Is brioche the new cupcake?
This is probably just wishful thinking on my part, but I seem to be noticing brioche making more appearances locally. One case in point: my favorite coffee shop, La Prima, is now selling plump brioches at the counter. They’re made by Enrico’s, a bakery down the street from them, which is famous for their great biscotti.
I prefer a slightly airier brioche, but this wasn’t bad. I’ve heard, though, that many places serve something they call brioche but which is really Challah (e.g. for brioche french toast). I think I’ve only had challah once, so I’m not the best critic, but my impression is that it’s similarly sweet and eggy, but more dense and less buttery than brioche - sort of like King’s Hawaiian. Anyone who is reading this and knows more, I welcome corrections or additional details.
Heirloomania, continued
On the left: Brandywine - sweet and rich-tasting, acidic. On the right: Nebraska wedding - lower acid, bright and lively flavor. Lunching with Greek mizithra and a tasty cave-aged Gouda I found at Whole Foods.
Rhubarb Raspberry Tartlets
Somehow I stumbled upon a local farmer who still had some rhubarb growing past its usual springtime prime. I hurriedly bought it and made these tartlets. Some are strictly rhubarb, others have rhubarb and raspberry, which is a really terrific combination. I used a crust recipe from the August 2004 issue of Cook’s magazine, although in the future I might use one with a little bit of shortening instead of all butter, since I would have liked it a bit flakier. One thing about these tarts - they’re best served warm and don’t reheat particularly well. It’s probably wise to only make what you need and freeze any extra pastry dough for a future use. I made eight tartlets, which was, let’s say, a wee bit ambitious for two eaters. :)
