California Part 4: Northern California Bakery Tour and not wanting to go to jail...

I own a bakery. No secret there.

 

I love bakeries. Also probably pretty obvious.

 

I like scoping out other bakeries to see what they're baking, how they decorate, and the kind of crowds they pull in.  It's all in the name of market research.

 

 So, while we were in beautiful Northern California, I decided to take a few scattered opportunities to drag my brood to a few different bakeries in the area to check them out and to see what makes them unique and successful. I didn't hear many complaints...

 

So goes the next chapter...

 

California

Part 4: Northern California Bakery Tour

 

 Amongst all of our many activities during our vacation, I decided to do a little research for work.  I know the demographic in California is different than here in the corn belt, but I figured that no matter where you are in this grand country of ours, that there still exists those fine folks who truly appreciate and love a small, independently owned, made from scratch and love with the owners two bare hands kind of bakery. 

 

 So, after a couple days of letting the girls run the show, I decided to throw everyone in the car and we headed to our first stop.  Luckily the first bakery in my list was en route to Bodega Bay. For those of you who don't know, Bodega Bay is an adorable little town on the coast that has an abundance of beaches that draw in surfers and tourists, as well as gift shops, clam chowder, and houses that are teetering on the edges of the rocky cliffs...

 

...if I lived in one of those houses, I would sleep in fear.  Seriously, they are teetering on the edge...

 

...a slight ocean mist could take them down...

 

Anyways, Bodega Bay is also the setting for the avian horror classic by Alfred Hitchcock...

 

"The Birds"

 

 

If you have seen it, you may remember the old school house up on the hill?

 

 

Anyways, it's still there. I saw signs that they were having a haunted schoolhouse tour one of the nights we were there, but we missed it.  Super bummer.

 

 

So back to the bakery tour..

The first bakery we hit on my list was a very cute, very rustic, very out in the middle of nowhere kind of place. I had been cyber stalking it for some time now and when we finally pulled in to the tiny, yet packed parking lot, I became like one of those hyper dogs pulling at the leash trying to get everyone out of the car and into this place.
 

 

  Wild Flour Bread. 

 

 

It's basically one big room, with a wood oven at the back, a large table in the center where the bread bakers are rolling and weighing dough, as well as where they display their finished products...

 

Me happy.

We managed to squeeze our way through the crowd of about 800 people waiting in line, and secured a place amongst the chaos...

 

...it reminded me of the way the stock market used to work with everyone yelling and holding up their hands, buying and selling...

 

...I'm pretty sure this place is where all the gluten-free fakers come to reload their secret gluten stashes. 

 

Anyways, after a few minutes, we were up. We had to move fast because the crowd was beating down on our backs and I really didn't want any bakery related casualties on my conscience.  We ordered a sticky bun that was literally the size of my 2 year old...
 

 

It was made with wheat dough, a lot of raisins, and a whole lot of cinnamon goo.  You could taste the wood oven in it. Interesting and unique. It wasn't rolled up like a traditional sweet roll, but rather it had lots of pockets and nooks and crannies.  I'm not sure how they even got it like that, but it was definitely different.  I'm not a huge fan of raisins in my sweet rolls, so I only ate 2lbs of the 4lb sticky mass.

 

My husband got a meyer lemon blueberry scone, but as it took two hands to eat my giant sticky mass, I couldn't snap a picture.  Please don't be mad...
 

Before we were getting ready to walk out, at the last minute I spotted a savory scone that was loaded with cremini mushrooms, fontina cheese, caramelized onions, and loads of herbs on top. I almost passed on it in order to ensure the survival of my children from the ravenous crowd that hovered over us...

 

...but then I realized I really wanted it, so I shielded my children for a minute more, frantically threw a few bucks at the cashier, scooped up my offspring and the lovely scone, and line-backered my way back out the doors towards the car...
 

I want my mommy...

It was heaven on Earth.

Seriously, it was worth endangering my children for...

...Sorry girls. Mommy does love you...

...but she also loves cremini mushrooms and fontina cheese, sooooo...
 

 

After we sat and noshed silently in the car for a good 15 minutes, we decided it was best to move on and let someone else brave the crowd.

