Savory Outback Baked Goodies

G’day mates, welcome to the Land Down Under, I’m here at the beach putting another shrimp on the barbie and wishing you were here. Alright, let me level with you, I’m not really in Australia, though I wish I were because it’s still freezing here in Chicago. I just wanted you to get geared up for reading about the Australian Bakery Cafe owned by Mark Allen and Neville Steele. So get out your bug spray and watch out for crocodiles because were heading out to the savage land of…Georgia?…for a taste of the Outback.

The story of how Mark and Neville opened their bakery is interesting one. The two of them both grew up in a small town called Boort, where it just so happened that both of families owned bakeries. Mark and Neville, having a lot in common instantly became the best of friends, but parted ways to pursue their own goals. Thankfully, those goals were similar because they were reunited in baking school where they both leaned to perfect their art. After graduation, they again went their separate ways, Mark was drawn to the United States to cook for the 1991 Olympic games, while Neville spent his time traveling and soaking in the local flavor of whatever town he visited. Eventually, Neville made his way to the States, where he once again ran into his old friend Mark. They decided that it was fate that kept bringing them back together and decided to open their own bakery.

So what’s Australian food? If you’re thinking Outback Steak House® then you would be wrong. Neville and Mark wanted to bring authentic Aussie food to the people of Gerogia so they created a menu out of their favorite foods from home. Their biggest sellers are meat pies, I know, meat pies might sound odd, but they’re actually very good. Just think chicken pot pie except substitute the chicken for a lot of beef and seasoning. A meat pie can be large enough to feed a family or small enough to be served as snacks for parties. The Australian Bakery Cafe makes a wide variety of meat pies from the traditional Steak, Cheese & Onion pie to their new creations inspired by Georgia like the Creole meat pie. Other popular menu items are their crunchy Anzac cookies and delicious Lamington cakes, and with Easter just around the corner, the bakery is furiously making their special Hot Cross Buns.

Neville and Mark aren’t just satisfied with baking great authentic Australian food, they also like teaching Australian culture too. Every year, Mark and Neville go around to the local schools and youth groups sharing their stories of Australia and giving them food to taste test. The kids aren’t the only ones who like like learning about Australia, the parents also enjoy cultural lessons and find themselves coming back to Australian Bakery for more. If you’re ever in Georgia and want to learn about Australia by sampling some of the nations great food food, then you should head down to the Australian Bakery Cafe in Atlanta or Marietta Georgia for some cooking that would make Crocodile Dundee wish he was back home.

For a taste of Australian Bakery Cafe in your own kitchen, try out their Lamington cake recipe, and let us know how things turn out!
(Recipe generously provided by Neville Steele of Australian Bakery Cafe in Marietta, GA)

Australian Bakery Cafe’s Lamington cakes

Makes about 12

Frozen sheet cake
1/4 cup of butter
1/4 cup of coco powder
1 cup of confectionary sugar
A Pound of dessicated coconut

You can prepare a sheet cake on your own or buy one from the store, just make sure the cake has been chilled.

Cut the sheet cake into 2” squares

Melt the butter in a pan of hot water

Add the coco power and sugar into the water/butter mixture

Stir until mixture thickens up and has the consistency of smooth melted chocolate

Dip the cake into the mixture, then roll it in the dessicated coconut making sure to cover all sides.

Let the cake sit for 10 minutes to set and then you’re ready to serve.

Contact or visit Australian Bakery Cafe at:
48 South Park Square
Marietta, GA 30060
(678) 797-6222
or
463 Flat Shoals Avenue
Atlanta GA 30316
(404) 653-0100

“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” – George Harrison

Have you ever planned out your life and somewhere down the road it all changed? I’m sure that’s happened to all of us in one way or another…I wanted to be a superhero, but I never got my super powers, and my hopes for jumping over tall buildings in a single bound were, of course, destroyed by reality. Carole Griffin, the owner of the Continental Bakery in Birmingham Alabama, also had a wrench thrown into her life’s plan, but thanks to that wrench, we can all enjoy her deliciously handcrafted baked goods.

