Bakeries at Tokyo station.

There are too many bakeries here. I need to try my best to not stop at all of them, because I'd seriously get so left behind.

Stella's Kitchen.


Andersen Bakery.


Sesame bun with Gruyere and French toast.


Fairycake Fair.

Biking off tamales.

Have you heard? Biking is my new obsession.

It's a good one for me, though. Much healthier than my old fondue obsession, for example. (Go ahead, ask me how many fondue cookbooks and fondue sets I have.)

Anyway, I've been trying to bike at least 4 or 5 times a week. Most of the time, it's past 10 p.m., so I just bike around the neighborhood. I now know better what Old Towne Orange looks like at night than during the day.

But I feel such a great sense of satisfaction when it's early enough to get a chance to run errands -- dropping off a package at the post office or picking up some quick groceries. I'm biking with a purpose.

Like when I biked 10 miles the other day on my visits to Target and the bookstore. And after that, when I biked to La Poblana Bakery/Panaderia to reward myself with steaming, sweet tamales.


Sigh. I did it again.

I don't think this little Mexican bakery wants me to be healthy.


So, I had no idea that dessert tamales were even possible. But they ARE, and they are wonderful. Strawberry/fresa tamales have fresh-strawberries-turned-gooey within; pineapple/piña tamales have the occasional raisin. They taste like sweet, fluffy corn bread.

But you must eat them right away, while they are still warm. Inhale them, if at all possible.


Champurrado is hot chocolate that is spiced with cinnamon and almost thick enough to chew. It is a perfect accompaniment to sweet tamales. Even though it looks like a cup of mud.

By the way, it is really difficult balancing champurrado in your bike basket on the ride home.

(Updated with address on March 13, 2009. Oops.)
* * *
La Poblana Bakery
604 W. Chapman Ave.
Orange 92868
714.771.4465

Kiss My Bundt.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about cupcakes.

Following that: pancakes.

And today: bundt cakes!


From left: Red velvet, cinnamon pecan, mocha chocolate, and lemon drop bundt cakes from Kiss My Bundt Bakery, located near the Beverly Center and the Farmer's Market on 3rd in L.A.

I suppose you could think of the bundt cake as a naked cupcake. There's no wrapper that gets in the way (aside from the one that provides a safety net for your crumbs as you take a bite).

Also, the bundt really does focus on the cake part -- not always so with the cupcake. And these bundts were everything a good cake should be: moist, dense, and rich.

My favorite was the one I chose: the mocha chocolate. It was just a damn good chocolate cake -- one that makes you feel comforted, safe, happy. I only wish there was just a leeettle more coffee flavor to it.

They let us have a sample of anything we wanted before we made our choices. It was very difficult to not be too greedy.

I'm looking at their menu of cake flavors -- some I'd especially like to try next time: mandarin chocolate, peach melva, peanut butter (I miss you!), pineapple upside-down, strawberry, and rum.

Hang on -- they have double-dipped raspberry kisses, too? (Description reads: Fresh raspberries double-dipped in white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate.) How did I not see these??

Distracted by the fine bundts on display, I guess.

They come in various sizes: the "big ol'" bundt cake, which you can get whole or by the slice, as well as "baby" bundt cakes. But wait! They go even smaller...

The "mini" bundt cakes ($2.50 each) are the cutest size:

Aww. Precious.

* * *
Kiss My Bundt Bakery
8104 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323.655.0559

Oh, quick shout-out to my cousin/biggest fan/aspiring hand model, who directed us here. And who is "modeling" above.

My Thanksgiving weekend...

In a word: rough.

Here's a summary of what went down:

- Felt a little handicapped by two new recipes for the mashed potatoes and stuffing/dressing (the previous recipes I could do with my eyes closed).
- Was completely confounded by a new turkey-trussing method, which, ironically, was Alton Brown's. Every year, I forget how to truss turkey (I guess I need to make whole poultry dishes more often), so I look up the same instructional video on Food Network -- except I couldn't find it this year. Aren't you supposed to be making this easier for me, Alton, instead of delaying my turkey from getting into the oven by half an hour?
- Took out the turkey too early because I am apparently unable to properly use a thermometer. I just could not get in sync with my turkey this year! My stuffing and sweet potatoes were taking up space in the oven by the time I realized that my bird was a few degrees away from saying "GOBBLE," so I had my sister make a frantic run to my aunt's house where Thanksgiving is hosted (luckily only 3 minutes away) with the turkey in the passenger seat, while my car was beeping incessantly warning her to buckle in her 20-pound turkey child.
- Made a mess in the oven by forgetting to place my springform pan, containing my post-Thanksgiving pumpkin cheesecake, on top of a sheet pan. I felt really bad about it because my mother had just made the oven all spic and span when she cleaned up the turkey splatters. After that, I cleaned it up myself of course, but not without forgetting to use kitchen gloves. So now I have a scaly monster for a right hand.
- Finally: contracted a really, really annoying cold/cough.