A day or two later we stopped by another small bakery in town to grab a few gluten free goodies for my mom.  It was a cute place called Patisserie Angelica.  More of a fancy dessert place, but cute nonetheless...

Very inviting front door. Super cute.

 

I ordered a croissant which sadly, was just ok.  It was a little heavier than I feel a croissant should be, but at the same time, getting croissants just right isn't easy, plus what they lacked in croissants, they more than made up for in cakes and chocolate confections, so I'm sure they'll be just fine.  This bakery, just like Wild Flour was only open on weekends, so they must be doing something right.

I wasn't overly into this place as its not really my kind of bakery, but still, it was a nice little place.

The next stop a day later was one of my favorite places. This bakery is located in downtown Healdsburg, CA.  Healdsburg can only be described as the "Small town for Old Money".  It has a little park in the middle of towns square, the shops that line up in a square around the park are full of cute bookstores, boutiques, candy shops, wine shops, high end art galleries, a Sothebys or two, and also...

Ahhh, Costeaux's... We meet again.
 

Any bakery that has Boulangerie written in big cursive letters has my vote. 

If it's French, me likey.

Mommy! Pumpkin Cookies! Ghost cookies!
Mamamamamama!

I love how Lucy felt the need to bring her face down to the cookie instead of the cookie up to her face...

Whatever works kiddo.

Looking at these two pictures show just how different my two little ladies really are.
Love.

 

In addition to the two pumpkin cookies for the two pumpkins, my husband got a caramel tart that he always gets whenever we are there, and I got a Chocolate Florentine...

...it got eaten so quickly that it never stood a chance of a picture.

Never in a million
 

This little Florentine consisted of a crisp caramel and pecan shell that was rolled while still warm into a little tube, like a cannoli shell. It was then filled with an espresso pastry cream and dipped in dark chocolate on either end to trap the delicious cream inside.

 

It was the kind of sweet treat that made my eyes roll back into my head and I sank into my seat....
 

...if I hadn't lifted my arm to take another bite, people may have started to get concerned.

 

Oh, and they make some pretty perfect cakes too.

Costeaux's. Good stuff.

 

So, we took a couple day break and before we knew it, it was the day before we were set to leave...

...is there anything more depressing than the day before your last day on vacation?...

...I mean aside from the obvious stuff, like divorce or hunger, or death. 

Just sayin'.  Going home is no fun.
 

Our last bakery on the tour was the one I was most looking forward to.  I had purchased a cookbook from the best bookstore ever in downtown Sebastopol; Copperfield Books.  Its the cutest, coziest bookstore ever, and every time we visit, we go there and I buy a cookbook.  It's just my thang.

This is the cookbook I splurged on this trip... 

I spent $50 on this cookbook because I really, really wanted it.

You can imagine how happy I was to see that I could have bought it online for $23.00 when I searched for this picture to show you.

What. Ever.

 

Anyways, after reading through the entire book and drooling over ever picture in this thing, I decided to look up to see where exactly it was located...

It was located in Yountville, CA...and hour away from where we were.

 

We had to go.

 

So that oh so sad second to last day was the day I decided we would go to Bouchon Bakery.  Did I mention I was even more excited to go here because the owner was the same guy who owns
The French Laundry? 
 

Oh, you don't know what the French Laundry is?  Its a super expensive, super high end restaurant that only mobsters, movie stars, and the guy who owns Virgin Airlines can go to.
 

Those are facts and in no way am I being dramatic.
 

So, after a beautiful drive through Napa valley, we had made it to Bouchon bakery...

 

 

 I unloaded the girls as quickly as I could, and with one kid under each arm, I power walked myself and them across the street straight up to the front doors.

 

I took a deep breath and walked inside...

I pretty sure I blacked out for a moment after walking in.  All I remember is walking in, seeing all the deliciousness, then before I knew it we were all seated outside with bag upon bag of baked goods...

...no one seemed to complain about the abundance of goodies.

 

 

 

I see your caramel macaron, and I raise you one espresso macaron....

Actually, just give me both.

Seriously, just give it.

 

Mom, I'm not kidding! I WILL bite your hand if you try to take my raspberry Macaron!

