On a recent trip to New York, I felt compelled to try out a couple Scandinavian bakeries that had been on my list to try. I mean, I love me some baked goods, and I’ve gotta get back to my roots somehow, right?! I’d been following Fabrique Bakery, in particular, on social media for a while, and always drool at photos of their freshly baked cardamom buns and housemade sourdough bread. I hope to one day visit their Stockholm location, but since New York is much easier to come by these days, I jumped at the chance to check it out! Upon entering the cute café on 14th St, the warming smell of cardamom and cinnamon immediately flooded my senses. After deciding on Fabrique’s signature cardamom bun, the sweet lady behind the counter asked me if I was going to be eating it right away. When I said likely so, she asked if I had a couple minutes to spare because she thought a fresh batch was just coming out of the oven. Would I be interested in waiting a few minutes for a warm one? Umm yes, absolutely! How thoughtful!? I’m so glad I did, because I hardly made it out of the bakery before tearing into the bag, and devouring the bun in a few short minutes. The doughy cardamom goodness was all just too delicious. It took everything in me not to turn right back around to pick up another (plus a loaf of sourdough), but alas, I was in a hurry to head to the airport. Nonetheless, Fabrique will definitely be on my list of regulars whenever I’m back in the city.
turmeric rye banana bread
Honestly, who doesn’t love a good banana bread?? I feel like it’s one of life’s simple, but oh so delicious pleasures, and always nice to have on hand. It can be made as healthy or as decadent as you want, but I tend to love the heartier loaves chock full of good-for-you ingredients like whole grains, nuts, and seeds. My husband and I have been on a bit of a banana bread kick, and he recently whipped up such a unique & tasty version, I just had to share. Fresh ground turmeric really shines through in both flavor and appearance, giving this moist loaf a beautiful golden hue, and rye flour lends a hearty, but not overpowering hand. The pecans, hemp hearts, and chia seeds add a lovely texture, and the raw honey creates just the right amount of sweetness. It’s damn near perfect on its own, but lightly toasted with a pat of butter (or carrot cake jam, as pictured above), and it’s absolute heaven!
Turmeric Rye Banana Bread:
7 oz whole wheat flour
3 oz rye flour
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz butter, melted
4 oz raw honey
2 large eggs
4 extra ripe bananas (2 mashed, 1 chunky, 1 sliced)
4 oz almond (or other non-dairy) milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans, toasted & chopped
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1/4 cup chia seeds
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sift both flours, baking soda, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, and salt into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the butter and honey together until smooth. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, almond and vanilla extract to the butter mixture until well combined. Then add in the chunky banana pieces as well. Fold in the flour mixture, then gently add the pecans, hemp hearts, and chia seeds. Grease a loaf tin, and pour in the batter, smoothing and evening out if necessary. Top with reserved sliced bananas. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden-brown and bananas are lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
*Adapted from Banana Bread from BBC.
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wax paper co.
I always say it’s hard to beat fresh, homemade bread. But throw some sandwich fixins between two slices of said delicious bread, and you’ve got yourself a pretty dang satisfying, yet simple meal if I do say so myself! I discovered Wax Paper Co. soon after moving to our neighborhood, and boy am I glad that I did. This tiny spot right along the LA River churns out some mean sammies, and the Bub & Grandma’s bread they use only helps take them to another level of deliciousness. There’s something for everyone here (although less so for my gluten sensitive friends…)- from a unique take on a banh mi with roasted, shredded pork, miso aioli & pickled carrot & daikon, to a scrumptious vegan option with shaved & marinated seasonal veggies & a pecan pesto, I’m sure you’ll find something up your alley. My personal fave is a roasted turkey on focaccia with jalapeño cilantro radish slaw & hominy. The bread is so perfectly chewy and fluffy- yum! I can’t forget to mention one of the best parts about Wax Paper Co. - the names of their sandwiches! Each one is named after an NPR personality, from Ira Glass to Larry Mantle to Terry Gross! Love the creativity there ;) And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, they recently started serving classic, old fashioned soft serve ice cream as well. All the more reason to return soon. But just a heads up, you better go early, because they sell out almost daily. Consider yourself warned!
tartine bianco
I was so excited when I heard that the Tartine Bakery group was opening here in Los Angeles. I have a huge soft spot for this San Francisco-based restaurant and bakery, so to have one open so close to me was wonderful news. The Manufactory, as its known, is also conveniently located at The Row DTLA, which is a cute open-air facility with plenty of fun shops and restaurants to pop into. Whether you’re in the mood for a more formal sit-down meal, or looking to grab a quick coffee or soft serve to-go, The Manufactory’s got you covered. There’s The Market for tasty flatbreads and specialty food items, The Ice Cream & Coffee Window for drinks, baked goods and ice cream, Tartine Bianco serving seasonal Cali-Italian cuisine, and finally Alameda Supper Club for a more elevated private dining experience. All of that housed under one roof! The space itself is beautiful too- huge windows that allow light to flood in at all hours of the day- with a super modern, industrial feel, and a large, shared open kitchen.
