra buttery, delicately crispy, and densely chocolatey, with dozens of flakey layers and a soft interior. It’s exactly what I would have described as the ultimate chocolate croissant experience. I took one bite from that extra buttery-crispy-caramelized end and almost started crying, it was that good.

Tartine has been written up for having the best bread, the best bread pudding, and the best bread cookbook, and while I agree that those are also bread, bread pudding, and cookbook perfection, I will be the first to say that the best thing they sell is this pain au chocolat.

Best Ice Cream Award: Bi Rite Creamery

Known and respected for their salted caramel ice cream (the only one outside of Berthillon in Paris that I truly enjoy), this creamery does ice cream right. Smooth, buttery mouthfeel; rich, intense flavors; fresh, handmade hot fudge and whipped cream, this ice cream shop has it all.

For a truly amazing experience, my favorite combination was the roasted banana with their famous salted caramel topped with hot fudge and whipped cream. That first bite of that sundae is still one of the highlights of the trip for me.

In addition to their creamery, Bi Rite also has a market where they have gathered the best of the best of everything from around the city, encouraging consumers to not only buy their products, but just to buy right 🙂

Best Toast Award: The Mill

Not sure if you’ve noticed, but there is definitely a trend toward high-end toast making. Why, you ask? Well, after you’ve had a bite of the toast from the Mill, you will suddenly understand.

Using Josey’s Bread, McClellend’s butter, and other fresh local ingredients, The Mill toasts thick cuts bread of different flavor concoctions to perfection, tops it with interesting combinations of toppings, and charges you a whopping $3.75. It sounds like a rip off ONLY until you take the first bite.

The picture may not look beautiful, but I PROMISE it was one of the most memorable bites of the trip. Apricot Fennel toast with McClellend’s local butter, brown sugar, and sea salt. It was perfect. Plus, you can get the renowned Four Barrel Coffee at the same location, so why would you ever go anywhere else?

Best Coffee Award: Ritual Coffee

This may be a controversial response since Four Barrel is universally considered to be better, but the combined atmosphere and flavor of their signature espresso pushed Ritual to the top of the pile of the many cappuccinos I drank throughout the city.

The lemony espresso combined with the perfectly executed microfoam, friendly service, and cool vibe made the entire cappuccino a pleasant, refreshing, and memorable caffeinated experience. Plus, their logo is pretty sweet, not gonna lie.

Best Burrito Award: El Farolito

It’s hard to pick a best burrito since everyone’s preference is so personal, but the most memorable burrito bite I had was from El Farolito in the Mission. Their limited menu and incredibly casual seating area may be off putting to some, but what makes this place stand out is their use of freshly sliced avocado instead of guacamole, and their all-medium-heat salsa bar.

The fragrant rice, grilltop-browned tortillas, and succulent beans send this burrito to a cut above the rest for me.

RUNNERS UP

Runner Up for Best Ice Cream: Humphry Slocombe

Originally opened as an ice cream store not-for-children, Humphry Slocombe is know mainly for their meat and alcohol ice cream flavors, for those more adventurous eaters. While Secret Breakfast (bourbon ad cornflakes) is so their most popular flavor, their butterbeer ice cream (browned butter and stout) is my new favorite ice cream flavor of all time.

Runner Up for Best Coffee (and best pastry): Equator Coffee

Their location is just across the bridge, on the way to Muir Woods for those of you wanting to escape the city for a bit. Attached to a surf shop, Equator Coffee has an extra-chill vibe whole dishing our great coffee. The bright espresso flavor paired with their crispy-creamy Croissant-Doughnut is the ultimate breakfast (a policeman’s dream, the ultimate coffee-doughnut combination).

Runner Up for Best Burrito: La Canasta

This hole-in-the-wall, only take out Mexican paradise produces the burrito to which I compare all other burritos I ever eat. It has not changed a BIT since I was born, including the people who work the register and who cool the food. The people running this Mexican haven in the Marina live and breathe their craft, and I never regret a single trip to their small-but-mighty establishment.

Flavorful rice, chicken grilled-while-you-watch, tortillas tossed on the flattop, and incredibly genuine serviceable this a must-visit.

How to have the best Christmastime trip to Strasbourg, France

December 5, 2013 / beccalev / Leave a comment

Food you should eat:

Sausage (you’re so close to Germany, why not?)

Sauerkraut (same reason as above)

Spaetzle (I’m sensing a theme)

Hot Cider (because it will be cold)

Vin Chaud aux épices avec du miel (hot, spiced wine sweetened with honey? what’s not to like?)

Bamboules (chocolate covered gooey marshmallows. Yum.)

Tarte Flambé (not a tart, it’s like a cross between a pizza and a panini)

Chocolat Chaud at Bistrot et Chocolat (it’s worth it)

Man-shaped thing (doughnut/beignet or pretzel is recommended)

Gouter at Christian (it’s precious)

Dinner at Aux Armes de Strasbourg (despite some uncomfortable attention you might receive from waiters, it’s a nice and reasonably priced place to eat)

Things you should know:

Ask for directions for how to get to the biggest market. There will be maps, but the markets are a bit disconnected.