Swearing she would never return home to Alabama, Carole left for Austin, Texas to study law at Rice University. Carole enjoyed putting her analytical mind to work, but her law career was unexpectedly derailed when she took a semester to study abroad in France. And in one brief semester, Carole fell in love with France’s charismatic people, the foreign customs, and of course, the delectable breads. Perhaps, then, it’s no surprise that upon her return to Austin, practicing law didn’t seem have the same appeal it once did. After graduating from college, Carole decided to forgo law altogether, enter nursing school and instead pursued a career as a midwife. It might be a radical change, but Carole always had a desire to be more hands on with with the people in her life. I mean what’s more hands on then working with babies?

So how does a law student turned nursing student, then transform herself into a baker? Glad you asked. While working to put herself through nursing school, Carole worked part-time at a local bakery where she discovered something amazing. Baking allowed her to use her sharp analytical mind to master the science of baking while working with the dough fulfilled her desire to be hands-on. She began seeing food – specifically bread – in a completely new way. It wasn’t just about the taste anymore, it was different now … now it became a game of recreating the food she loved. So with this new experience serving as inspiration, Carole started to explore the idea of opening a European style bakery inspired by her travels. She was a little shaky on the “how,” though, and while working on the logistics of owning a business, a good friend convinced her that the best place to start her new bakery was back home … in Alabama.

Reluctantly, advice in-hand, Carole returned to the city she thought she’d never see again. But unlike when she was growing up and looking to venture away from her roots, Carole was returning a different person. And this time around, she was on a mission to share her appreciation of all-things-French, with the people of Birmingham.

But even Carole wondered: A European bakery….in Alabama? It was unheard of at the time, and extremely risky to boot since there was no way to know if Birmingham would accept such a radically different bakery. Yet, Carole seemed to have a good idea on her hands, and in the spirit of the often miss-quoted Field of Dreams film line: “If you build it, they will come,” that’s exactly what happened. Carole and a handful of her friends built the Continental Bakery and the customers came. And they came in droves. It wasn’t easy at first, and while trying to perfect her all-natural recipes, Carole worked 22 hour shifts slaving over stoves and nursing dough in her arms while she juggled customers, deliveries, and working on new menu items.

Her hard work and passion eventually paid off, and today, the Continental Bakery is a huge success. Carole loves the new home she made of her old one, and takes advantage of all the great resources nearby. Carole buys most of her ingredients like milk, grits, and figs from local farmers, and she is incredibly excited to be using a local brewery’s spent grain to make her killer pizza dough and famous crackers. Along with their hand-sculpted breads, the Continental Bakery makes delicious scones, muffins, and old-fashioned cinnamon rolls. The success of the bakery also lead Carole to build a cafe called Chez Lu Lu, but that’s another story in itself. If you’re ever in Birmingham, Alabama stop by the Continental Bakery to try a little taste of France in the deep South.

For a taste of Continental Bakery in your own kitchen, try out their Cherry Almond Scones recipe, and let us know how things turn out!
(Recipe generously provided by Carole Griffin of Continental Bakery in Birmingham, AL)

Continental Bakery’s Cherry Almond Scones

Makes 12 scones

Cold Butter 8 ounces
Flour 4 cups
Sugar 1/2 cup
Baking Powder 2 teaspoons
Baking Soda 1/2 teaspoon
Salt 1/4 teaspoon
Cream 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons
Almond Extract 2 Tablespoons
Dried Cherries 1 cup

Sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Cut cold butter into small pieces and cut into flour mixture, using a pastry cutter, or working very quickly with your hands. Final mixture should resemble coarse meal.

Stir in dried cherries.

Form a well in the middle of dry mix and pour in cream and extract.

Shake bowl in a circular motion to avoid over stirring. Scrap down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. DO NOT OVER MIX.

When mixture is moist, turn dough onto floured table and depending on the recipe, divide into 2 rounds (for 12 scone recipe); 3 rounds (for 18 scone recipe) and 4 rounds (for 24 scone recipe). and pat into flat circle. Indent the center of each circle. Cut each circle into 6 pieces.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 in large convection oven. Turn every 5 to 10 minutes.

