Welcome to a food lover’s Manhattan adventure to breads, cakes and pastries heaven!!!

Welcome to my little adventure in the big city!

Being new to Manhattan, well-known for being a heaven for foodies like me, I decided to get to know my new home by exploring the local food culture and discovering the best places to enjoy what I am most passionate about - breads, cakes and pastries.

So if you share my excitement for these delightful baked goodies then read on and find out what Manhattan has to offer... Enjoy the adventure!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Orwasher's Bakery

308 East 78th Street, NY, NY 10075. (212) 228-6569. http://www.orwasherbakery.com/.




I first heard about Orwasher’s Bakery from an article I read in Time Out New York as one of NYC’s best when it comes to bread. Purchased from its founding owners who made kosher bread back in 2007, owner Keith Cohen of Oven Artisans has since turned it into a bakery of classic and artisan breads, as well as cookies, cupcakes, pies, specialty cakes and pastries. Oven Artisans are makers of artisan breads and supply to retailers and restaurants in the city such as Dean & Deluca, Artisanal, Agata & Valentina, Zabar’s , Citarella and Gourmet Garage.



So one afternoon, my husband and I excitedly headed off to Orwasher’s at the Upper East Side to experience what it was all about. Inside, we found a brightly-lit, yellow and white tiled bakery that gave off a cheerful cafe feel. Though there was only a small counter on one side with some bar stools to have your coffee, there was a lot of space for the numerous shelves of freshly-baked bread, cookies, pastries, jams and cheeses. So many kinds of bread I could not make up my mind as to what I should buy. I literally wanted to try everything but of course, had to be realistic that I could not buy 10 different loaves of bread to try at one time.



I approached one of the staff who was just looking at us, impatiently waiting for us to order. I asked for their specialty and was told that it was their bread, which were freshly made in the store. Upon my further prodding on what the best seller was, she finally recommended their wine bread – either chardonnay (“if you want rye”) or cabernet (“if you like white”). I finally decided to buy a loaf of their Cabernet Rustica, the cinnamon raisin bun, a slice of chocolate strudel and a chocolate marshmallow butterscotch bar – all for $11 (the loaf was pretty large and sold at around $4.50). There was no line while we were there, but it was obvious that many regulars frequent the store because they knew exactly what to order and left just as quickly.

When we got home and tried our baked goodies, I realised that Orwasher’s specialty was really their bread and not their pastries. Though not bad, the chocolate strudel (with heavy doses of chocolate filling that was not too sweet but with crumbly bread that tasted old) and the chocolate marshmallow butterscotch bar (with a very sweet and very crumbly butterscotch brownie) were average at best.



The Cabernet Rustica bread though, which my husband and I ate with our home made herb balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil concoction, was wonderful. Crusty on the outside, it was airy but very moist and very tasty on the inside. Even my husband, who is not really a bread lover, could not stop eating it. Being wine lovers, we are now curious to try the other types of their Artisan wine breads.

Upon doing more research on Orwahser’s on their very informative website (I wish their staff could have been a wee bit as helpful as the site) it was interesting to note that Oven Artisans was created to “give New Yorkers different breads that represent our current culture”. Owasher’s alone specialized in 3 major types of bread: Artisan Wine (made from natural yeast found in grapes that carry the complex flavour profile of wine), New York Originals (such as Jewish Rye, Pumpernickel and Cinnamon Raisin) and Classic European (Ciabatta, Swiss Health, Sourdough and Multi-Grain). Their artisan wine selection each had their own style, flour, character, taste profile, and paired well with a certain types of food and wine. Now that I know all this, the Olive Bread- a soft, chewy and savory bread, made of unbleached wheat, and paired with antipasti, artisan cheeses, olive and wine- is next on my list.



So what do I think of Orwahser’s? They are indeed wonderful creators of fine, artisan bread. With the price as varied as their bread, I believe that the makers are truly creative, the breads delicious and the bakery worth being loyal to (once you actually know what your favourite is). One should not forget though that bread IS their specialty and NOT their pastries.

