Tag Archives: Southport Grocery and Cafe

Jan 05 2015
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Dessert Trends

Dessert Wish List

Grilled Coffee Cake from Southport Grocery and Cafe

Grilled Coffee Cake from Southport Grocery and Café – Photo Courtesy of Southport Grocery and Café (Chicago)

Around this time last year I devoted a posting to favorite desserts of mine that, sadly, are no longer available.  I’ll be more optimistic this year, and instead, will focus on desserts which I hope will start receiving the attention they deserve.

Here’s my Dessert Wish List:

Buttercup Bake Shop's Blueberry Coffee Cake - Photo Courtesy of Buttercup Bake Shop (NY)

Buttercup Bake Shop’s Blueberry Coffee Cake – Photo Courtesy of Buttercup Bake Shop (NYC)

  • Coffee Cake:  It’s funny—when I was younger I didn’t give Coffee Cake a second glance.  It was the rich, fancy desserts that captured my fancy.  While I still enjoy gooey desserts, now I often find myself craving Coffee Cake.  And lest anyone think Coffee Cake is only a “Plain Jane” dessert, the image at the top of this posting, of Southport Grocery’s Grilled Coffee Cake, shows that Coffee Cake can certainly be gussied up. My wish is to see Coffee Cake appear more frequently on restaurant/bakery menus and to change its image—from that of a brunch/breakfast food only to one of a Dessert that can be enjoyed any time.  (Also see the Dessert Surveillance posting on Coffee Cake.)

 

Graeter's Mocha Chocolate Chip Ice Cream - Photo Courtesy of Graeter's (Cincinnati)

Graeter’s Mocha Chocolate Chip Ice Cream – Photo Courtesy of Graeter’s (Cincinnati)

  • Coffee-Based Desserts:  Granted, this is a very broad category, encompassing Coffee Ice Cream, Mocha Cake, Espresso Cookies and Biscotti, Chocolate Bars with Coffee, and much more.  In addition to relishing the jolt from the java, I adore the taste of Coffee, and think it enhances most desserts.   One of my favorite Coffee Desserts is Graeter’s Mocha Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.  Since Coffee pairs so beautifully with so many dessert ingredients, my wish is for the rich tang of Coffee to be found in all manner of desserts—from fancy pastries to homey Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brownies to luxurious cream-based Desserts. 
A Slice of Tres Leches Cake from Ruggles Cafe Bakery - Photo Courtesy of Ruggles Cafe Bakery (Houston)

A Slice of Tres Leches Cake from Ruggles Cafe Bakery – Photo Courtesy of Ruggles Cafe Bakery (Houston)

  • Tres Leches Cake:  I can’t overlook one of my favorite Milk/Cream-based Desserts—Tres Leches Cake, a Cake made with three different types of Milk/Cream.  It’s one of these simple Desserts that’s just amazing.  Of course it can be spruced up so it’s no longer simple. My all-time favorite Tres Leches Cake sported a Cheesecake layer, in addition to a Raspberry filling.  And, unfortunately, it’s no longer available at my local Mexican restaurant although a Salted Caramel Tres Leches Cake is on the menu.  My wish is for Tres Leches Cakes to be available at most bakeries and restaurants.

 

Tiny Tarts from Dufflet Pastries - Photo Courtesy of Dufflet Pastries (Toronto)

Tiny Tarts from Dufflet Pastries – Photo Courtesy of Dufflet Pastries (Toronto)

  • Smaller-Size Portions of Desserts:  Anyone who reads the Dessert Surveillance blog knows that I’m a Dessert Glutton—I just love Desserts and can’t get enough of them.  To prevent my cholesterol level and weight from skyrocketing, I try to ration my dessert intake.  (Of course during the holidays, I’ve been a bit, shall we say, lax, in my rationing, but I digress.) That’s why I welcome the smaller-size dessert trend.  It saves me from having to cut a Dessert in half and either enjoying the 2nd half the next day or trashing the 2nd half.  To be brutally honest—it’s not so much that the smaller size saves me fat, calories, and sugar.  It’s more that I can indulge in two desserts instead of one!
Small Pastries from Wanda's Pie in the Sky - Photo Courtesy of Wanda's Pie in the Sky (Toronto)

Small Pastries from Wanda’s Pie in the Sky – Photo Courtesy of Wanda’s Pie in the Sky (Toronto)

All the best wishes for a wonderful 2015 filled with delicious Desserts!

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Apr 20 2014
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Cake, Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake

Sour Cream Coffee Cake from Jim & Patty's Coffee (Portland, OR) - Photo Courtesy of Jim & Patty's Coffee

Sour Cream Coffee Cake from Jim & Patty’s Coffee (Portland, OR) – Photo Courtesy of Jim & Patty’s Coffee

 

Years ago, the cakes I drooled over were gooey – rich with filling, frosting, and cream.  Now I find myself gravitating more to Bundt Cakes and Coffee Cakes. (Lest anyone become alarmed, this is NOT to say I’ve sworn off gooey cake.)