Walk around La Petite France. It’s gorgeous.

Popping over into Germany is super easy and weirdly convenient, but they don’t speak French at all, so it’s weird.

YOU MUST GO TO LA MAISON DE HANSSEN ET GRETEL

There’s a super cool museum about the history of Strasbourg that was free for some reason while we were there. Try doing that because it was really fun and you could try on great hats.

Maybe look into going to Zanzibar (we had a fab recommendation from some guys at the hostel)

The cuckoo/astronomical clock does not go off on Sundays.

Bring a camera. There are photos ops EVERYWHERE.

For more detailed descriptions:

Look at my full-length blog post/diary entry on my travel blog from while I was abroad.

The Best Pastries to get in the “Land of Pastries” that is Paris, France

October 25, 2013October 25, 2013 / beccalev / 1 Comment

Going abroad to Paris and Aix-en-Provence was the best decision I’ve ever made. I stayed away from the US for the whole year and developed a deeper relationship with the amazingness of food. Especially pastry, which France is renowned for! While not all of the treats on this list are ones I could afford every day, the ones that have made it to my top tier and special bites that are worth the splurge and ones that I keep recommending to everyone I know as my some of my favorite pastries in the world.

While these are obviously not the only options available in the city and these do not include every pastry I’ve ever eaten in France, this list includes the places I went back to as often as I could, the places I dream about revisiting, and the places recommend to people who are going to Paris. This is the short list (as short as I can make it):

Croissants from Poilâne

Right near the Bon Marché is the world-renowned boulangerie, famous for its country bread (pain de campagne) and old-style techniques in an ancient oven. While the croissant itself may look to be less yummy than some others that you might see in any patisserie on the street (such as Eric Kayser, for example), trust me, the minute you put a piece of this croissant (as close to the early morning as you can get one since it will be fresher) you won’t be able to eat another croissant without comparing to that of Poilâne. Since Poilâne is more of a boulangerie than a patisserie, I had figured their croissant would be bread-ier than most, but no! It’s buttery, flaky outside and fluffy, lush inside was enough to win me over, and there was not a single bad bite in the whole treat.

While you’re there, you might as well pick up a quarter (“quart” pronounced “car”) of the pain de campagne (those giant breads with a P carved into them) or a tiny rustic apple tartlette. Both of those are delicious as well. And another plus of this being a boulangerie: the costs are very low! The croissant is about 1 euro! It’s absolutely worth a stop to this world-renowned boulangerie, even if it’s just to take a peak in the window.

Éclair from Carl Marletti

This little hole-in-the-wall shop just off the end of Rue Mouffetard smells delicious as soon as you get close. While you may walk past it the first time, you will not be able to miss the aroma. There’s a kitchen working in the back of this little shop that keeps churning out such delicacies, but my clear favorite is the éclair caramel au beurre salé.

It’s absolutely decadent, and the extra sugar crunch on the outside of the pâte au chou makes it a cut above in the delicious department, and the cream inside is to die for. As you bite into it, the cream comes spilling out the other side, so watch out, because you don’t want to lose any of the perfect creaminess.

Pasteis from Comme à Lisbonne

While it may seem strange that I’m recommending a Portuguese delicacy as a necessary stop in Paris, I swear this is the best pasteis I have had outside of Lisbon. If you’re not planning on making it to Portugal anytime soon, pick up one of these warm custard filled pastries.

It’s only 2 euros, always warm, and dusted with cinnamon (always say “oui” to cannelle), and the pastry from this tiny store in the Marais never disappoints. It only sells pasteis and coffee, so you know you’re getting the best every time, and they make new batches all day, so if they’re running out, they’ll soon replace it with piping hot pasteis. Plus, this little store (and most of the Marais) is open on Sundays, meaning you can pick one up on the down days in Paris.

Tartelette au citron (Lemon tartlet) from Arnaud Delmontel

On the lively Rue des Martyrs, this fabulous patisserie has a display window with a line of these perfect yellow domes amidst the other pastries. While the pastry itself may look like it would be dense or rich, this citrusy pastry cream melts away with an airiness that leaves you satisfied but wanting more. It’s perfect. And it’s beautiful to boot.

This perfect dome is worth the splurge because you really have to taste it to believe that something that small can pack a powerful punch and melt into nothing. It’s really the perfect lemon tart.

Popelini from Popelini

This up-and-coming pastry seems to be heading toward taking over the macaron fad in Paris, so watch out for these little goodies. They’re like the best cream puff you’ve ever had.

They come in a bunch of flavors, and the packaging of these treats is really aesthetically pleasing. The place only sells Popelini (hence the name), so you know you’re getting the best. Now there are more locations springing up all over Paris, so you won’t have to go up to Rue des Martyrs to pick up one (or a few) of these treats.