What was disappointing to me was the service. The staff could have been more knowledgeable and helpful in providing recommendations. With such a large array of these delicious breads, that each had their own character, it would have been much better if they asked questions and made recommendations for you to be able to decide which bread to purchase. Differentiating such wonderful wine breads as “if you want white or rye” truly destroys the care and creativity that the bakers have put into making these breads. Will I be back? Definitely. But this time I will come in much educated on what is worth trying. Suggest you visit the web site before you do too.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Two Little Red Hens

1652 Second Avenue New York, NY 10028. (212) 452-0476. www.twolittleredhens.com.




















To begin my journey, I came to an "American Bakery" called Two Little Red Hens, a place which had been highly recommended by girl friends who are fellow foodies and which, based on my research, had numerous positive reviews on thier cupcakes.
From the outside, it looked like a little country store beside the numerous establishments along a very busy Second Avenue. Inside, it looked like your neighborhood bakeshop, with small tables and chairs, shelves of coffee and chillers of freshly baked, pretty-looking cakes and pastries.

I was cheerfully greeted by the ladies behind the counter, but as friends have told me that the cupcakes were the best here, I did not waste any time an ordered a box of cupcakes to bring home – Red Velvet, Banana, Chocolate Marble and Vanilla Butter Cream. The average price for a cupcake would be around $2.75 for regular sized ones and around $1.75 for the mini cupcakes. Not bad, I thought, and definitely comparable to most bakeshops around the city.



I was not disappointed! I have tried a number of bakeshops in Manhattan since I arrived (Chikalicious, Crumbs, Magnolia and Buttercup included), and Two Little Red Hens had the moistest cupcakes (even after days in my refrigerator as I could not eat all at once, of course) and the creamiest icing with just the right amount of sweetness! It was definitely bliss with each bite! Since then, I have returned every other week to Two Little Red Hens and have excitedly tried the rest of the cupcakes - Carrot, Brooklyn Blackout (this is the best choice if you are dangerously craving for chocolate) and Vanilla with Chocolate Fudge. Again, these had consistent moistness to the cake and just the right amount of sweetness to the creamy icing. I had found my cupcake heaven!


But I did not stop there as I became mighty curious about their cakes, pies and pastries as well. This is after all, a search for the best local bake shops. So I tried their Chocolate Chip cookies, Lemon Bar, Banana and Carrot Slices (exactly like the cupcake version but these are cut like cakes), Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream filling, Chocolate Mousse Pie and the Key Lime Pie. Rest assured, I did not enjoy all of these in one sitting but did so over a number of weeks while making sure I continued with my weekly physical activities – we all know what happens when you enjoy these things TOO much.



Anyway, I can say that the pastries (though I have only tried a few) are not as heavenly as the cupcakes. Quite a bit ordinary actually and not something I would tell everyone about. I had another wonderful discovery though – the Chocolate Mousse Pie and the Key Lime Pie were to die for! The Chocolate Mousse Pie had a thin light, buttery crust, creamy mousse that had just the right amount of chocolate, and lightly sweetened whipped cream on top. The Key Lime Pie was the best I have ever tasted, with a nice graham crust and creamy, sweet with a nice little bite of sourness from the lime that tasted fresh. It was definitely unforgettable!

So what is my opinion of Two Little Red Hens? It is definitely one of the best local bakeshops in Manhattan, not only for their to-die-for pretty little cupcakes and their deliciously unforgettable pies, but also for the homey, little neighborhood feel of the place, their always cheerful ladies ready to take your order, and the variety of cakes and pastries you may indulge in. Yes, there is a line sometimes but they efficiently take your orders and normally do not take a lot of time packing them for you. And yes, it can get crowded since it is a small place so, I recommend buying to go. Just a tip too, the Key Lime Pie sells out easily, so Friday (the day they make these wonderful pies) is usually the best time to go.