BUT. Despite all the mishaps, Thanksgiving was a success. After we cooked it all the way through at my aunt's, the turkey was still super tender and tasty. The two new recipes -- caramelized shallot and sage mashed potatoes and hazelnut, sage, and mushroom stuffing -- were well worth the extra effort. I added a little oomph to my turkey stock this year, resulting in a superbly rich gravy.

I just hope next year's Thanksgiving runs a tad more smoothly.

Now, please join me as I look back on reaping the rewards of a rough weekend!


Counter-clockwise from top left: my mom's salad with peanut dressing -- a staple at any family party (oh, forgot to mention that we always have American + Indonesian food at Thanksgiving), BBQ chicken, mac 'n cheese, corn spoonbread, baked sweet potatoes and apples, turkey turkey, Honeybaked ham, creamed spinach and corn (a dish I'm retiring to the dismay of a beloved cousin), fried bakmi, Oma's bakso soup, krupuk, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberries. I only made seven of these dishes.


The stuffing was among my favorites this year. I used a Pullman loaf from Poul's Bakery in Orange instead of a box of dried bread cubes. I'm definitely not opposed to shortcuts, but using real bread is WORTH it. The creminis are great, and the hazelnuts make it so festive!


Aaaand this is why I love having a pastry chef for a cousin.


YES that is a mini crème brulée next to the mini fruit tart, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and brownie!


A pretty good first attempt at making cheesecake, if I do say so myself. The crust is made from gingersnaps, pecans and candied ginger; the topping is sour cream and marshmallow. All of it is creamy, dreamy and wonderful.

Thanksgiving is still my favorite holiday.

Summer grubbin': A look back.

Well, hello.

It's three in the marnin'. But goshdarnit, I promised I'd do this, didn't I?

Needless to say, I have been one busy mofo. Three separate time-consuming activities, all important to me, have swallowed me up whole. At least I won't have to worry about one of these anymore after the next four days.

It is one sad, crazy world when a food-loving gal is unable to contribute to her own food blog. It makes me long for the yum-filled days of summer, when I could afford the money, time, and patience to buy fancy pastries, make stews, and layer popsicles, respectively.

So as a gift to myself, here's a look back at a few snapshots of summer, when life was perhaps a smidge more carefree, and a whole lot tastier..


Some Crust Bakery in Claremont... Oh, how I miss the raspberry- and lemon-mousse cupcakes and chocolate chip pumpkin cookies.


And the key lime cupcake.


Just.. the key lime cupcake. That's all. Try it and this jibjabba might make sense.

Summer was also the time of whimsical movie-plus-some-food-completely-unrelated-to-the-movie-and-vice-versa nights. Okay, I only held one of those. But who could forget "Japanese Curry and James McAvoy Movie Night"?! James McAvoy's Scottish accent and Vermont Curry-brand curry, with "a touch of apple and honey," will forever be ingrained together in my mind, that's for sure.


Finally -- the art of popsicle making!

Step 1: Buy a ridiculously unnecessary popsicle recipe book.


Step 2: Buy a ridiculously unnecessary -- but freakin' adorable -- Sailboat popsicle mold set.


Step 3: Create beautiful and delicious frozen treats in an attempt to justify the silly splurges committed in steps 1 and 2.


.... After I've finished my nostalgic sobbing about summer's end, I'll do my best to focus on what fall brings:

THANKSGIVING!!

Actually... I missed my flight.

Oh my goodness. How could I forget about Nabolom Bakery?


Their apricot cheese danish alone is worth revisiting Berkeley for another post. A real, whole apricot, not some measly jam, is baked within. The cream cheese, more savory than sweet, is melty against the soft fruit on the inside, but actually has somewhat of a crust as it peeks out from under the flaky criss-crosses.

Compared to the satisfying danish, the sunflower sesame cookie (on the right) is a mere afterthought. And much too healthy for me -- I later regretted not choosing the banana cheese danish instead.

(And yes, we did miss our flight going home. I guess it was difficult to leave!)

* * *
Nabolom Bakery
2708 Russell Street
Berkeley 94705
510.845.2253

Farmers Market, part 2: Bounty of baked goods.

Whenever I spend a day exploring someplace new or rarely-visited, I like to take part of the (food) adventure home with me to savor later.

I call it my "bounty." Because it's like a reward given to myself after a long day of food hunting.

My Farmers Market bounty isn't terribly impressive, but it's worth noting:

Baclava from T&Y Bakery, stall #222.

This Russian bakery features astoundingly large pastries in its display case, including gigantic cheese-filled croissants (I was debating on getting those, too). Their baclava was rather different from the Mediterranean treat of pretty much the same name -- instead of layers of phyllo and pistaschios, this was a crispy puff pastry sandwich of whole raisins and large chunks of walnuts. And I don't know if that's how all Russian-style baclava is, but that's how mine was.