Saint Honoré from La Patisserie des Rêves

This pastry is unreal, as if from a dream (see what I did there? relating the name of the place to the fantasticalness of the desserts it sells?). The flaky pastry topped with sweet cream and caramel covered cream puffs is decadent to say the least.

The crisp cookie bottom holds up the crunchy coated cream puffs on one side and a smooth, creamy chantilly on the other. It’s a little daunting to eat (and I recommend eating it while sitting down), but it’s definitely worth the effort!

Carrot Cake from Sugarplum Cake Shop

If you’ve been in France for a while (like I was) and are desperately craving some great American desserts, look no further than the great American bakery, Sugarplum Cake Shop. Everything they serve screams America, and they prepare each treat the way it should be, with great ingredients, picture perfect presentation, and love.

From rice krispie treats and cheese cake to muffins and peanut butter bars, almost any American dessert prepared the right way can be found here. You’re met with a friendly “Hello” when you walk in, and with the cake and coffee, you may never want to leave. Big pluses: free wifi on the weekdays, free refills for filtered coffee (although it is 4 euros to start), comfy couches and English speaking personnel, and, of course, Le Carrot Cake 🙂

Tarte au Citron Meringuée from Le Loir dans la Théière

While the mile-high meringue may seem insurmountable, the tarte is definitely an experience (even without being able to finish the pile of fluff on top of the lemon tart).

Le Loir dans la Théière is a great place to get brunch, lunch, or a snack in the Marais, selling great tartes both savory and sweet. The freshest of ingredients are used to create these fresh tartes, making them taste that much better. While this isn’t a place where you can easily come in and take something to go, it’s worth a break from a hard day of walking (and it’s delicious to boot)! This lemon tart, to compare it directly with the other lemon tart on this list, is much more of a novelty than a delicacy, and it’s hard to take away with you. But it’s definitely great to take pictures with and tell stories about, and the other, freshly made savory tarts and quiches are worth the trip.

Millefeuille à la Minute from Jacques Génin

This new craze about the millefeuille made to order is starting to circulate, but the only one that I have heard fabulous things about (and can corroborate) is the one from Jacques Génin. While this man is already a famous chocolatier, with delicate chocolates and caramels (pick up a bunch of those), his pastries are also incredible.

By filling the buttery, flaky, crunchy cookies with luscious pastry cream and a raspberry coulis (if you order the raspberry one as I did), Génin creates a fantastic dessert (or snack) that comes out slightly different every time. This treat is an expensive one, I’ll give you that, but the atmosphere of the room and the deliciousness of the treat might overpower the price.

Overall, the pastries in Paris are incredible, and this is not a complete list, but this is the start to a lifelong journey of finding the best of the best.

Addresses:

Poilâne

8, rue du Cherche-Midi (6ème)

Carl Marletti

51, rue Censier (5ème)

Comme à Lisbonne

37, rue du Roi de Sicile (4ème)

Arnaud Delmontel

39, rue des Martyrs (9ème)

Popelini

44, rue des Martyrs (9ème)

La Patisserie des Rêves

93, rue du Bac (7ème)

Sugarplum Cake Shop

68, rue Cardinal Lemoine (5ème)

Le Loir dans la Théière

3, rue des Rosiers (4ème)

Jacques Génin

133, rue de Turenne (3ème)

Best French Macaroons in Paris

October 4, 2013 / beccalev / 1 Comment

While the craze for these petite treats is going from fiery passion to fizzling spark, I figured I would get my two cents in while the going was still at least lukewarm. Unlike the America macaroon, the French macaroon, or “macaron” as I prefer to call it, is an almond flour meringue cookie sandwich stuffed with ganaches and pastry creams and jams and other delicacies. The way to tell a great macaroon from a not-so-great one is not only the texture of the cookie but also the quality of the filling.

By the end of my nine month sojourn in France, I was able to properly enjoy a perfect macaroon and could not stand to eat one that was not perfect. Here are my favorites of any macaroons I tried in Paris:

Pierre Hermé

This master of pastry not only sells delicious macaroons, but also some of the fanciest desserts I had in Paris. He is world renowned as the creator of fantastical renditions of traditional treats as well as new twists on old favorites. Everything he creates is obviously yummy, but it’s his macaroons that originally made him famous to other people who weren’t pastry chefs!

The flavors of these range from the classic (caramel, raspberry…) to the kooky (olive oil, asparagus…) but all of the flavors are equally great. The cookie is the perfect blend of crunchy and soft, the fillings are fresh and natural, and the presentation is, as expected, superb.

This is my number one choice of anywhere to get a macaroon in Paris, topping traditional favorites like Ladurée and Gerard Mulot.

Ladurée

While one may be considered a tourist for holding the famous mint green bag, it’s worth it to pick up of few of their delicate macaroons. This famous patisserie has now expand into an international chain (with a post in New York City (!!!!)), so it’s no longer a Paris original, but it definitely tastes better on this side of the ocean.

