New York City Dessert Extravaganza

No matter how full we are, women always leave extra room in their stomach for dessert. I don't have a huge sweet tooth except for my weakness for frozen yogurt. Luckily, there is an abundance of dessert cafe in New York City to satisfy my cravings. I stumbled upon a small Japanese bakery in Midtown East called Cafe Zaiya, where I purchased a swirl of Green Tea & Sesame soft-serve ice cream ($4.50).

The ice cream was a bit overpriced for the size, but I have absolutely no regret about getting this delicious treat. The sesame flavor was a bit overpowering that I couldn't taste the green tea flavor, but that was fine because I much preferred the sesame flavor anyways. The ice cream melted really quickly in the heat.

My friend and I went to an indoor market in Chelsea Market, where we found a booth that serves instant s'more. When you order one, they use the fire to melt the marshmallow and press them in between gingerbread-like graham crackers.

The s'mores were about the size of a small palm. There was a piece of dark chocolate underneath the marshmallow. The graham crackers were dusted with bits of sugar.

We walked around a bit and found these petite, alcohol-infused cupcakes. The cake itself didn't have any alcohol taste, but I could definitely taste some rum in the frosting. This chocolate cupcake with peanut butter brittle, I think, was the only non-alcohol cupcake. Just for the minors ;)

Both the blue and the yellow cupcakes had alcohol in them. I don't quite remember what they were made of, however.

I also bought a trio of desserts and brought it home for later. Clockwise from top are Red Velvet Cupcake from Sprinkles Cupcakes, Steamed Green Tea Bread from Cafe Zaiya, and Yakimochi also from Cafe Zaiya. The Yakimochi is baked glutinous rice stuffed with sweet red bean paste. The glutinous rice was chewy with slightly crunchy exterior, and I could definitely taste the sesames. The red bean filling wasn't too sweet.

Sprinkles Cupcake, the world's first cupcake bakery that opened its first store in Beverly Hills, prides in its handcrafted delicacies made from finest ingredients, "including sweet cream butter, bittersweet Belgian chocolate, pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, fresh bananas and carrots, real strawberries, and natural citrus zests.

The Red Velvet Cupcake I had was decorated with a piece of sugared clover leaf. This is its most popular cupcake made from Callebaut cocoa and red hue, and topped with rich cream cheese frosting. To be honest, I thought both the cake and the frosting was overly sweet. The cake was quite dense.

The Steamed Green Tea Bread with red bean fillings was really fluffy. Like the cupcake from Sprinkles, this bread was also dense and heavy.

Even though the top of the bread was moist, the bottom layer was dry. I would have liked the bread to have lighter, more "steamed" feel to it. The green tea flavor wasn't very strong at all.

The bread was filled with red bean paste like the yakimochi, but it wasn't as packed. Eating this whole bread could probably substitute as a meal, both in terms of calories as well as in satisfaction.

The final dessert is my own personal twist on an ice cream sundae. There are two scoops of Dreyer's fat free vanilla frozen yogurt, a handful of Honey Bunches of Oats with almond slices, and a drizzle of honey.

I had to eat this fast before the cereal got soggy. I didn't like the drizzle of honey because it didn't add much flavor. Besides, the ice cream itself was already sweet enough. I realized that ice cream is best in its purest form.

Colorful Vegetable Frittatas and Pistachio Meringue at Tatte

Kendall Square is home to a couple vintage coffee shops and bakery, including Tatte Bakery & Cafe. I don't have a huge appetite for baked goods (or at least I try to resist them), but I decided to check out Tatte because I heard the cafe also has a great lunch menu. Tatte offers an outdoor dining option, which is perfect for the sunny days in the summer.

I got this picture from Tatte's blog, but when I got there around 12:30pm, the place was completely packed that we actually had to wait for a couple minutes to find a place to sit down for two people. The bakery had an extensive display of cookies, pastries, and other sweets in addition to a full lunch menu that includes sandwiches, salad, and plates.

My friend and I decided to have dessert first. We ordered two Pistachio Meringues, which were served on a china plate with flowers. Perfect for a tea party?

Each meringue was about the size of a fist. It was sprinkled with toasted pistachio. The meringue itself didn't taste like pistachio, so I am guessing it was just a plain vanilla one. The meringue was crispy and light.

We were about half way through our meringue when the waiter brought our orders. My friend's Balkani ($8) is a roasted eggplant, feta, fresh basil, tomato, and pesto sandwich served on Ciabatta bread.

The sandwich was served on a wooden cutting board, which gave off the aura of freshness. The square-shaped Ciabatta bread seemed pretty dense. It was served as an open sandwich, with one side of the bread smothered with pesto and the other topped with basil and feta cheese.



I had Vegetable Frittata ($13), a colorful assortment of housemade vegetable frittatas served with creamy yogurt sauce and fresh cucumbers. The three vegetables were sweet potato, zucchini, and cauliflower.