Next: Peanut butter bark from the Ultimate Nut and Candy Company, stall #522.


It looks fantastic, no? Unfortunately, it was just mediocre. I tasted 90% butter/milk/rice-crispiness, and only 10% peanut butter. Lame. I should have gotten the rainbow popcorn.

Finally, meringue cookies from Thee's Continental Bakery, stall #316. Actually, my first-ever treat at the Farmers Market was one of Thee's famous apple dumplings three years ago, when my boyfriend and I stumbled into the area while waiting for our movie to begin at the adjacent The Grove shopping center.


Anyway, these are just large meringues riddled with chocolate chips. It makes me wonder how they taste when they're still warm from the oven. The one I decided to feature front and center is mint chocolate, but I actually preferred the regular chocolate chip because of its walnutty surprise. But I really do need to revisit the apple dumpling.

I can't wait to go back to the Farmers Market. I am craving another hunt and an even tastier food bounty.

* * *
T&Y Bakery
323.930.2355

Ultimate Nut & Candy Company
323.938.1555

Thee's Continental Bakery
323.937.1965

Walking off cookies.

Loving food means that dieting always begins tomorrow. Or sometimes it means walking a couple miles for exercise only to find yourself in front of a little Mexican bakery down the corner from your house and regaining the calories you'd just burned by consuming various forms of butter, sugar and dairy product.

I haven't decided yet if my walk was productive (because I made a "discovery") or counter-productive. My everlastingly squishy gut is arguing the latter. But who cares about you, gut?! Let's hear what the tastebuds had to say about La Poblana Bakery/Panaderia in Orange:


Ah. Give me any form of Mexican butter cookie and I'm content. Walnuts, cinnamon-sugar, rainbow sprinkles... Especially rainbow sprinkles. Why do I love the rainbow sprinkles so? BECAUSE THEY'RE RAINBOW. And because I'm five years old.


The "seeds" are chocolate chips.

And I also decided to try this thing:


It's something.. perritos! I asked the name for it and forgot. :( Anyway, it's gelatin made with condensed milk and shaped/decorated to resemble a puppy. Cute, but a little too sweet and milky for me.

I'll try the bread items when I've had a chance to walk off more calories. And I'll try the champurrado when the weather's not so sweltering.

* * *
La Poblana Bakery
604 W. Chapman Ave.
Orange 92868
714.771.4465

P.S. Alternate post title: "My gut is telling me no. But my gut is also very hungry." If you know that quote, you are my friend.

Me, too, Cream Pan! Me, too!

Waiting for even more rave reviews before visiting the little Cream Pan turned Japonaise Bakery & Café in Tustin? What's wrong with you?!

If for some crazy reason, you need a little more persuading (you crazy!), here are a couple afterthoughts from yet another humble blogger. Please do try..

The best lemon poppyseed bread ever:


So very zesty and ... poppy. Heh. Poppyseeds make me giggle. And this is loaded with them, so you can imagine that I was very happy as I was devouring it.

And the walnut bread, neither altogether sweet nor savory. Just.. nutty. And yummy. Here, it's toasted and slathered with Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter, which practically melts into the warm nooks and crannies:


Go already. (Or come with me!)

* * *
Japonaise Bakery & Café
600 El Camino Real
Tustin 92780
714.665.8239

Bouche full of Boule.

I realize I'm a little late in hopping on the Boule-bandwagon, as there have been a million other reviews on the little Los Angeles pâtisserie, but here are my two cents anyway:

French macarons (from left to right) -- rose petal raspberry, lemon meyer, and the seasonal pumpkin. Crispy and delicate, you have to get one of each (unfortunately the selection was rather limited when I got there late in the day).


It's like a rainbow of mini hamburgers! ... Except sweet, and not meaty. The lemon was my favorite.

Next: Boule's famous chocolates (clockwise, starting at top left) -- "Flora"/passion fruit-jasmine, "Li"/lychee-pistachio, "Jade"/green tea, and "Fatale"/scotch bonnet pepper.


"Flora" and "Li" turned out to be very fruity, as you may have guessed, while "Jade" gave me a subtle hint of green tea breath, only after I finished it. Surprisingly, I found my favorite to be the hot hot "Fatale." At first it fools you into thinking it's just an innocent piece of dark chocolate ganache, and then it gives you a right kick in the pants.

I should have been a little more prepared when I entered -- the sight of the chocolate display nearly overwhelmed me, and I couldn't think properly. Upon walking out I realized how much I wanted to try the curry gianduia and the lavender, too.

Oh well. This definitely gives me a reason to come back. And hello, there's sweet corn ice cream, too??

Have I mentioned that I adore corn?

* * *
Boule (Note the new address, a couple stores down)
408 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles 90048
310.289.9977