The macaroons they make are definitely worth the price, but sometimes I feel like they’re not worth waiting in the long line for. Yes, they’re yummy, but they’re much smaller than those of their competitors at Pierre Hermé and have less originality in the flavors. They seem to have stopped trying to create the new and focused on trying to expand. They are content with living up to the expectations of tourists instead of trying to exceed them, which is a real shame since with a touch more of creativity, they could have maintained their top spot in my list.

I have to say this, though: the fact that they fill their caramel macarons with actual caramel au beurre salé instead of a caramel flavored pastry cream puts that macaroon at the top of any list (even above Pierre Hermé). Stop in just to pick up one of those (although be prepared to wait in a long line of tourists).

Carrette

This fancy salon de thé right by the Trocadero (with the best view of the Eiffel Tower) has a glitzy take-away counter right inside, past all the glamorous people eating their fancy treats with tiny cups of espresso. And from there, you can get their macaroons to go.

The macaroons themselves are both beautiful to look at and yummy to eat, plus you can pick up a bag of them and walk right over to the Eiffel Tower and stare at its glory while you munch on these delicacies.

While they may not top the list in either texture or flavor, their location alone is a reason to stop in for these cute treasures. And they’re delicious, so that’s a plus!

Gerard Mulot

A household name in Paris, the man produces some more reasonably priced macaroons in imaginative flavors and colorful presentation. His store sells both the sweet and the savory (a cross of a patisserie and a boulangerie), so it’s a great place to come buy your entire picnic lunch!

The macaroons themselves too are very nice and are done the right way, which is always a great thing to see when a shop tries to do everything. It’s a great place to go, and the area it’s in is just fun to be in anyway, so this quick detour is an bonus!

Places you could definitely skip:

Dalloyau

This chain is all around Paris, and while I would step in here to get a slice of their famous Opéra cake, I would skip the macaroons. The cookies are a bit too almond-y and the fillings did not cover up the nuttiness that took over each flavor.

Basically, go here for the Opéra, not the macarons.

Georges Larnicol

This famous chocolatier has his decorative display of macaroons prominently placed in the center of the main store on Boulevard St Germain, but don’t be tempted by the beauty: the texture isn’t quite right and the fillings are a bit too sweet.

Overall, while I would stop in here to pick up the amazing chocolates, I would not recommend you go in just for the macaroons.

Addresses:

Pierre Hermé

72 rue Bonaparte (6ème arrondissement)

Ladurée

75, avenue des Champs Elysées (8ème arrondissement)

864 Madison Avenue New York, NY

Carrette

4 Place du Trocadéro (16ème arrondissement)

Gerard Mulot

76 Rue de Seine (6ème arrondissement)

Dalloyau

2 Place Edmond Rostand (6ème arrondissement)

Georges Larnicol

132 Boulevard Saint-Germain (6ème arrondissement)

Best Croissant in Boston

October 2, 2013October 2, 2013 / beccalev / Leave a comment

Ever since I came back from France, I have been trying to find a halfway decent croissant to compare to the amazing ones I had in Paris. And since I’m currently in the Boston area, I figured I would go on a quest (with the help of some recommendations from this Chowhound discussion).

I tried places in Jamaica Plain, Brookline, Cambridge, and Boston itself (although I didn’t make it to the North End), and here are my top places so far.

Canto 6

Past the main drag of Jamaica Plain, right when you reach the point of “wait, where are we?” is this haven of pastry: Canto 6. You walk inside and are welcomed by the smell of baked goods made with real butter and greeted with the sights of mouth-watering goodies.

While all of the pastries in therelooked completely delicious, I decided to pick up a salted chocolate chip cookie, a whoopie pie, and, of course, a pain au chocolat. I saved the dessert foods for later (which were both delicious) but ate the chocolate croissant immediately, and I had an immediate flashback to walking down the streets of Paris. The texture was right, the shape was right, and the chocolate was real chocolate. Although it was a little breadier than the finest of croissants from France, it was definitely a very close competition to the best croissant I’ve had in the US.

Not only were the croissants good and the rest of the pastries equally delicious, but also the people working there were SO NICE (not something you always find in a high end bakery)! The place was charming (despite the lack of many places to sit) and it had a fun, hipster-y atmosphere that comes with the location of Jamaica Plain. I highly recommended finding your way out there, it is worth the trip!

Clear Flour Bread

Centrally located, just off of Coolidge Corner in Brookline, this bakery is known for its prowess in breads. The sour dough bread is actually tangy (a taste that is sorely missed by Californianites), the country bread is nice and hearty, and the baguettes look authentic (which is a sight for sore eyes). But the best part is the row of pastries that stands right behind the register, gorgeous, tantalizing, and just so correct.