I was afraid the dish might be too heavy for lunch, but the frittatas were super light and fluffy! I loved the slightly mushy texture of them. Each frittata also had a distinct taste of its respective vegetable. I think my favorite was the sweet potato. The only downside about the dish was that the frittatas were topped with large chunks of sea salt that made the flavors too strong.

 

Tous Les Jours: Bread That Was Too Sweet

In the U.S., bread is eaten as a staple with the main dish. In Korea, it is considered a dessert. I bought two different types of bread from Tous Les Jour, a ubiquitous Korean bakery that has expanded its market in the U.S.

The first bread I bought is 단호박찰고구마빵, or sweet pumpkin and sweet potato bread with glutinous rice inside. Because of the coldness, the glutinous rice that is supposed to be chewy became really hard. I had to make a decision: to reheat it or not at the sake of damp bread for a chewier rice cake filling?

I decided to pop it in the microwave for a minute. The rice cake became chewy, but the bread became too moist and then damp. Oh well.

The bread was way, way too sweet, especially since I was eating it for lunch. Ugh, I immediately regretted eating flour-based food again after last night's flour feast. The bread dough didn't taste like sweet pumpkin/potato at all--it only had a hint of yellow color. The glutinous rice hardened really fast, and the sporadic bits of raisins added to the sweetness of the bread. On top of the bread were extremely buttery bread crumbs that left stain on my fingers.

Below is another shot of the bread that I found online. For someone who loves glutinous rice, there was too little in the bread.

The next bread I tried was 흑미호떡, or black rice pancake with glutinous rice cake.

This bread had a dollop of brown sugar syrup in the middle. Even without microwaving it, the bread was still dry and too fluffy. The glutinous rice cake inside was also thin and had some red beans.

Again, I wasn't a fan of this bread either. Maybe the bread would have tasted better if I wasn't so sick of flour. Oh dear, my stomach is seriously mad at me right now... :(

Le Pain Quotidien: A Sweet Meal

I spent Thanksgiving 2011 at a friend's house in Connecticut. Because our friendship strengthened as a result of our mutual love of food, we naturally went to lots of delicious eateries and restaurants. We went to a chain cafe/bakery, Le Pain Quotidien, where I ordered the most delicious tartini (open faced sandwiches): Ricotta with mission figs, black pepper & organic acacia honey.

Not only did the dish have a great presentation, but it was also so tasty! Every bite of the four triangular pieces left me wanting for more. The sweetness of the fig, the drizzled honey, and the ricotta cheese salad fared perfectly with the tomatoes and the rustic bread. Yes, I am lactose intolerant and my stomach boggles whenever I eat cheese, but I am willing to sacrifice my upset stomach for this delicious tartini any time!

My compatriots had the Smoked Salmon & Scallion Omelettes and the Paris Ham & Gruyère Omelettes, which I am sure were equally as fantastic.


In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we ordered a slice of pumpkin pie to share. The crust, which I always take apart since it's usually too buttery and greasy, was the highlight. It had just the right amount of crunch and softness, if that makes sense. The pumpkin puree wasn't overly sweet and I could actually taste the hint of pumpkin. An excellent way to top off a delicious meal.

Audrey's friend's mom got berry tarts and lemon tarts, but I didn't eat them. I personally don't really like tarts though.

The Beautiful Life of a Gourmet: The Barn Bake Studio & Cafe

There are a few perks of being a journalist, such as getting to interview celebrities (I'm only considering the "fun" perks, not the serious I-get-to-be-the-voice-for-the-voiceless). On the other hand, there are numerous perks for a food reporter, especially if you are a big foodie like I am.

My mentor at Chosun Ilbo is the food reporter for the newspaper. As a result, he knows lots of people in the food business and visits lots of restaurants, bakeries, cafes, etc. Today he invited me and one other intern to a newly opened bakery called "The Barn Bake Studio & Cafe."

Upon entering the bakery, I could see the bakers decorating cakes and baking bread at an open kitchen. The bakery, which opened today (July 18), features studio style open kitchen. Now, I am just going to translate whatever I wrote in Korean for the bakery review into English for this blog.

The Barn Bake Studio & Cafe, a bakery where you can watch the bread and cookies being baked, opened its doors on July 18. With its wooden walls, studio-style open kitchen, and peaceful atmosphere, the bakery arouses the visitors' taste buds.

The visitors can observe the bakers decorating cakes and baking bread in its open kitchen, taking into consideration the careful preparation and effort that goes into making this high-quality bread. On top of a wooden table are brown sugar cubes and two types of jam in bowls. You feel like you are at a romantic French cafe because of the serene, foreign music in the background. The cafe also has a quiet side room where visitors can read.

Inside the glass case are three types of colorful macaroons, mango mousse that you want to poke with a fork, eclair that makes your mouth water, and other high-quality dessert.