Contact or visit Continental Bakery / Chez Lulu at:
1909 Cahaba Road
Mountain Brook
Birmingham, AL 35223-1015
(205) 870-5584‎

Saved by the bell … or was it a doughnut?

Have you ever watched one of those feel good movies where the main character has to overcome the odds if they want to succeed; you know, like “Remember the Titans”, “Blind Side,” or even “Legally Blonde”? Well, if you like the kind of movies that inspire and motivate, then you’ll want to know about James Sweeney and the three generation-old eponymously named bakery in Wilmington, Delaware. And even if those kind of movies aren’t your thing, you should stick around anyways … it’s a good story.

James has always had a hand in helping with the family business – even when he was a child. As a toddler he’d find himself greeting customers at the door while he played with the toys in his nearby play area. By the time he grew old enough, his father began teaching him the skills he would need to become a baker for the business. And even though, James was never formally taught how to cook, the “home-schooling” he received from his dad allowed him to master his father’s baking techniques, creating in the process an array of beautiful and delicious treats for his family – and eventually – his customers.

As one would imagine, the family business was eventually passed down into James’ capable hands and everything was running smoothly – until tragedy struck. In 1998 the Sweeneys were evicted from their building because the shopping center that housed the bakery went under construction. Thankfully, there was a finished vacant building on the opposite end of the shopping center, and the Sweeneys were able to set themselves up in that nearby building. Unfortunately though, sometimes tragedy comes in waves, and the next obstacle for Sweeney’s Bakery was road construction. The main road that allowed access to their now “new” bakery was completely torn-up in order to widen the road. This was good news for the future of the business since the busy road would undoubtedly bring a lot of business, but at that present moment, every car was being redirected away from the bakery. Ugh. Dealing with the finances of a new building and a severely restricted customer flow, it wasn’t long before Sweeney’s Bakery was drowning in bills.

Yet, despite these obstacles being stacked against them, the Sweeneys finally caught a break. And it was a life-preserver in the shape of … a “Cruller.” After all, when things get tough, we can usually count on our family, friends and neighbors to help pull us through the mire, and the community of Wilmington couldn’t help but notice the plight of James and Sweeney’s Bakery, the institution they had come to love due to decades of service to the community. And, of course, great baked goods! The community wanted to help the friend they had watched grow up, and so they did – in droves. Customers who could navigate through the construction would pay for a dozen of Sweeney’s famous crullers with a hundred dollar bill saying, “Keep the change.” This happened more than once and with other donations from the community the bakery was able to stay afloat until the road was finished.

Currently the business is thriving. And even though the building and some of the people working at the bakery have changed, the taste remains the same….delicious. With over fifty years and three generations of Sweeney experience and expertise driving the bakery their menu has grown and diversified to include danishes, muffins, Irish soda bread, and tarts to name just a few treats. If you ever find yourself in Wilmington and you’re looking for a sweet-treat, stop by Sweeney’s Bakery and check out this amazing testament to hard work and a community pulling together.

For a taste of Sweeney’s Bakery in your own kitchen, try out their Spice Bar Cake recipe, and let us know how things turn out!
(Recipe generously provided by James Sweeney of Sweeney’s Bakery in Wilmington, DE)

Sweeney’s Bakery Spice Bar Cake

2 cups water

1 cup dark and white raisin

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spices (your choice of nutmeg, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, ginger)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring water and raisins to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, add shortening, let cool to room temperature.
3. Sift together dry ingredients.
4. When raisin mixture is cool, add the dry ingredients.
5. Add the beaten egg. Stir until completely incorporated.
6. Pour batter into 1/4 sheet pan or 9×13 baking dish.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Contact or visit The French Pantry at:
2068 Naamans Road
Wilmington, DE 19810-2648
(302) 475-5884

Find a pastry, find a friend

It’s a sunny beautiful day in Jacksonville Florida and you have a free day. Your options are lounging around on the beach and soaking up the sun or standing in line waiting to get some food. The obvious answer would be to hit the beach for some relaxation, but the smart answer would be to wait in line. Especially if that line leads to the entrance of the The French Pantry.