On a couple recent visits, we’ve dined at Tartine Bianco, the all-day restaurant whipping up all kinds of delights with fresh ingredients from the farmers market. It’s very comparable to its San Fran counterpart, Tartine Manufactory, a place I’ve dined at and absolutely loved. One main focus of the menu is the famous Tartine Bread (duh!), and food good reason. Choose from toasts, smørrebrøds, and flatbreads, or just get the bread basket with a couple of dips and go to town. Oh my glory, it’s honestly some of the best bread I have ever tasted. Baked to perfection, doughy and chewy on the inside, with the perfectly crisp, crunchy crust. Do yourself a favor and order a loaf to-go as well so you can keep the enjoyment going for a couple more days! The rest of the meal did not disappoint either, from the grilled beets with chermoula to the lamb shank with sunchokes to the malted brownie sundae, you really cannot go wrong. And how pretty is that chicken liver toast?! It’s practically a work of art. Click through the slideshow below to check out the rest of our fantastic meal, and get ready to drool! I look forward to picking up some bread and pastries, and perhaps (read: definitely) making a pit stop at the Ice Cream Window for some delicious soft serve very soon!
fiona bakery
Fiona Bakery was a cute little cafe in West Hollywood serving up seasonal dishes and baked goods that truly allow California’s bounty to shine. I say was, because unfortunately I just got word that they closed their doors for good this past Sunday! Such sad news, to be honest. But with crazy high rent costs and never-ending competition, the restaurant industry is a super difficult place to find success. Ever since I first spotted their sesame butter toast on Instagram, I knew I had to check it out. So when I stopped by for lunch with a good friend recently, the aforementioned bread was obviously ordered. I’m pretty much obsessed with anything involving sesame or tahini, and this did not disappoint. I loved the sweet and savory vibes going on- the sea salt honey was the perfect complement to the creamy sesame butters and chewy, yet fluffy brioche! After ogling over the beautifully impressive pastry case (and vowing to return to try more items soon), we decided to balance things out with a couple of their fresh salads. I loved the Vietnamese-meets-Cali-influenced menu- both the shredded cabbage & chicken salad and little gem salad were bright and flavorful. The menu also featured rice noodle salads and savory sweet potato pancakes- not to mention classic banh mi sandwiches that my husband absolutely adores! Those cookies stacked high in the pastry case (and the carrot cake!) continue to call my name to this day as well. Although I’m super bummed Fiona has since closed its doors, I remain hopeful the team will open another spot soon!
hippo
I love discovering tasty, new-to-me places in my (or a close by) neighborhood. Hippo in Highland Park had been on my radar for a while now- multiple friends had raved about it, and I couldn’t help but drool over their Instagram. So when we had good friends in town staying with us recently, I knew just the spot for dinner. Nestled off the busy street, just behind Triple Beam Pizza (another fave!), Hippo’s rustic, Italian-American vibes make it seem very New York to me. Perhaps that’s why I liked it so much from the moment we walked in, but once we tasted the food, it truly won me over. The bread basket of housemade focaccia was perfectly crusty and chewy, and I strongly suggest you start with the burrata di bufala (imported from Lazio-Italy!), served with even more delicious, carby goodness. I was a huge fan of the veggie starters- from the cool haricot verts with serrano chili toasted hazelnuts & Frenchie vinaigrette, to the griddled cauliflower with cauliflower “tahini” & walnut raisin caper relish, the flavors were truly unique. Of course, several housemade pastas are on the menu (and worth an order!), including the semolina spaghetti with guanciale, tomato & spicy pickled peppers, as well as the winter squash cappellacci with browned butter, sage & amaretti! Carefully handmade pasta, perfectly cooked to al dente, truly makes all the difference. Be sure to check out the rest of our meal in the slideshow above- there were honestly so many noteworthy dishes! We actually already had plans for ice cream after dinner, so I didn’t get a chance to try Hippo’s desserts- but there’s always next time! Post-baby, I’d like to go back for “Hippo Hour”, their version of happy hour, for some tasty small plates and a cool cocktail as well!