Pastries & Bakeries in the Chicago area

[Jean Blanchard]

Thanks, Mark. I'm going to go to Bennisons's in Evanston on Saturday. I know they have great bread there because I just read that Pastoral Cheese in Chicago gets theirs from Bennison's and everything I've tried has been fabulous.

jb

[Wendy DeBord]

So.............what did you think of Bennisons? I made a special trip there last week myself looking for good bread.

I'll reserve my opinion for now.

[Jean Blanchard]

Wendy, We went to Bennison's and Rolf's on Saturday. First, I'm very jealous that we have nothing comparable in my area. I bought the chocolate croissant and it was perfect. The bread that I wanted (fennel with raisins) is not available there. I talked with the baker and he said that he only makes it for Pastoral Cheese because it doesn't sell at his bakery. He very generously went downstairs to see if he had any frozen that he could sell me but... no luck. If you ever get to Pastoral, call to see if they have any, it's great, especially with cheese. We bought an oatmeal bread and the cranberry nut bread and both were excellent. Nothing else looked appealing to me. I make a fair amount of bread from Carol Fields book and I didn't really see anything else there that looked better than what I can make but I was there late afternoon and they were running low. I can't really say that I know if I was looking at their entire selection.

At Rolf's, we went a little crazy. Their pastries are works of art. We bought a piece of cherry strudel and an assortment of small pastries. The only thing I didn't really care for was the lemon bar. At both places, I thought that the cookies looked like standard bakery cookies so I didn't try any. All in all, I'd go back to either place in a heartbeat. Maybe it's a good thing they're a little far for me to travel. I have a feeling it wouldn't be a good thing for my waistline.

So, what did you think of the bread?

[Wendy DeBord]

I was really shocked when I entered Bennisons. Nothing suggests that their bread and or baker is world class. I had expected baskets of bread to choose from. Thought it would probably resemble a European bakery (I brought my camera along to remember their items). I was hoping to see some framed write-ups about their baker........maybe see an award or two sitting proudly on their shelfs. But the reality wasn't what I had pictured/dreamed of in my head.

There were only 3 choices of bread on the counter to the right, and only a couple of each bread left. Then a bakers rack to your left which had a very limited selection of grocery store type pre-sliced white and wheat breads.

The bakery didn't smell of bread. It smelled like stale xxxsugar.

When you peer into their bakery from the outside window to the right of the door you look into their cake decorating room. The room is old, cramped, disorganized and messy. There's buckets of commercial cake fillings on the floor. It was not a pretty site to peer into.....

I agree on your take of their cookies. They looked exactly like every other bakeries butter cookies (do they make them themselves or buy these all from the same suppliers?), they looked liked they had been sitting there for a long time. I did purchase their black and white cookie to sample. I have never had a black and white cookie, so I was excited to try one. I think theirs was made with a mix it was cake like (don't know if that's the right texture or not), it wasn't like any cookies I've ever made.........and it was definately stale.

There wasn't much to buy and I had come prepared to spend! I wasn't going to buy a dunkin doughnut looking doughnut and that was there biggest selection of product in their cases besides the butter cookies. It was lunch time when I arrived and I had hoped they might have a crossiant sandwich or similar to take out.

I bought the black and white cookie, a small loaf of the cabatta bread and 1 crossiant and left the store dissapointed.

The crossiant was excellent. Had a great texture and taste. I wish I had purchased more. The cabatta was also excellent. I wish there had been more, I would have bought it to try.

The whole way home in my car I day dreamed about contacting them to see if they were interested in a pastry chef to help them out with their sweets (hell I'd help them for free just to watch them do breads). They had nothing interesting happening with their sweets. It didn't make any sense to me that a world class baker didn't have a world class store, even if his passion was breads and not sweets. I don't get why they don't feature his breads more and pay more attention to their merchandising. If he's not into sweets that's o.k. then go into bread and merchandise your store with items that pair up with your breads. I was hungry when I visited the shop around lunch time. There was nothing there to buy for lunch. Not even a wedge of cheese to go with their breads. They've seriously overlooked their using their store for generating sales. I was sad.

There was a dirty ole fondant wedding cake on display with-in reach of customers and it had been touched too many times, it could never sell a bride on that example.