 

Everything we purchased was delicious but even I couldn't finish it all.  The croissant was delish, the Pain au Chocolate (not pictured) was divine, all the macarons were perfect, and my little ladies really enjoyed their OhOh's. (Bouchon's gourmet version of the HoHo)

 

All my bakery stops were awesome and I loved seeing the diversity when it came to baked goods. I learned a few things and I hope to be able to try out some new recipes and techniques soon at my own bakery. 

 

I love bakeries.

 

 I may have eaten my weight in butter and sugar during that trip, but I'm not complaining...

 

...well maybe just a little when I try to get my pants up...

 

But let's not go there.

 

 

:) Ashley

 

 

Oh, and while I was stuffing my gob with pastries outside Bouchon, a little birdy told me that

 The French Laundry was just down the road...

 

Hmmmmmm...

 

 

So what did I do?

 

I took a picture of course.

 

The French Laundry has this famous blue front door...

 

 (I did not take this picture, as I am a coward)

 

 ..but ironically, its around the back side of the building, and I'm pretty sure someone was guarding it...so I settled for a quick snapshot with the sign out front....

 

...a picture with the blue door seemed too risky...

 

... and I'm not cut out for jail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



California Part 3: Seriously Good Eats...and a bowl of rigatoni I'd leave my husband for...

Well how's your Tuesday going?

 

It's raining here. Not so great for business, but good for blogging!

 

So today I want to tell you a bit about the dining portion of our trip to the land of Milk and Honey.

 

I've never eaten better in my life than any of the times I've been to California.  I tell ya', they know what they're doing.  All the organic ingredients and wine doesn't hurt either.

 

So on we go!

 

California Part 3:

Good Eats!

 

During vacations, I eat an extremely large amount of food. When I say a lot, I mean it to the fullest extent.  You know how cows just graze and graze and graze all day long? ...

...Now blend that with one of those competitive eaters...

That is me on a vacation.
 
I love to eat. I am a firm believer that a good meal is the best way to a persons heart.  Amongst all the amazing grub we annihilated on this trip, there were a few meals that really stood out enough to me that I felt it necessary to be that lady at the table snapping pictures of her food.

 

If that doesn't scream "I'm a visitor" then I don't know what does.

 

Now, although we ate at many restaurants, cafes, bakeries, markets, food trucks, troughs, etc...there are two in particular that I want to share with you.  They were just so delicious that I felt they needed to be given a little extra attention...

...much like my waistline now needs...

First off...

 

"Rustic"

Francis Ford Coppolas restaurant at his Vineyard.

 

This place is awesome. My husband and I came here during one other visit and the deliciousness of that meal has stuck with us ever since.  Its a pretty cool place. While you wait for your table you can check out the gift shop/museum of all the props and cool stuff from all of Coppolas movies, but that's for another post.

 

As we walked up the castle-like steps to the restaurant the aroma of wine was extremely prominent and by the time we hit the doors, I was buzzed.

 

 I'm not sure what's up with this picture, but now I know what I'd look like if one
 of my parents had been Chinese.

We made our way in, oohed and aahed over the Godfather props, and then were sat at our outdoor table under the vine and café light covered trellis.  It was a little chilly that night, so it was really nice when we noticed that there were heaters outside. It was perfecto.  The very skinny waitress who obviously didn't dine often at her place of business came over to our table with our menus and a little brown paper bag that contained two Zeppole.  

For those of you who don't know, zeppole are little tiny savory donuts. 

I hadn't eaten in almost an hour at this point and therefore couldn't manage to wait another 5 seconds to take a picture without taking a bite.
 

We ordered our wine and our meals shortly after and then sat back and enjoyed the view of the vineyards while waiting on our entrees. 

I personally enjoyed a little people watching too...mainly the couple that was sat next to us.  They were an odd couple to say the least.  She was a very tall and thin trendy gal with wild, firey red hair and a giant rock on her finger. He was dressed like a salesman who probably took blood pressure meds and was a member of a Fantasy Golf league. This was a fine dining restaurant, and you could tell they were regulars because their waiter came up and asked if they would like their "usual".  They replied with a bit of a snooty "Yes" and then the waiter scurried off to enter in their order.  Not more than 10 minutes later their meals arrived...

