Jam Love

I've developed a deep love for making homemade jams.

On the menu for my first try:

1. strawberry with pomegranate wine

2. strawberry, mint, and black pepper

3. apple, honey, and almond. 

Wien Bakery

filled with  chestnuts, red bean, and other beans of a sweet variety

some sort of melted sugar, honey, pull-apart loaf (this was my favorite)

I have fond memories of visiting Seoul in the Summer and going to Wien Bakery with my aunt and eating one of their coffee flavored ice cream bars.  I've recently discovered that there is a Wien in Koreatown, and the space is actually very nice with an outdoor patio and garden party decor.  Thomas and I sat outside and had our morning coffee, sampling our various purchases.  There were several small birds around and the ground was still wet from the rain.  The whole thing was actually very sweet.  

They have a lot of Asian-European breads and pastries, decent coffee, and some sandwiches (usually slathered in mayo-think tuna salad, egg salad).  What I find interesting about Korean bakeries is their use of rice flour, usually in conjunction with red bean.  Very good.  Is it even a pastry anymore if you're substituting the flour for rice?  In any case, the results are a mochi-like chewiness, but heartier.  I think I'm going to make a habit of going there every Friday on the way to my internship.  

3035 W Olympic Blvd

Los Angeles, 90026

Crumbs Bake Shop

We walked past Crumbs Bake Shop in Larchmont Village after a Thai dinner.  It's a very tiny space that is mostly taken up by their selection of cupcakes, though they also have cookies and coffee.  Their cupcakes are larger than most and with more creative flavors than the more common chocolate and red velvet, though those are available as well.  Thomas wanted to get the Reese's cupcake, which probably wouldn't have been my choice ( I was hoping for the cappuccino).  In any case, the cupcake was delicious-one of the more moist cupcakes I've had.  I was expecting a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting but the batter was peanut flavored as well.  

216 N. Larchmont Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90004

The Griddle Cafe

Having a 1,200 calorie day-starter meal seems unholy but let's just assume we'll burn it off as the day goes by.  The Griddle Cafe specializes in pancakes mostly, their list extending from the basic buttermilk and then adding to that formula with things like crushed oreos and frosted flakes.  I ordered the Tis The Season pancakes which was their buttermilk batter mixed with pumpkin pie filling.  I had been talking to Janice and Nancy about pumpkin pie the week previous, so this seemed like a good idea.  I ordered the short stack but still couldn't finish half of one pancake.  The short stack comes with two pancakes approximately the size of a newborn infant.  I didn't even add syrup because the pancakes were sweet enough on their own.  Probably a bit too sweet for me.  On the plus side, the pancakes were very fluffy and hold up well to next-day microwaving.  Thomas ordered the french toast, which he claimed to be, "the best french toast I've ever had".  Okay. Probably the best part of the meal was their side order of griddled potatoes.  The side portion was spilling off the side of the plate and there was an excellent layer of burnt potato-stuff on the top.  The whole meal was pretty affordable and I'll probably go again, though I'm not exactly planning my next trip-I have to come down from my sugar high first.  But, I suppose it's telling that right after that meal, Thomas and I went directly to Kiss My Bundt.  

also, I apologize for the quality of my photos.  I keep forgetting my camera and so I've been using my phone camera

7916 Sunset Blvd

Hollywood, CA 90046

Kiss My Bundt

My cousin Julie and I went by Kiss My Bundt, and yes, the name is a little silly, but the cakes are completely adorable.  I don't know what it is about miniature things but I find them kind of irresistible. 

The bundts some in three sizes, the standard bundt cake size, baby bundt size, and the mini bundt size.  The cakes are decorated to order and are clearly labor intensive.  

The notable flavors were red velvet (most red velvets seem pretty overrated but this was particularly good), mocha, and carrot cake.   The chocolate cake was satisfying though not necessarily the stand-out.  

8104 W 3rd st

Los Angeles, CA 90048