subject: Cakes, Croissants, Crepes And Cookies [print this page] As a child I could be bribed into anything by the promise of a chocolate or maple bar. As I have grown, donuts have lost their savor somewhat but the passion for clairs has remained constant. I was in Paris two years ago and had the best clair imaginable. Not to mention the crepes, croissants and a host of other scrumptious treats, whose names I can't pronounce. I came home from France with my bakery taste buds ruined forever. Sorry, but American pastries can not compete with their European counterparts.
This spring we had the opportunity to visit the Scandinavian countries, and once again, my mouth sang in delight. I don't know the names of any of the tasty delicacies we ate, but it was an amazing experience.
After the Scandinavian visit we headed to German, where once again, we weren't disappointed. Are the Europeans ovens hotter? Older? Do they add secret ingredients that we don't have access to? What is the difference? We have lots of local bakeries but they pale in comparison.
Along the lines of foreign bakeries, we visited a family in Guatemala, a couple of years ago, the father was the town baker. He arose early each morning and baked bread in a giant earthen oven in his garage. The oven was probably 12 feet in diameter. He rotated the cooking pans with large wooden paddles. When the bread was done baking he sat the loaves on rusty shelves along side his broken-down motorcycles and bikes. I have never tasted bread so good.
Not only do I enjoy bakery delights, I love beautiful and unique cakes. There are a couple of shows on cable TV that my son and I DVR and watch together at night. The creations these mastermind bakers conceive are impressive. From the Leaning Tower of Pisa where every gable and brick is present to a lobster pot complete with moldable chocolate lobsters and sea shells. The cakes are festive and delicious. Nothing perks up a celebration like a creative and unique cake.
Bakeries are not all the same, cake decorators vary immeasurably, taste, ingredients, presentation, location all add to the experience. But even with all that being said, the word bakery still brings a smile to my face!