When Tim Felver, the owner, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, he made his way to LA and found himself working at the illustrious Wolfgang Puck restaurant. Tim had always been interested in French foods and spent his time at Wofgang Puck sharpening his French Cuisine skills. After years of working at other restaurants, Tim decided to try his hand at owning a business so he opened The French Pantry in 1996 with his wife Barbara. Tim and Barbara make an unstoppable team of sweet and savory. Barbara concentrates on pies, tarts, and cookies, while Tim focuses on soups, sandwiches, and breads. Together, the dynamic duo have created a wonderful French inspired menu that leaves all of their customers clamoring for more.

So what makes The French Pantry better than the beach? Maybe it’s their fresh warm bread with dipping olive oil or maybe it’s their white chocolate macadamia cheesecake with strawberry sauce. Perhaps it’s not the food, but the company you’ll share while eating. Looking for a new friend? Well, if you eat at The French Pantry you might just find one. You’ll notice right away when you enter through the door that there are very few tables in the restaurant. After selecting your food from the handwritten blackboard menu you will have to hunker down at one of the large community tables. To the agoraphobic or even the regular bystander, sitting at a table with strangers can be intimidating, but don’t worry, you will have fun, I promise. At the end of your meal you might find that you’ve had a rousing conversation with a poet, a teacher, or even a judge. The relaxed atmosphere, the friendly company, and of course the stellar food will instantly melt away any of your anxieties. If you’re ever in Jacksonville Florida I recommend you skip the beach and wait in line you’ll be happy that you did.

For a taste of The French Pantry in your own kitchen, try out their Peanut Butter Cookie recipe, and let us know how things turn out!
(Recipe generously provided by Tim Felver of The French Pantry in Jacksonville, FL)

The French Pantry’s Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup of peanut butter

3/4 cup of butter

3/4 pastry flour

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

Cream the sugar and butter. Then mix in the peanut butter, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and egg until smooth. Then add flour. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Shape mixture into 3/4-inch balls and place on greased baking sheets. Flatten each cookie with the edge of a fork. Let them cook for 5 to six minutes or until the edges are brown. Cool and enjoy.

Contact or visit The French Pantry at:
6301 Powers Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32217
(904) 730-8696

Saving the World One Cookie at a Time

Andy Rolleri, the owner of The Pantry in Fairfield, Connecticut is doing his part to save the world. You don’t believe me? Then try one of his World Peace Cookies and get back to me. Even though the World Peace Cookie isn’t his creation, Andy does enjoy making the super chocolaty peace-keeper cookies. The World Peace Cookie story goes something like this; if everyone in the world were to eat them then world peace would follow. Still not convinced that Andy could be Superman in disguise? Even though Andy runs a small store, he goes through about two tons of chocolate every year. I don’t think I could eat that much chocolate in a year even if I tried.

So how did Andy get the saving the world gig? Andy’s family owned a restaurant and a fish market when he was young which influenced his desire to own his own store. He learned a lot about business and cooking and eventually made his way to culinary school. When the time was right Andy, along with his friend Therri LeMeur decided to open up The Pantry, a small grocery store with a bakery inside.

Andy, in what I believe is a brilliant business move, also makes miniature pies and snacks. Andy bakes single serving pies for people on the go or for the people who are watching their calories and don’t want to be tempted with a full pie. He also prepares and freezes his own cookie dough so his customers can eat his delicious cookies from the convenience of their ovens whenever they want.

Andy also serves special desserts everyday. The bakery can turn into a game of chance since it is hard to know what treat you’ll be getting. One day it might be a Lemon Yogurt Cake and the next, it could be a Pina Colada Moose with Lady fingers. People from all around visit The Pantry every day hoping to hit a taste bud jack pot.