...she had an entire pizza to herself, and he had a burger with fries with an extra side of fries and a Coke.  He ate every single speck of his food, she ate none of hers, and then they were gone.  It was just odd.

Anyways, when our food came I was officially famished and near death.  I ordered the New York strip with veggies which was absolutely divine. My husband ordered the meal he had been dreaming about for 2 years.. the meal he has repeatedly asked me to make for him on a nightly basis... the meal that all of his other meals now have to stand up to...

(tough, dude....you're gettin' Kraft Mac just like the rest of us)

...the Rack of Lamb.

 

 

He was a happy boy....

 

...my jokes about him devouring a baby lamb didn't even phase him.

 

We sat in silence, smiling like simpletons, slowing savoring our meals bite by bite, like parents with small children and a free babysitter for the night tend to do. 

 

That was a great meal. One that I shall longingly daydream about every time my children con me into making them corndogs for dinner.

 

The second of the two meals I want to share with you was nothing short of heaven on Earth.

 

Diovola Pizza.

 

Seriously... Heaven.

 

I had to control the urge to weep at several different points during this meal and at one point I'm pretty sure I saw the virgin Mary in the corner...

 

..she was eating pizza too.

 

 

This awesome little pizza place is set in Geyserville, CA which is seriously one of the cutest towns I've seen.  It's very tiny. The whole downtown main street is dotted with adorable little shops and old school touches.

 

Like this Mercantile. 

 

There really should be dirt roads and horses tied up outside.

 

And little modern touches, like this super tiny wine shop with this very lovely and intriguing oversized yellow door.

 

Just a little ways down the road from the yellow door was Diovola'a.  They had just opened for the day so we were the first ones in.  We were sat in the center of the room with a good view of the big brick oven in the kitchen, as well as the big window up front.  This place specializes in pizza but I'm going to go out on a limb and say they dabble in curing meats as well...

 

I love restaurants that give you bread or chips while you wait.  After all, the only thing I love better than eating, is free food.  The freebie at this place was these tall skinny, crispy parmesan bread sticks they had displayed in mason jars. 

 

Super cute. 

 

My children devoured these things like candy and luckily our waitress kept 'em coming for my two little ravenous beasts.

 

 

Cheese!!!

Olive and her new baby camera she got for her birthday.

Food blogger in the making? I think so.

 

First up. Salads.

 

I chose this warm greens salad that came loaded with walnuts, goat cheese, crispy pork belly and an over easy egg on top, all drizzled with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

It was so good, that if I could have made out with it, I would have...

 

...but you know what they say about having egg on your face...

...and no, I did not share and I don't feel bad about it.

 

 

Next on the docket was our pizza and this amazing dish of rigatoni that the waitress said they were famous for...

 

...I understand completely why she said that. I may have loved the pasta more than the pizza.  The tomato sauce was perfect. Tomatoey, herby, and just a little bit sweet and buttery.  And the meatballs...OHH the MEATBALLS!  They were made of pork and brisket.

 

Do I even need to go on?

 

They were so tender that they just fell apart, and that's when the magic happened.  After the meatballs crumbled under the pressure of my ravenous stare, each and every piece of the perfectly al dente rigatoni was then coated in this exceptional blend of tomato sauce and little flecks of brisket. 

 

I saw God that day.

 

Yes, I saw the Virgin Mary AND God...What of it?

Then there was the pizza.

Have you ever had a meal that was so stinkin' good that you figured you might as well just die now because no meal will ever live up to that one?

 

Ashley, don't you think you're being a bit dramatic?..

 

No damnit. It was that good.

 

Fire roasted red peppers, mushrooms, mozzarella, and MORE crispy pork belly.

 

Take me now God...

....yes, I'll wait while you finish your rigatoni.

 

 

So there you have it. The two best meals I had on our trip.

 

It's meals like these that really make me want to open a small fine dining, yet non fussy restaurant like this one....

 

....but then again, I probably wouldn't be allowed inside because I'd constantly be eating all the merchandise...

 

:) Ashley

 

 

 

 

 



California Part 2: Hardcore Espresso

Hey there.

