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Monday, January 9, 2012
Thursday, September 1, 2011
For the Love of Flour
it was love at first sight.
and taste.
oh, flour bakery + cafe, how I love thee.
you will forever be THE bakery that I compare all others to,
and I will forever treasure the time we had together.
here's to the best
(food, drink, and people)
bakery in boston
(and the nation, as far as I'm
concerned)
---
for those that have not had the pleasure of visiting a flour
(in the south end, fort point, or cambridge)
may this post serve as a means to
whet your appetite and help you
decide what to order when do go
(because you should go. immediately.
like, right now if you can.)
and for those of you who have been lucky enough to dine at one of these fine establishments, well, you know what I'm talking about. may this inspire you to try something new or remind you of something you must have again.
---
fresh from the bakery!
[cookies]
white chocolate & cherry [seasonal] - big chunks of creamy white chocolate compliment the tart dried cherries
chocolate chunk: thin and chewy marbled with shards of chocolate
chunky lola: a hefty cookie loaded with oats, chocolate, walnuts & coconut
valrhona double chocolate chip cookie: super chocolately pillows filled with a smattering of walnuts
ginger molasses: crispy edges, chewy center, and crunch from the sugar on top make this gingerbread's classier cousin
peanut butter: big, crunchy, nutty, & peanut-flecked
biscotti: with toasted almonds this cookie is über crunchy 'til you dunk it in your coffee
floureo: vanilla-sugar cream filling sandwiched between two super chocolately, buttery, shortbread-like rounds
cornmeal lime: soft, super addictive, and reminiscent of cornbread, the bright flavor from the fresh lime glaze makes this cookie a great summery treat
milk chocolate hazelnut: if nutella was reincarnated in cookie form
chocolate coconut macaroon: caramelized edges on the outside, sweet, custardy goodness on the inside
[scones]
cheddar-scallion scone: the cheese is baked right in while the scallions add onion-y flecks of flavor to this savory pastry
heart-healthy dried fruit scone (see homemade)
oatmeal maple scone: this light, oaty scone has bursts of sweetness from classic and golden raisins and an enrobing of maple glaze
[other breakfast treats]
sour cream coffee cake: with cinnamon-nut swirl
(I'm not usually a coffee cake fan but this stuff is gooood)
chocolate brioche: eggy, soft, and fluffy, with sweet, creamy chocolate rolled inside
famous sticky sticky buns [these beat bobby flay on throwdown]: super-soft brioche baked with pecans and soaked in buttery caramel "goo"
cinnamon cream brioche: an eggy, slightly yeasty, cinnamon-sugar dusted dish contains the pool of tangy, creamy filling
almond croissant: buttery, flaky shell filled with a sweet coarse almond paste
bran muffin: coarse sugar crystals add a crunch to the tender crumb, within lies a sweet raspberry jam surprise
granola bar (with apples, cranberries, apricots, walnuts, oats, coconut, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, & millet): super dense fruit "jam" and assortment of seeds sit atop a foundation of ultra-buttery shortbread
[doughnuts]
there's nothing like a freshly fried and filled doughnut on a Sunday morning
raspberry-jam filled
cream-filled
[desserts, etc.]
boston cream pie:
[reminded me of tiramisu - coffee-soaked, ultra-fluffy cake, creamy filling, chocolate ganache]
creme brulée: the flavor of the silky smooth custard is deepened by the burnt caramel on top
triple chocolate cake: this dome holds three kinds of chocolate mousse and flourless chocolate cake
[cupcakes]
big enough to share, but you won't want to
red velvet
chocolate
vanilla
carrot cake
---
[sandwiches]
flour is a bakery, but it's also a stellar sandwich shop!
the bread is magic on its own...it's baked fresh daily, toasts beautifully, and is fluffy yet sturdy. the sandwich fillings are always super-fresh, the majority of which are prepared in-house.
*pro tip: call in your lunch order ahead of time to avoid standing in line (though it's still worth the wait if you forget!)*
best blt ever: crispy thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, arugula, mayo, balsamic, & roasted tomatoes (on toast)
hummus, cucumber, carrots, greens, red onion, & sprouts
roast beef, roasted tomato, horseradish, crispy fried onions [the one in the picture has tomato chutney on it too]
portobello, mozzarella, basil pesto, roasted tomatoes (grilled)
[my other favorite] roasted chicken, brie, roasted red peppers, caramelized onion, & arugula (grilled)
curried tuna, golden raisins, apple, greens, carrots (on toast)
tofu, black olive and red pepper tapenade, arugula, roasted onions, peppers, and tomatoes (grilled)
best pb&j of your life: generous spread of creamy peanut butter + raspberry jam
breakfast sandwich a: crispy thick-cut bacon, creamy omelet square, dijonnaise, roasted tomato, arugula, & cheddar on a fresh-baked egg roll
breakfast sandwich b: ham, creamy omelet square, dijonnaise, roasted tomato, arugula, & cheddar on a fresh-baked egg roll
-----
homemade flour!
my attempts to recreate the bakery's magic in my apartment, using my bible, the flour cookbook
["pop-tarts"]
filled with strawberry jam, nutella, a combination of the two, or marshmallows and chocolate
[banana bread]
loaf + muffins + mini muffins
[french lemon-poppy seed pound cake]
w/ lemon glaze
[coconut macaroon]
coconut-y, custard-y goodness
[yellow birthday cake]
with chocolate frosting and strawberry-marscarpone filling
[oatmeal-maple scone]
made with real maple syrup & raisins
[lemon-ginger scone]
I made mine with ginger candy and powdered ginger
[dried fruit scone]
cranberry, apple, apricot, & raisin (& it's low fat!)
[cornmeal lime cookies]
nomz but don't go overboard with the lime zest like I did
[brown butter rice crispie treats]
how to make 'em
1. after browning butter, add marshmallows
2. melt marshmallows into a molten mass; add fresh-ground nutmeg
3. press into pan and let cool
4. cut into squares & NOSH
~~~
[brown butter BACON! rice crispie treats]
and to make these RCTs even MORE ridiculously awesome:
ADD BACON.
[render bacon first, remove meat, proceed as usual. chop bacon and fold in at the end)
shape into balls to distinguish from original version (...& provide portion control)
[try to eat just one]
----
and that, friends, is just a peek into the wonderful world of flour.
and always remember,
"make life sweeter...eat dessert first!"
(and, you know, last :D)
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