The Pantry may look like a grocery store on the outside, but it has the heart of a bakery. Under the guidance of Andy and Therri The Pantry has become a main staple of Delaware’s Fairfield community. If you’re ever in the neighborhood you should swing by and do your part to help world peace.

Recipe to follow shortly!

Click the “View Larger Map” link directly below the map image for directions!

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Now that’s a fashionable Mermaid.

If you’re not a writer, you may not know that when constructing a story or an article – a proper one – at least, should have a introduction that gives way to a story arc that rises to a climax and then ebbs into a conclusion. Well, in today’s article we’re going to forget proper writing etiquette and go straight to the climax. Mermaid’s Bakery and Pie House in Colorado has 30 flavors of cup cakes….are you hearing me? 30 FLAVORS! Move over Baskin-Robbins you’ve officially been replaced in my heart. Sorry, got a little excited there.

And, worthy of my excitement, Diana Ayala, owner of said “land of deliciousness,” has worked long and hard to create a delectable range of masterpieces as whimsical as the bakery’s name. Diana got a lot of her inspiration from her mother and grandmother, and when she was a child she had two dreams: to be as creative as possible, and to become a mermaid. And look, she did it one fell swoop…who says dreams don’t come true. Now all I have to do is work on becoming a “superhero” (since that’s my dream) … After five minutes of frantically jumping in the air I decided to give flying a break.

You would think the natural progression of her childhood dream would be to go from child, to baking – to mermaid right? Well actually Diana went to school to study fashion. Yeah, now not every bakery comes equipped with its own fashion designer. Diana took her love for fashion and creativity and turned it towards her love for baking. When you think about it, it’s pretty obvious how fashion can play a role in baking. If you check out some of Diana’s crazier cakes you’ll understand too. Like the TV show “Ace of Cakes,” Diana has created some rather amazing masterpieces. She has built everything from a haunted house complete with a “Thriller” version of Michael Jackson, to a giant Tiki head. But don’t be fooled by her whimsical designs. Diana also does serious and elegant wedding cakes too.

Despite having a small kitchen to work with, Diana is able to use her space and ingredients to her advantage. Everything they cook with is made of organic and natural ingredients and that’s why people always come back for more. Diana is able to make sweets that aren’t too sweet, but are truly tasty at the same time.

Diana also listens to her community. When people began looking for gluten free-goodies Diana felt bad there weren’t a lot of good gluten-free deserts for people to buy. Through a lot of trial and error and some help from her friends, Diana was able to add gluten-free deserts to her menu. The Mermaids Bakery and Pie House is a shining testament to Diana’s hard work, and the increasing number of cupcakes are a tribute to to her creativity. So if you ever find yourself lost in Denver with an aching sweet tooth, look up Mermaids Bakery, you won’t be disappointed.

For a taste of Mermaids Bakery and Pie House in your own kitchen, try out their Peanut Butter Cookie recipe, and let us know how things turn out!
(Recipe generously provided by Diana of Mermaids Bakery and Pie House in Denver, CO)

Mermaid’s “Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies”

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1.In an electric mixer: Cream the butter, shortening, and sugars. Add eggs one at a time and mix until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and vanilla and mix well.

2. With the mixer off, add dry ingredients and mix on lowest speed until just combined, Do not over mix

3. Use an ice cream scoop to make even size balls of dough and place six on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about 3 inches apart. Press dough down with a spatula to make about 4 inch rounds.

4. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) 8 minutes and take out of the oven, (the cookies will continue to cook on the sheet after you take them out). Do not over bake. Leave on sheets for 2 minutes before removing. Place on a wire rack and let cool.

Filling:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whip all ingredients in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, evenly spread 2 tablespoons of filling onto baked underside of a cooled peanut butter cookie, gently press another cookie onto the filling.

Store in an air tight container.

Contact or visit Mermaids Bakery and Pie House at:
1542 Champa Street
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 534-0956

For directions, click the “View Larger Map” link directly below the map!

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Of Rotating Desserts and Englishman with their knickers in a twist.

