Travel Spotlight: Mike’s Pastry

A trip to Boston this past October would not have been complete without a journey to Mike’s Pastry. Having missed out on this experience during past visits, it was a must-try, a bucketlist item for Beantown.

The crowd was at first overwhelming. People seemed to be standing in semi-formed lines, snaking through the entire storefront and spilling onto the sidewalk in a marginally orderly fashion.

Reviewing the plethora of choices and plastic pictures posted along the back wall, we debated the flavors. It was tough to make a decision and before we knew it, we were up, the employee’s hand poised at the ready, grasping a disposable paper. We opted for a strictly cannoli-oriented experience. It is, after all, what this legendary establishment is known for. Selecting the pumpkin spice, chocolate dipped, espresso and peanut butter versions, we surveyed the scene, taking in the additional sweets available for purchase. Decadent whoopie pies, frosted cupcakes, little Italian cookies all beckoned but we held fast, watching as the skilled worker crowned each with a dusting of powdered sugar.

The weight of the box surprised us as we made our way outside to eat. The crunch of the chocolate-dipped version combined with the smoothness of the chocolate was wonderful. The pumpkin spice did not particularly remind me of pumpkin or fall, but possessed hints of the quintessential pumpkin spice combination of nutmeg and cinnamon. The espresso was certainly coffee-infused, and the peanut butter was exactly as expected – luscious, flavorful and filling from the first bite.

Overall, they were delicious – the chocolate-dipped was definitely my favorite – and quite substantial. One cannoli per person total, and we barely managed to finish them as a group (we felt morally obligated to not leave a morsel behind). Walking away, wiping the last remnants of powdered sugar from my fingertips, I couldn’t help but think about the other desserts that had been left behind, the non-Italian staples that had looked tantalizing behind the glass counters. Guess another excursion is necessary…

Until next time,
SugarSource

 

Travel Spotlight: Boston + Philly Sweets

Boston and Philadelphia both offer rich history – Boston Commons, the Liberty Bell, the streets where the Founding Fathers wandered to ponder the fate of this nascent nation. They also provide great opportunities for tasting delicious desserts.

Beantown (Boston)

Lulu’s

– JP Licks: The chocolate chocolate cupcake was not anything to write home about, and was amongst a small selection of cupcakes at the store known for it’s ice cream treats. I would recommend sticking with the store’s original offering instead of trying a baked good.

– Sweet Cupcakes: This cupcakery offered some off-beat varieties including caramel macchiato, maple cranberry and caramel apple. The macchiato did not have a strong coffee flavor – I would have assumed this was more of the vanilla variety if it hadn’t been for the label. The caramel apple was quite sticky, which wasn’t necessarily a bad attribute but it didn’t have the full flavor execution of other cupcakes with this same profile. It was difficult to locate the maple in the maple cranberry, and it was quite sweet – added sugar did not make up for lack of flavor.

– Lulu’s Sweet Shoppe: I committed a Boston sin and had cupcakes (gingerbread and chocolate salted caramel) in the North End instead of the traditional cannoli. The woman working the shop actually kept it open (I had called earlier regarding their hours), and opened the door just for me, which was a wonderful gesture! The gingerbread was decent, though a little dry – I missed the solid punch of ginger that I was hoping for, though molasses and cinnamon were both present. The chocolate salted caramel was about average for this type.

Philadelphia
In the city of Brotherly Love, there are some lovely confections for the trying.

Fruit Loop Macaron,
Sugar Truck Philly

– Reading Terminal: The lemon cake at Termini Bros is heavenly. After a quick day trip to the city for work, I managed to grab one of these delightful mini cakes on my way to the train station. What a great way to unwind from a long day of meetings – the cake was light, moist, and perfectly portioned for one (in my opinion). I’ve since tried some of the other offerings, such as the pecan bar and brownie, but the favorite remains the lemon cake.

– Morimoto: The yuzu meringue tart is delicious. A heavy dollop of whipped egg whites sites atop the yuzu tart – tart, citrusy filling and a buttery crust. I would recommend sharing – while it is scrumptious, it proved to be too sugary for one person to handle.

– Sugar Truck Philly: The fruit loop macaron was a tightly packed sugar punch! The flavor of Fruit Loops was absolutely present – it was as if they managed to condense the cereal into the soft, chewy outer shell of the macaron. It was almost too sweet for my liking, leaving my teeth slightly achy as an after-effect.

While only a small sampling, it did give me a sense of the variety available on the Eastern seaboard, and I’m anxious to return.

Until next time,
SugarSource