The pain au chocolat here is lovely, and with three batons of chocolate in the chocolate croissant, it’s positively decadent. I also loved the cannelés as a fun treat. And while I haven’t tried the morning buns myself, I read that they are made with the croissant dough, so I’m positive they will be delicious 🙂

I highly recommend this place. A delicious stop, although you have to come in early because a lot of things sell out before noon on busy Saturdays! Also, there’s no place to sit, but you probably won’t need to be sitting down to snarf one of their delicacies.

Tatte Fine Cookies and Cakes

Both of Tatte’s locations (one in Brookline and one in Cambridge) are sweet boutiques that are a pleasure to look at even before they are a pleasure to eat in. Just to step into one is like stepping into a jewelbox filled with delicate pastries and dainty decorations.

The pastries they prepare are also delicious. We picked up a couple of “roses” and a croissant based tart with eggplant, red pepper, and goat cheese as well as a croissant. All were yummy and exquisite to look at.

In addition to pastries, they also sell Jeni’s homemade ice cream (at a fair price), which as a foodie is hard to find! I would definitely recommend this place, even to just come in and gawk at the beauty of the food. For a nice big seating location, the Kendall Square location is bigger and close to some of my other favorite places (Voltage Café and Area Four)

All in all, it seems possible to find a decent croissant, as told by a croissant lover stuck in the North East!

Addresses:

Canto 6

3346 Washington St, Jamaica Plain

Clear Flour Bread

178 Thorndike St, Brookline

Tatte Fine Cookies and Cakes

1003 Beacon St, Brookline

318 3rd St, Cambridge

Best Hot Chocolate in Paris

October 1, 2013 / beccalev / 1 Comment

I spent my junior year abroad in Aix-en-Provence and Paris, taking classes, exploring the cities, traveling to other amazing parts of the world, and of course eating ridiculously amazing food. I’ve been putting together lists of places I went to and loved for people who want to go back and recreate some of the experiences I had. I kept a blog of my time there which now hasn’t been updated in just over a year, but I still get requests for my favorite places to go in Paris and Aix!

Hot chocolate has definitely been a staple for me growing up, so of course while I was abroad I was looking to continue having the best of the best. Here are my four most memorable cups of cocoa in Paris.

Angelina, which is the obvious choice.

It’s really incredibly delicious. Despite the long line (which moves fast) and the room filled with lots of tourists, it retains its old-time Paris feel and serves up its always delicious albeit expensive small pitcher of chocolatey goodness and a small cup of freshly whipped cream. The sensation of pouring this rich, chocolatey goodness into the china tea cup is something I truly enjoy.

Each time anyone came to visit me, I would bring them to Angelina, just because I knew it was a place with both a wow-factor for the place and the food. As a college kid on a budget, it may seem strange that I would recommend splurging 7 euros on about 1.5 cups of cocoa, but trust me, it’s worth every cent. If you split 2 orders between 3 people and get one pastry to share, that would still be plenty and you would DEFinitely be getting your money’s worth at this amazing place!

Un Dimanche à Paris

This is another fancy salon de thé (or, as they call it, a salon de chocolat) which prides itself on its pastries, chocolates, and of course its hot chocolate. In a little hidden alleyway by the Odéon, it feels like you’ve found this hidden gem of a place. Half of the store is to buy objects to take away with you while the other half is the salon. And another fact that makes it even more appealing: it’s open on a Sunday, a rather rare occurrence in Paris.

What could be better than that? Something that I truly appreciate as a student: they offer small cups, about a dixie-cup-size full of their delicious hot chocolate to go for only 2,50 euros! That way you can drink this thick, sweet chocolate while strolling around the 6th arrondissement and not have to confine yourself indoors.

I believe that this option is only available in the afternoon, but it’s a perfect time to pick up a “gouter” (the French version of snacktime, usually spent chilling out at a café, drinking something and eating a pastry, helping keep the French satiated before their late dinners). Plus, having that amount of delicious hot chocolate for the price of 2,50 euros is definitely a sweet deal.

Merce and the Muse

This tucked away café is so eclectically decorate, it feels more like you’ve stepped into someone’s living room to hang out. Then you start to notice the pastries on display and the professional espresso machine on the counter and you realize this quirky space is a groovy spot to chill and sip coffee, or in my case, this lavender hot chocolate.

Normally, I tend to think of lavender scented foods as tasting more like soap than a tasty treat, but this hot chocolate was the perfect balanced of silky dark chocolate with just a hint of floral undertone. It was perfect for the chilly day outside, and the almond cake we had with it (a special of the day) complemented beautifully.

They were recommended to me for their coffee and pastries, but their hot chocolate was definitely worth the trip. And if you have the time, stop by for their brunch on Sunday: bountiful, fresh food that doesn’t leave you feeling gross, just content.

Sugarplum Cake Shop

This American-style bakery in Paris is sometimes just what you’re searching for, especially if you’ve been away from home and America as long as I had at the point I had found this place. It is just a little slice of home, where many students studying abroad walk in and say, “I just want to live here!” (Seriously, I’ve heard it said dozens of times there). And their food, coffee, and, of course, hot chocolate are delicious to boot.