Of course the age-old question is “Why isn’t Coffee Cake made with Coffee?” After all, there’s Chocolate in Chocolate Cake.  Well, one theory is, since this Cake was often served with Coffee, it was given the name “Coffee Cake.”

Let’s start at the beginning.  What is Coffee Cake?  It’s a sweet cake-like bread typically eaten at breakfast or brunch, and sometimes served warm.  Coffee Cakes often sport streusel toppings – crumbly mixtures of flour, sugar, butter, and spices.  To liven up Coffee Cakes, they may be filled with cinnamon and sugar or even cream cheese.

How popular is Coffee Cake?  And what varieties are out there?

The Sugar Cube's "Crack Coffee Cake" - Photo Courtesy of The Sugar Cube (Portland, OR)

The Sugar Cube’s “Crack Coffee Cake” – Photo Courtesy of The Sugar Cube (Portland, OR)

Kirsten Jensen of The Sugar Cube, based in Portland, Oregon, said the Coffee Cake is one of the most popular breakfast items. In fact, it’s called “Crack Coffee Cake” because it’s so addictive – people keep coming back for it.  Crack Coffee Cake has a moist Coffee Cake base, studded with liberal amounts of seasonal fruit.  It’s flavored with spices such as Saigon cinnamon, ginger, fresh nutmeg, and cardamom.   And it’s topped with toasted pecans, brown butter, more spices, and oats.  Kirsten believes it’s all about the crunchy topping.  She thinks Coffee Cake evokes memories of conversations had while sitting around the family breakfast table.

Crumb Cake from Sweet Sam's (New York City) - Photo Courtesy of Sweet Sam's

Crumb Cake from Sweet Sam’s (New York City) – Photo Courtesy of Sweet Sam’s

Sweet Sam’s, a New York City-based bakery that ships nationwide, offers five types of Coffee Cakes.  The most popular Coffee Cake is the Crumb Cake – its cake base is piled high with crumbs.   Taking 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th places respectively are:  Coffee Streusel Cake (with a filling of finely chopped walnuts, cinnamon, and sugar); Blueberry Crumb Cake (blueberries are in the cake base and the topping); Apple Crumb Cake (diced apples are in the cake base and sliced apples are in the topping); and Chocolate Chip Crumb (semi- sweet chocolate chips are scattered throughout the cake base and topping).

New York City-based sugar Sweet sunshine has “The Real Deal” Coffee Cake on its line-up and it’s one of the most popular breakfast Cakes.  Peggy, one of the co-owners, thinks its popularity is due largely to its cinnamon swirl.

The Andersonville Coffee Cake from Swedish Bakery (Chicago, IL) - Photo Courtesy of the Swedish Bakery

The Andersonville Coffee Cake from Swedish Bakery (Chicago, IL) – Photo Courtesy of the Swedish Bakery

The Swedish Bakery specializes in European-style Pastries and Cakes. While this Chicago-based bakery typically offers 10 different Coffee Cakes in its store, customers can order any of the 35 Coffee Cakes on Swedish Bakery’s Coffee Cake line-up.  The most popular Coffee Cake is the Andersonville – named after the Chicago neighborhood in which the bakery has been located for more than 80 years.  The Andersonville, a Swedish Coffee Cake, has a cardamom dough base with almond and cinnamon fillings.  Pecan Streusel, Coconut Custard, Plain Streusel, and Chocolate Chip Streusel are some of the popular American-style Coffee Cakes.  The Swedish Bakery doesn’t plan to add any new Coffee Cakes this year.  According to Eliza Williamson, the General Manager, “We like to keep it simple and traditional for our customers.  They know what they want and we’ve got it!”

Grilled Coffee Cake from Southport Grocery and Café (Chicago, IL) - Photo Courtesy of Southport Grocery and Cafe

Grilled Coffee Cake from Southport Grocery and Café (Chicago, IL) – Photo Courtesy of Southport Grocery and Cafe

In the bakery case of Chicago-based Southport Grocery and Cafe, you can find Coffee Cake.  Southport’s version is made with sour cream.  In the Cafe you can also order Grilled Coffee Cake.  The Cake is cut in half and house-made cream cheese is added.  The Cake gets caramelized on the top and bottom, while the cream cheese melts.  Jake Davis of Southport thinks Coffee Cake is popular as it reminds us of our families and spending early morning hours huddled over a pan of fresh baked Coffee Cake.  And as Jake notes, while Coffee Cake is simple, you can add a little something to it, such as bacon crumble, fruit jam, etc., to take it to a whole new level without going overboard.

I’m ready to bake, or better yet, eat, Coffee Cake!

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