Mr. Holmes Bakehouse Apple and marscarpone cruffin: In LA on Larchmont, Mr. Holmes Bakehouse looks like just a regular pastry shop: no lines, a modest storefront, and a few nicely presented seasonal options. Both cruffin flavors (maple and beer and apple and marscarpone) were available, with seemingly no particular demand. We tried the apple and marscarpone muffin and donut hybrid, which stood tall and was dusted in sugar. The flavor of the apple filling was nicely spiced and textured like applesauce, and the exterior pastry struck me as more... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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Mr. Holmes Bakehouse Peach Cardamon Danish: An entire think piece could be dedicated to Mr. Holmes Bakehouse, a pastry shop in the heart of San Francisco's Tenderloin district. The Dominique Ansel Bakery of SF, it has an equally iconic dessert: the Cruffin. A cross between a muffin and croissant, the Cruffin is filled with a seasonal cream and is made in limited quantities, requiring those willing to wait to get in line early (the bakery opens at 7am on weekdays). But unlike DA Bakery, Mr. Holmes is not based in the SOHO of SF. To... (read more) 4.0/5.0
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Dough Donuts Blood orange donut: Brooklyn Donut shop Dough Donuts serves ginormous donuts with vibrantly colored glazes. This blood orange donut came with a candied slice of blood orange. Brioche-based dough makes the donuts neither light and fluffy nor overly dense - somewhat middling as far as small-batch donuts go. Blood orange glaze was very sugary but had a decent citrus flavor. Best part was definitely the candied slice, with its sharp tart flavor. 3.0/5.0
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Craftsman and Wolves Strawberry Cake: On Valencia in the heart of the Mission is the original location of the Craftsman and Wolves, a pastry shop where each item is backdropped by a matte black countertop, with slide-out trays for individually plated cakes and specialty items. The presentation of the pastries is impeccable, with a commendable level of consistency and care put into every piece. Of course, as with any San Francisco establishment, you pay a premium for quality - the strawberry cake, about 4 inches long, was $8. ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
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Vif Babka: Heated until the chocolate glistens, this slice of babka was more toast than cake but otherwise had a nice spiced flavor. Portion size is just right for it to be a rich but not too heavy breakfast. Purchased at a small cafe / wine shop in the Fremont district of Seattle, there they offer brunch on weekends and small pastries throughout the week. 3.0/5.0
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Bouchon Bakery Pumpkin Macaron: On my recent visit to Las Vegas, there seem to be Bochon Bakeries at every corner of my hotel. As I previously enjoyed pistachio macarons at their NYC locations, I decided to try their seasonal pumpkin flavor. The autumnal macaron is about the size of my palm and has a vivid orange shell that easily breaks to reveal a chewy, dark brown interior. Texturally, this pastry was very good, but it was unfortunately overly sweet on the whole. 3.0/5.0
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