The down-home feel adds to the charm, and the big chocolate chip cookies and fifties-style icebox layer cakes feel like home. Plus you can get peanut butter baked goods, pecan toffe bars, cheesecake, and carrot cake (their signature dessert), all of which are nearly impossible to find in France. Plus, being greeted upon entering with a “Hello” is always music to an English speaker’s ears in a foreign country. To those looking for a place to hang, there’s wifi on the weekdays and couches to sit on, so it’s a good pit stop all around.
Places in which I would love to have tried the “chocolat chaud” but did not get a chance to:

Jacques Génin

His chocolates and caramels and delicious, his pastries and delectable, and he has a beautiful sitting area. I’m sure if I had sat down one day to drink a cup of hot chocolate, it would have made the list, though it always seemed a bit on the expensive side to me.

Jean-Paul Hévin

The chocolates and macarons they sell are yummy, so I’m sure the hot chocolate would have been something to talk about as well, though again this seemed like another pricey place.

Ladurée

Despite the fact that it’s a chain now, and is also available in, you guessed it, New York City, this place still serves up some delicious pastries, so I’m sure that their hot chocolate would live up to the high standards set by their world famous macarons. I would also beware the price in this place, because if the pricing of the macaron is any sort of indicator, the price of the hot chocolate could be steep.

Addresses:

Angelina

226 rue de Rivoli, Paris 1er

Un Dimanche à Paris

4-6-8 Cour du Commerce Saint André, Paris 6eme

Merce and the Muse

1 bis Rue Dupuis, Paris 1er

Sugarplum Cake Shop

68 rue du Cardinal LeMoine, Paris 5eme

Best Ice Cream in Falmouth

September 30, 2013 / beccalev / Leave a comment

My family has had a house in Falmouth for as long as I can remember, so needless to say I’ve spent a lot of time on the Cape every summer. Every year that we go back, we try to explore some of the new options that have arisen over the years, but there are still a few places we keep returning to.

One of our favorite things to eat on a late summer night or a hot summer afternoon is some of the delicious ice cream available to us in Falmouth. Here are my top three places to go:

Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium

This chocolate store right in the center of Falmouth, while it does have chocolate in the title and sells freshly made chocolates, the line around the corner every weekend all day is for their homemade ice cream.

While it IS true that the price for a small or a kiddie seems steep, it’s because of how much ice cream you get in each size. However, we’ve figured out that the large sundae is only 75 cents more than getting a small sundae, so we get one of those to split between 3 of us.

The old fashioned vibe of the place makes the ice cream you’re eating taste even more delicious, although it would be hard to find fault in it even without the cool decorations. The ice cream itself has the right creamy texture you look for in ice cream, and the chocolate chip (our personal favorite flavor) has a very vanilla-y base and huge chunks of delicious dark chocolate. Top that with hot fudge and whipped cream, and we’re a very happy group 🙂

In addition to the traditional flavors, Ben & Bill’s also has a few funs flavors, such as real lobster ice cream! The people who work there say that most people will just try a taste of it and then buy a full size of something else, but it is a renowned addition to their available flavors. Definitely worth a stop in downtown Falmouth for a taste of this delicious ice cream!

Smitty’s Homemade Ice Cream

We’ve been going to Smitty’s since I was very young, and the little house on the rolling lawn holds a special place in my childhood memories. Now that I’m older, I’ve gotten better at appreciating not only the atmosphere of the cute building but also the quality of the ice cream they serve. Smitty himself even hangs out here late at night, and his policy is “We’re open until the last person comes.” He even posed for a picture for me, on the 4th of July, no less!

The ice cream he serves here is always delicious and fresh, and what’s even better is the freshness of the toppings you can get on a sundae: he makes whipped cream and marshmallow topping and hot fudge from scratch! That really makes all the difference to me. And on top of that, their flavors of ice cream are creative and fresh.

He now has a few different locations, but my favorite is still the classic one with a rolling green, climbing-worthy trees, picnic benches, and the little cottage that happens to be serving ice cream 🙂

Honorable mention: Eulinda’s

This cute building off of the West Falmouth Highway houses a dainty ice cream shop that sells Richardson’s ice cream. Richardson’s is always delicious, creamy, and has lots of flavors, and being able to get their ice cream down the cape is really fun because you know you’re getting good quality ice cream (and it’s delicious too)!

Ben & Bill’s

209 Main St, Falmouth, MA

Smitty’s

326 E Falmouth Hwy, East Falmouth, MA

Eulinda’s

634 West Falmouth Hwy, Falmouth MA

Best Coffee in and around Boston

September 29, 2013September 29, 2013 / beccalev / 1 Comment

When I find places where I can get a cappuccino or latte that tastes as good as any café crème I had in Paris, I want to tell the world! And if it looks as good as the ones I used to have at Caféotheque that’s an even better reason to share it.