I was bummed out. So much potential, so little done to show it.

[Jean Blanchard]

I pretty much agree with everything you've said. I would never have even gone into the place or examined the cases as closely as I did had I not had a recommendation from others here. The croissant really was the only pastry that held any interest for me but the breads that were available were quite good. I did see the shelf with white breads (he had a lot of those) and those are the ones that I felt were not worth bothering with but I didn't know if that just was my preference for more substantial loaves. The fact that he told me that he couldn't sell the fennel raisin bread at that store even though he agreed that it's one of the best breads he makes tells me that his clientele may be the problem? Now that I think about it, all of the breads he makes for Pastoral and much better looking than what he had at the bakery.

You really should try Rolf's for pastries. They are much more impressive.

jb

[Wendy DeBord]

I've been to Rolf's many times. Mainly to attend pastry demonstrations after hours, put on by Albert Uster Co. in conjuction with The French Pastry School. The owner is a very very generous nice man..........can't say enough kind words about him. His shop is imaculately clean in front and back!! He supports higher learning, gives back by opening his doors to others, etc....

Their pastries are o.k.. I'm sorry, don't mean to sound mean spirited, I'm just really picky being a pc myself. They are more impressive visually then Bennison's.

[daniellewiley]

I did purchase their black and white cookie to sample. I have never had a black and white cookie, so I was excited to try one. I think theirs was made with a mix it was cake like (don't know if that's the right texture or not), it wasn't like any cookies I've ever made.........and it was definately stale.

Hi Wendy!

The black and white cookie should definitely be cake-like, but stale is not ever good.

Ideally, it will have a lemony flavor. I think your best bet is to find a great recipe (I know the NYT published one a few years ago) and make them for yourself. It will be really hard to find a good, fresh version outside of the NY area, and since you are a fabulous baker anyway, you might as well try them on your own!

[gfron1]

I'm going to Chicago to speak at the Fancy Food Show this weekend. First on my agenda is a dinner at Alinea on Sunday. I'm also taking in Soul Vegetarian East which I haven't had in over a decade - but have been thinking of it ever since.

What I really want is a good pastry place. For anyone who has seen my posts, I love tackling more challenging and fun pastries, but I have no training, and living in the middle of the mountains - I have no reference point. For example, I've never had a French Macaroon other than my own. So, I'm hoping to find something in Chicago as a reference point (fun research!). Any suggestions. Thanks in advance...BTW, anyone else going to be at the show or Alinea that night?

[Rhubarb]

Red Hen Bread in Wicker Park (1623 N. Milaukee) makes a fine croissant. Their pain au chocolat is also darn good.

[Peter]

Well, to send you all over the city:

Bleeding Heart Bakery (chicago/damen) is attempting to be the first certified organic bakery in the city...great stuff and a fun place.

Bittersweet Bakery (Belmont) is a classic with beautiful stuff.

Pamela Fitzpatrick at Fox & Obel (Illinois St.) makes the best bread and pastry in the city...it's a gourmet grocer.

Enjoy.

[nr706]

I'll be at that show - at least sometime - when will you be speaking?

As far as bakeries/pastries go, one fairly new place that gets a lot of buzz is the Sicilian bakery in Andersonville, run by a very passionate (about their food) couple:

Pasticceria Natalina

5406 N. Clark St.

For a more Mexican bent on a top-quality bakery, you can head down to Pilsen (not far from McCormick Place, to:

BomBon Bakery

1508 W. 18th St.

And then, if you can travel a little bit (or get on the purple El line to Davis Street) you can try the home of one of the winners of the World Cup of Baking.

Quote from Chicago Sun-Times:

For years, hundreds of Evanstonians have known there's something special about the pastries at Bennison's Bakery.

Now the whole world will know it, too. That's because co-owner Jory Downer's skills with baked sweets helped America take first place Tuesday at the World Cup of Baking in Paris.

Downer was part of a three-person American team of bakers that rose to the top against finalists representing 12 countries. The Americans competed with three other teams on Sunday, the first day of the contest, sweating it out in a 12-by-12 foot mock bakery for the entire day while judges scrutinized their every move.

Downer had to make five different types of pastry, and his entries included a fresh mango and papaya danish and a cranberry filled pastry leaf. The other Americans specialized in breads and bread sculpture.

