Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Another Treat from Tartine

I've been off this week, and I guess I'm on a "staycation" since I haven't traveled anywhere and just hung out at home. But despite being home, I feel like I've spent as much money and ate as much food as if I were on vacation.

And it looks like getting together with friends, especially anywhere near the Mission District's 18th Street corridor, means a visit to Bi-Rite Creamery for some ice cream and then a trip to Tartine Bakery. It's like an annual trip now for me. This time I spotted a girl carrying a plate with this beautiful-looking cake. When I got to the counter, I found out it was a lemon meringue cake (that's right, not a pie) and picked up a piece for myself to take home.

The layered cake was just like eating a meringue pie with the tart and dense lemon cake with layers of curd. But I found my favorite part was the meringue, which is surprising because I generally think of the meringue as a puff of air and tasteless. This was fluffy and subtly sweet and I think I could have just eaten that.

So as you can see, I've been eating all the sugar before the new year begins. Hope you're all having a great last day of 2008, and here's to more fluffy meringues in 2009!


7 comments:

Nate @ House of Annie said...

Mmm, now you're making me hungry for some cake!

Happy New Year!

Passionate Eater said...

Happy New Year Ben! I think you've just inspired me to get another treat from Tartine as well, to usher in 2009!

Anonymous said...

You're killing me with these cake photos! Gawd, as if I haven't eaten way too much sugar already this holiday season. But this cake looks like it just melts in your mouth. Mmmm!

Anonymous said...

sounds good. Thanks Ben.

When are you going to try the NEW ice cream place: Humphry Slocombe in SF?

Happy New Year!

Single Guy Ben said...

I almost tried that new ice cream place this past weekend. I was in the Dogpatch with some friends and knew the ice cream store just opened, but forgot the name (I mean, really, how easily does Humphry Slocombe roll off the tongue?) and I didn't have the address, so we ended up going to Bi-Rite, thus the trip to Tartine. :)

Anonymous said...

wow that cake looks fantastic. i am not a big pie person so that as a piece of cake makes me want a big fat slice

Carroll said...

Happy New Year, Chef Ben! May the year ahead be very good to you and yours :-)