Looking for a hot place to hang out in LA where all the people go to have a great time? I’m not talking about a glitzy night cub, I’m talking about Clementine Bakery. Clementine is the place where everyone knows your name and you don’t even need to pay a $10 cover to enter.

Clementine offers a huge verity of pastries. So huge, in fact, that Annie Miller, owner of Clementine, has to put her food on rotation. Of course there are some rowdy customers that miss their favorites sweets, but as Annie tells us, “It’s good for them, it forces them try something new.” While it might sound a little cruel if you stroll in looking for that one desert you woke up in the morning craving, I think she’s actually doing her customers a favor. You see, I call this, (or maybe someone else came up with the name), the “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”. Of course, it’s all very scientific, and I’d share all the wonderful statistics with you, but my dog ate them – so you’re going to have to trust me on this one. Symptoms of the Chinese Restaurant Syndrome are as follows: frequently visit your favorite Chinese restaurant, eat only two or three of your favorite menu items, never try any of the 60 other perfectly good options. So thank you Annie for vaccinating your customers against Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.

At this point you might be thinking. “OK the food is good and Clementine has a large menu, but what else do they have?” I have two words for you, grilled cheese. Yep. Though not “technically” baking, people flock to Clementine in April for “Grilled Cheese Month” where the bakery features five different grilled cheeses a day. Oh, boy. Other events that draw the masses are their “Thursday Tea Times.” So, put on you nicest clothes and arrive with your reservation in hand, and expect to be served some of the best tea in California, along with some of Annie’s incredible scones so good, they would put the English to shame.

There is always something happening at Clementine – whether it’s spending time eating with the family or grabbing a quick bite to eat during your lunch break. If you are in the LA area and in the market for great food and great service, Clementine is worth a visit.

For a taste of Clementine in your own kitchen, try out their Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, and let us know how things turn out!
(Recipe generously provided by Annie Miller of Clementine in Los Angeles, CA)

Clementine Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2 ^2/3 cups pastry flour

2 2/3 cups sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas

3 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Into a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, mash the bananas. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until each is completely incorporated, then mix in the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Finally, mix the dry ingredients into the batter just until thoroughly combined.

3. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch greased pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden-brown on top, a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool on a rack.

Cream cheese frosting

1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature

5 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons sour cream

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and there are no lumps. Add the butter and whip until incorporated, then add the powdered sugar and the sour cream.

Frost the top of the cooled cake, then slice and serve.

Old world ingredients, old world charm and a little bit of sugar is all you need.

You don’t hear too many stories of people immigrating to the U.S. to follow their dreams anymore. Well it’s time to change that. Sylwester Pupkowski owner of Silvek’s European Bakery came to the U.S. from Poland in 1984 with his wife and his son to start a new life. Following the recipe for the American Dream, Sylwester worked hard to establish a life in Little Rock, Arkansas and to build the foundation for his business. Sylwester is classically trained by his grandmother and mother and uses his family recipes to fill the stomachs of his customers.

The U.S. is truly Sylwester’s second home, but he admits it’s very different from the place where he grew up. And since home is always in his heart, once or twice a year he goes to see family and catch up with old friends. When he returns he’s not empty-handed. You see, Sylwester believes in the ingredients he was raised on, and receives a lot of the ingredients for his baking from Europe. And, he swears the reason his food taste so good is because even the most basic baking ingredients like flour and chocolate, are better prepared overseas. If you don’t believe him, the proof, he says, is in the French Baguettes or the German Black Forest Cake, and the residents of Arkansas seem to vote with him as well. . .continually placing Silvek’s European Bakery among the best in the state.

When you enter Silvek’s Bakery you might feel as though you’ve literally entered into a “snap-shot” of Poland, with it’s array of Polish foods and very Polish following, but if you take a closer look you will see an integration of cultures and family woven together by food. Speaking of Poland, Sylwester gets very excited when Fat Thursday comes around. If you don’t know, Fat Thursday is a traditional Polish and German day of feasting which marks the last Thursday before Lent. Sylwester is proud of his Pączkis (pronounced poonch-kees), a Polish variation of a doughnut with jelly or cream filling. Sylwester loves sharing his Polish heritage through his food, and I personally couldn’t think of a better or tastier way to do it. If you’re looking for a cultural experience in Little Rock, Arkansas then give Silvek’s European Bakery a try.