Today's blog will again be brought to you by myself, and the sunny state of California.

So on we move, to...

California
Part 2: Hardcore Espresso

So, there is this place in California that I absolutely love.  It's one of those little tiny café/coffee shop/bakery type places that we have all been to at least once in our life. The kind of place that steals your heart the second you step foot inside. The kind of place that you miss when you have to leave, and that you can't wait to get back to one day. The kind of place that makes you feel like no one you know will ever stumble upon, so it's like your dirty little secret...

 It's called Starbucks.

Teeheehee. Nah, I'm just yanking your chain. 

This little magical place of mine is called, Hardcore.

 

 

This place is literally, an open air shack on the corner of the highway in the little town of Sebastopol.  I suppose you can't even really call it a hole in the wall, because it has no walls...

 

...well, technically the tiny corner that the two baristas nestle into is against a wall, but it's the wall of a condemned, roof caving in, bum-housing building that I'm actually quite shocked is even still standing.   

 

The "coffee shop" itself, is outside, against one wall of the aforementioned death trap. They have a makeshift roof/awning type ceiling made from tin scraps, and a few posts that hold it up on the corners.

 

I get a little nervous whenever there's a slight breeze.

 

 

 

There are layers upon layers of old and new flyers from any and all events that have ever happened in the area. Concerts, farmers markets, fundraisers, shop openings, hippie reunions, and even Zombie Prom 4. I tell you, if it's happening, you can read about it on a random post at Hardcore.

 

 

You can also do a little junking while you're waiting for your most perfect cup of the hard stuff.

 

 

Yes, the folks at Hardcore like to help out those of us in need...

 

....apparently those of us in need of a 1984 Green Giant cookbook, old jeans, or a copy of Time magazine explaining why that cute Asian baby on the cover is going to live to be over 100.

 

They're practically Doctors without Borders.

 

Hardcore also likes to stimulate the ole' thinker by writing trivia questions on a dry erase board for you to ponder while you wait. They have 3 or 4 new questions every day, and I have yet to EVER get one right. I'm not sure where or who they get to generate these brain busters every day, but I always leave there feeling just a little bit dumb...

 

 

 

...but then I sip from my 20 oz. Vanilla Double Shot Lattucino and I don't feel bad about myself anymore....

 

...just stupid and happy :)

 

Hey, I didn't do too shabby on the sample Mensa test in the back of the Skymall magazine on the plane. 

 

But enough about the trivia questions, the junk shop, or the constant fear of being buried alive under scrap metal, flyers, and coffee grinds.

 

Let's talk espresso.

 

Hardcore makes the best cup of espresso or any espresso related drink that you can imagine. I'm not sure what kind of rigged up machine they have back in that little corner, but it puts out some seriously perfect stuff.  Every cup I've ever had, is always strong, but smooth. It has just a hint of sweet and always has perfect crema on top...

 

Crema: the foamy stuff on top of coffee drinks that cool baristas draw leaves and hearts, and little ghosts into.

 

It's just the best coffee ever. There's really nothing else I can say. If you want to add some stuff to it from their high class coffee condiment table, feel free, but it really doesn't need it.

 

 

 

Oh Hardcore. I can't wait to visit when I arrive, and I miss it terribly when I leave.  I always enjoy trying to conquer the Trivia board, and when that fails miserably, I love people watching.  There is always a very interesting cast of characters hanging out at this place. The last time we went before we left there was a construction worker, an old hippie woman who I think dabbled in sorcery, and an extremely tan 70 year old biker guy.  They were sitting together chatting like they'd known each other forever and a day. 

 

It's the espresso that brings them together.

 

...and maybe the half smoked doobies laying everywhere..

 

But for the sake of keeping this a family blog, we'll stick with the espresso theory.

 

 

:) Ashley

 

 

On a side note:

 

I would have loved to have seen the expression on my husbands face when I yelled to him from across the house...

 

Me: "Honey!"

Him: "yeah?"

Me: "How to do you spell Doobie?!"

 

*crickets*

 

Him: *with a serious, unaffected tone*..."Like Doobie Brothers? or like a joint?"

 

It's official... My random, off the wall questions can no longer shock him....