The first dessert I tried is the macaroon ($1.75 a piece). The size of this macaroon is so small that it easily fits in one hand and can be eaten in one bite. At the Barn, there are rose, coffee, and vanilla flavors. I tried the vanilla macaroon. As soon as I opened the packaging, I could smell the strong vanilla flavor. When I put it in my mouth, the outside slightly shattered, but the crispy outside was contrasted with the chewy inside. The soft, sweet vanilla cream melted when it touched the tip of my tongue. Though the macaroon tasted delicious, its vanilla flavor was so strong that my stomach would hurt if I ate more than two.

The next dessert I tried was the eclair cafe ($2.50). The eclair, with its plain appearance, reminded me of the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." On top is a layer of caramel icing, with coffee cream filling inside. The eclair wasn't damp, but crispy. The coffee filling was too rich that if I ate it too much, the eclair, like the macaroon, would make my stomach nauseous.

The caramel pound cake ($3.50) was in an individual package by slice. The caramel syrup on top made it sweet as well as sticky. The pound cake was moist, but also made me thirsty. Besides the caramel pound, there were pistachio and banana walnut pound cake. I don't think this menu was worth the price.

Next I tried a mango mousse with the cute name "CoCo Passion." This was one of my favorite desserts. I had to eat this circular mousse with a fork or a spoon. The top 3/5 was pastel yellow mango mousse, and the bottom 2/5 was white cream. At a first glimpse, it looked like an egg. Between the mousse and the cream was thin vanilla cake. The taste of white cream that melts in your mouth like snow and soft vanilla cake was a match made in heaven.

The baguette ($2) made with French flour tasted great with the jam on top of the wooden table. I could taste the berry bits in the berry jam made with five different berries. This jam wasn't too sweet and enhanced the plain flavor of the baguette. On the other hand, the sour grapefruit-orange jam hid the flavor of the baguette completely. The ends of the baguette was too hard that I couldn't eat it.

The next fermented bread I tried was cranberry campagne ($3). This bread, enjoyed by many Europeans, means "Country bread." The outside looks rustic and as hard as a rock, but hidden inside is chewy bread with cranberries. In addition, the cream cheese inside the circular cranberry bread added additional flavor. The soft inside was different from plain white bread or pound cake. One regrettable thing about this bread was that the crispy outside was too thick. This bread also tasted great with jam.

I only had one mouthful of the croissant and chocolate croissant. The crispy outside looked as though someone layered it with shiny oil. As soon as I ripped a piece, my finger became super greasy. The bread is definitely not good for the health. The inside was soft with a little bit of salty flavor.

The Barn features 6 to 7 types of bread at a time, in addition to cookies, pound cake, macaroon, madaleine, gift set, and jam. You can also enjoy wine with bread. The Barn is opened M~F from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 to 6 (closed on Sunday). The Barn is giving a free cup of Americano coffee to all visitors for its opening event.

A Delicious Affair: Happy So-Poong-Yee (해피 소뿡이)

Today I indulged in the thrill of biting into something I have never had before. We stopped by a small take-out only eatery in Daehawkro (College Road) called Happy So-Poong-Yee, which sells two slices of toast filled with different fillings that range from savory toppoki, bulgogi, sauasage, and pizza fillings to sweet red bean, pumpkin, and potato fillings, and then pressed into a fish-shaped mold.

There were two types of bread: regular toast and pastry bread. I saw the nutrition facts and the latter had more than 3 times the fat as the former! According to a leaflet, pastry sopoongyee is better if you aren't eating it right away because the toast gets soggier faster. When we came to the store, the workers were busily making the pastry sopoongyees.

We were the first customer of the day. We wanted to try a little bit of everything, so we ordered pizza, toppoki, potato, and sweet pumpkin in vanilla ice cream with cereal flakes. As soon as we made our order, the worker began to fit the slice into the fish mold, poured in different fillings, and topped it with another slice.

After pressing the bread for about 5 minutes, the toast finally transformed into a fish!

Look how happy I look...haha.

My brother ordered the Pizza So-poong-yee. I had a bite and it tasted a lot better than the pizza bread at a typical Korean bakery. The pizza filling tasted just like the pizza sauce, minus the greasy cheese.

Mom ordered the Potato Sopoongyee, which had a scoop of potato salad inside. I only tasted the corn, and it was a little creamy-ish because of the mayo.

My sweet pumpkin sopoongyee with ice cream. I was sad the ice cream wasn't a frozen yogurt because it was a bit too heavy. The sweet pumpkin filling was too overpowering, sugary, and dry. I would have actually preferred less filling, or the filling to be spread around the fish more so it's not only in the middle.

We also shared a toppoki sopoongyee. It was too spicy and cheesy. I probably won't be eating another sopoongyee any time soon, not necessarily because I didn't enjoy them, but because I want to try more food that I have never had since my time in Korea is limited.