For a taste of Silvek’s European Bakery in your own kitchen, try out their Florentina Cookie recipe, and let us know how things turn out!
(Recipe generously provided by Sylwester Pupkowski of Silvek’s European Bakery in Little Rock, AR)

Silvek’s “Florentina Cookies”

(makes about 50)

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chopped almonds

Mix the sugar, cream, butter, and honey into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat and stir occasionally, until mixture comes to a rolling boil and sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and stir almonds into the mixture. Let it cool for 15 minutes.

Take a spoon and scoop the mixture onto a baking pan covered in wax paper. Leave about 3 to 4 inches between each cookie since they will spread.

Bake at 380 degrees for ten minutes or until the cookies are thin and golden brown.

You should always let the bread get to your head.

Have you ever been served by a bread head? Right now are you thinking to yourself, “What’s a Bread-Head?” That’s what I said to myself as images of aliens with bread loaves for heads dance through my mind. Wait…was I the only one who thought that? Hmm. Okay…well…, I got to talk to my first “Bread-Head” this week. And let me tell you, they’re not the savage race of bread extraterrestrials I had imagined. This week, I got a chance to talk with Louis Basile, owner and chief Bread-Head of the Wildflower Bread Company.

Back in 1994, Louis’ career relocated him to Arizona, but he couldn’t help feel that he was living in a desert within a desert – a desert void of quality sandwich shops. So, in a rather bold move, Louis decided to create one of his own. Now, keep in mind, Louis is more than just a baker – he is a restaurateur. And if you’re wondering what exactly a restaurateur is, it just means Louis does a little bit of everything. He bakes, cooks, manages employees, and is, in fact, an employee himself. Yet, even with all of his responsibilities and duties, Louis understands the importance of baking good bread. He knows the best way to serve an egg and sausage breakfast is to compliment it with a great slice of toast, and he knows that a loaf of garlic bread helps make a spaghetti dinner “pop.”

It’s only natural then, that when it comes to his breads, Louis uses recipes that have been passed down through generations of bread-makers. For example, following tradition, Louis requires that the dough his restaurants use sets for three days before it’s ready for baking. The dough is then baked in special ovens to ensure the bread’s quality and taste. Even with ten restaurants opened and an eleventh on the way, Louis still demands the same high standards for his food quality that he had from day one.

Louis certainly has a passion for serving great food, but he also has a passion for serving others. He does a lot for the charities surrounding him, and there is one cause very close to his heart. The organization that holds Louis’ dedication is named “The Open Table,” and it aims to help bring families out of poverty. To lend as much a hand as possible, Louis has served on many of The Open Table’s Boards, and currently shares office space with the organization. Louis’ drive and determination to help people, whether it be the less-fortunate, or his customers, is what really makes the Wildflower Bread Company a success. If you’re looking for some good quality food and service in Arizona then check out the Wildflower.

P.S. If you’re still wondering what exactly a Bread-Head is, it’s the term they give to all their staff. So they’re not employees. . .they’re bread heads!

For a taste of the Wildflower Bread Company in your own kitchen, try out their Red, White and Blue Bread recipe, and let us know how things turn out!
(Recipe generously provided by Louis Basile of the Wildflower Bread Company, in Phoenix, AZ)

The Wildflower Bread Company’s “Red White and Blue Bread”

Makes 2-3 loaves

• 7 Cups All-Purpose Flour

• 5 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar

• 1 ½ Tbsp. Salt

• 4 Whole Eggs

• 3 Tbsp. Soybean Oil

• 1 Tbsp. Fresh Yeast

• 2 ½ Cups Filtered Water

• 1 Cup Dried Blueberries or Blueberry Craisins

• 2 Cups Dried Cranberries

Egg Wash

• 2 eggs

• 4 Tbsp. Water