While this list is only just beginning, I figured I would share where you can find a great cup of coffee in and around Boston. This list is still a work-in-progress!

Voltage Café

A couple of blocks away from MIT, this cafe has been written up time and time again for its excellence in coffee. And from the many times I’ve been there, it does not disappoint. And although the people working there could have been snooty about their coffee and looked down on someone like me who was asking questions, they were the exact opposite: incredibly helpful and welcoming, answering every question I had and making sure I made the best decision about what type of coffee to get.

The cappuccinos I’ve gotten have been beautifully poured and crafted and the beans they use are wonderful. Their latte creations are incredibly delicious, creatively envisioned, and expertly prepared. Super yummy. Those are definitely worth the extra bit of money because it takes like no other latte I’ve had anywhere else. Although to be fair, how many other places serve sea salt caramel latte?

Plus you can head just down the street to Tatte Bakery and pick up a few goodies to munch alongside your awesome coffee drink, or you can take the latte to go! Yum, yum, yum. Definitely make your way out here for amazing coffee!

Area Four

Another cool spot in Kendall Square is the cool Area Four with its industrial, edgy style complete with a hipster-nerd-professional crowd, a delicious cafe serving coffee with probably the best microfoam I have had in a while, and a fantastic casual restaurant to boot.

The pastries looked and tasted delicious (I tried a smores bar and it was incredible). Despite the relatively steep price, the quality of the food and the upscale atmosphere with down-home appeal was well worth the money it took to get the coffee and food there.

Overall, it’s definitely worth the trip out to the 3rd street area just to come here. Delicious coffee, yummy pastries, and an awesome space.

Diesel Café (Somerville)

A frequent hang out for Tufts students, this cafe in the heart of Davis Square is known for its great pastries, yummy food, and awesome coffee.

It manages to maintain the small cafe feel while having a huge seating area and large scale production. The pastries are amazing, and the breakfast is utterly delicious.

It may not look appetizing in that picture, bu I swear that might be the best oatmeal I’ve ever eaten. The tiny, chewy oat pieces were topped with walnuts, dried cranberries, steamed milk, and a fresh hunk of brown sugar that slowly dissolved into the steaming bowl of goodness. It was positively delightful. While the people who work here are not as openly friendly as at 3 Little Figs (see below), they are all very knowledgeable and produce really great quality products, including their coffee. Be on the lookout for seasonal lattes, like my personal favorite the pumpkin pie latte. DEEEElicious.

Three Little Figs (Somerville)

This adorable shop a bit outside of Davis Square in Somerville is exactly what I always look for in a cafe: a cute place to sit (inside or out), yummy food (they had both sandwiches and delicious pastries), fantastic coffee (they have a very impressive espresso machine displayed prominently), and a warm staff (we made friends with both the cashier and the barista in no time).

I definitely crave their cappuccino and their “lemon doughnut muffin”, which was a pastry that was too good to be put into one category (is it a doughnut? is it a muffin? is it a tart? is it a cupcake?). It’s just the type of place I wish I lived closer to so I could go there all the time.

Unfortunately, the location is just that far off Davis square (about a mile) that it seems inconvenient to walk there from Tufts campus, especially with another great coffee place that’s so much closer (Diesel Cafe), but this cafe is truly an incredibly beautiful place with a more intimate feel, a cooler espresso machine, and slightly cheaper prices. Tufts kids should try to make the trek!

Crema Café (Cambridge)

Right in the heart of Harvard Square it’s hard to know if there will be anything except chain restaurants or low-quality food options to find, but this cafe has all the vibe of a place half its size while maintaining a large scale customer base. I passed by this place every morning on the way to my job, and I was always secretly hoping I would miss the bus so I could snag a seat and sip a cup of their coffee or tea and munch on a treat.

All of the drinks I had from there were delicious, including a Moroccan mint iced tea, a “maté latte” (tea with milk, honey, and cinnamon), and of course a cappuccino. In addition to their fun and yummy drinks, they have pastries, salads, and sandwiches that never failed to disappoint: everything from chocolate chip cookies to s’mores cupcakes to quiche to croissants to mini carrot cakes to panini-ed sandwiches and fresh salads and wraps for the lunchtime rush. Like Diesel, they knew how to maintain the balance between hidden-secret and big crowd pleaser, with the homey feel of a small cafe but all the bells and whistles of a place that keeps up with the crowds. It’s also owned by the same people who have Flat Patties (a cheaper sandwich place next door) and Felipes (for tacos and burritos), both in Harvard Square as well, and all of them are great bargains!

George Howell Coffee (Newtonville)

The man who runs this coffee shop is a coffee legend. George Howell has been a proponent of single-origin coffee since before Starbucks. Right now, he travels around giving talks and tasting coffee, but every once in a while you can catch him at his store. And I was fortunate enough to be able to have a long conversation with him while we has in the store! He prefers light roast to dark roast and iced coffee to cold brew, and he gave us many tips on how to best store the coffee (freezer once it’s opened).

He even brewed us up a new pot of iced coffee so we could compare it to the old one that had been out all day and so that we could compare it to our knowledge of cold brew. It was a very interesting experiment, and while I didn’t agree with all of George’s preferences of coffee, I loved hearing his reasons for his choices and where he thinks the coffee industry is heading. And the shop makes a good cappuccino to boot.

Again, this cafe may seem a little harder to get to in that it requires a car, but you do get a chance to go right to the source, and who knows: you might also get to meet the expert himself!

Ula Café (With reservations)

While the coffee, in both presentation and in quality, may not be as good as some of the others that I’ve had in Boston, the place itself is a really nice spot to sit in. They have a lot of great food options: freshly made sandwiches, pastries, and, my favorite, popovers. They have a nice place to sit, with a groovy atmosphere and very low key. And they definitely had the best t-shirts/logo of the bunch.

It’s very rare that you get a popover in a cafe, let alone a good popover. And Ula Café has a puffy, eggy, crunchy, soft popover that they keep bringing out over the course of the day. It was very yummy, and probably the highlight of the place for me.

All in all, it’s definitely worth the visit, even if not just for the coffee!

Places that were also on the list but I haven’t gotten a chance to go there yet:

Thinking Cup, Downtown Crossing
Andala Café, Central Square
Equal Exchange Cafee, North End
Simon’s Coffee House, Cambridge
1369 Coffeehouse, Cambridge
Render Coffee, South End

Addresses:

Voltage Café

295 3rd St, Kendall Square

Area Four

500 Technology Square, Kendall Square

Diesel Cafe

257 Elm Street Somerville, MA

3 Little Figs

278 Highland Avenue Somerville, MA

Crema Cafe

27 Brattle Street Cambridge, MA

George Howell Coffee

311 Walnut Street Newton, MA

Ula Café

284 Amory St, Jamaica Plain

Best Cupcakes in Manhattan

September 27, 2013September 27, 2013 / beccalev / Leave a comment

There’s this cupcake fad that’s been going on for a few years now: freshly made cupcakes with the best ingredients, interesting flavors, and beautiful decorations at a high price. Because they’re such an easy treat to throw together and adjust slightly to make it your own, little stores claiming to have made the best cupcakes have been springing up all over the country and even abroad. And of course the place to find a huge concentration of these cupcakeries is in New York City (center of the universe).

Over my many visits to NYC I’ve researched the best places, walked for miles to get there, and eaten many cupcakes to come up with this list of where I think you can get the best cupcakes in Manhattan.

Billy’s Bakery

This cute bakery in Chelsea still holds my heart for the best cupcakes in New York. It’s this little hole-in-the-wall cutesy place that smells delicious as you get closer, and it’s only a few steps from the busiest parts of Chelsea, so you don’t have to dig too far to get to taste their tasty treats.

Unlike Magnolia (the popular choice for the best cupcakes), there’s no 30 minute line and exorbitant prices and no place to sit, just friendly people, a cute space, and delicious pastries that you can eat on the spot or save for later.

My favorite cupcakes from there are the chocolate with vanilla buttercream and the red velvet, but they also have a particularly good vanilla cupcake and carrot cake and fun seasonal flavors such as banana-nutella, pumpkin, and pecan. They even have single candles and cupcake decorations on sale for those on the fly birthday treats 🙂 Definitely worth a visit.

Magnolia Bakery

This famed bakery is considered by many to be the best cupcakes in New York, but like Ladurée in Paris, Magnolia may have gotten too big and too famous to be my favorite anymore. Plus the lines are not my favorite. The cupcakes, however, are still delicious, and being able to get them in more than one location is a big plus (since the original location has by far the longest line, especially after dinner). They’re still pretty expensive, but to me it’s still worth the price for these yummy treats.

Plus, their cookbook is also a great investment, specifically their buttercream recipes it to die for and super easy.

Amy’s Bread

This bakery is more focused on the production of delicious bread than on the fabrication of its sweets, but that does not mean that it can’t produce delicious goodies as well. They have three main locations, but my favorite is the factory itself in Chelsea Market. You can see where the bakers are working tirelessly to get the best breads out of the giant ovens, making the whole market smell delicious. The two other locations are quaint shops overflowing with breads and pastries.

The cupcakes are delicious, with a moist cake and a sweet buttercream in bright colors and traditional flavors.They really feel homemade, and in the Chelsea market, you get to watch the bakers create all of their delicious treats.

Other highlights of cupcakes in New York are Sugar Sweet Sunshine, the Cupcake Café, and Empire Cake, but they haven’t made my top three list. I look forward to heading back to New York again soon to catch up on some new Cupcakeries that have popped up since my last cupcake crawl and adding them to my list!

Billy’s Bakery

184 9th Avenue b/w 21st and 22nd

Magnolia Bakery

401 Bleecker St

Amy’s Bread

75 Ninth Avenue (Between 15th & 16th Streets)

New York, NY 10011

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