Bennison's Bakery

1000 Davis Evanston, IL

Edited April 30, 2007 by nr706 (log)

[gfron1]

We're speaking on Monday morning about building community as a means to clientele development. I don't remember the time - I just remember it will be the morning after my Alinea experience with wine pairings

[tetsujustin]

I second Bittersweet, my favorite bakery when I was in Chicago. It's just a very comfortable spot. Modern and homey at the same time. I can't especially vouch for their pastries as I only had a couple. The few that I had were good, a couple were exceptional, but from what I remember the selection was a bit limited. The root beer floats are huge/good, and I always normally got a vanilla iced tea and one of the items on the lunch board.

Sometimes its hard to find a seat, however.

[tavogels]

I'm happy to 'third' Bittersweet. I live in the suburbs, where there is a decided lack of fine bakeries, and driving to Bittersweet is always a great treat. I wouldn't say they (or really any Chicago bakery I've been to) have a large pastry selection specifically, but I think they have a very nicely varied selection of offerings. Cookies (fancy and homey ones), cakes, tarts, breads....They do have macaroons, that I know for certain, and they are nice....not overly sweet. The vanilla iced tea is great, too.

Another place I'm surprised no one has mentioned is Vanille Patisserie. It is a much smaller shop than Bittersweet, but I think you'd like it. They do not have as many 'homey' treats...you won't find any brownies there. The owners used to work at Payard in Manhattan....so the shop has much more of a French patisserie feel to it. Mostly small fancy tartlets with multiple components...the kind of stuff even most eG people would only do for fancy occasions or as a challenge. More like what you'd find in the Dorie Greenspan/Herme books. I like going there when I've cooked a special meal and want to make dessert just as special but don't have the time. They have macaroons and they also have very good croissants, some say the best in Chicago.

Last place....Sarah's Sweets. I've never been to the store--my husband usually picks out a selection of sweets to bring home. Based on what he's chosen (and let's just say that he's well trained to bring home a wide selection of representative offerings--he knows I'll ask him a ton of questions!), I'd say they are more of an American style bakery. They do have macaroons.

Anyway, those are my favorites!

http://www.bittersweetpastry.com/

http://www.vanillepatisserie.com/

http://www.sarahscandies.com/

[gfron1]

I really appreciate all of these suggestions. Vanille Patisserie sounds exactly like what I'm looking for but I'll stop at as many as I can and report back on my successes!

[nsxtasy]

I like Vanille a lot. Their macaroons are French macaroons (sandwiches of almond macaroons with a small amount of ganache in between) and are excellent. So are their entremets.

Bennison's... er... does some things well, some things not so well. Avoid anything they make with almond paste; for some reason, their almond paste creations have little to no almond flavor. For example, their marzipan slices do not compare favorably with the next suggestion, and there is no almond taste to their French macaroons.

If you go to Pasticceria Natalina, which is an excellent place specializing in Sicilian pastries, one block south of there is Swedish Bakery. Very nice breads and pastries. I particularly love their marzariners. Their marzipan cake is also excellent.

Another good place not too far from Pasticceria Natalina and Swedish Bakery is La Patisserie P on Argyle Street. It's an interesting combination of French and Asian pastries and baked goods, on a street with lots of Vietnamese eateries.

If you go to the 'burbs, Three Tarts Bakery in Northfield does a fine job with small cookies and individual-sized cakes, also has a wickedly good pear almond tart. And Gourmet Frog, the carry-out adjunct of Froggy's restaurant in Highwood, has a lot of good things, including French macaroons, a large number of French pastries and cakes available by the slice as well as whole, also good soups, onion quiche, etc. They also have plainish rich butter cookies that are wonderful.

Edited May 1, 2007 by nsxtasy (log)

[Judith Gebhart]

I'll be at that show - at least sometime - when will you be speaking?

As far as bakeries/pastries go, one fairly new place that gets a lot of buzz is the Sicilian bakery in Andersonville, run by a very passionate (about their food) couple:

Pasticceria Natalina

5406 N. Clark St.

For a more Mexican bent on a top-quality bakery, you can head down to Pilsen (not far from McCormick Place, to:

BomBon Bakery

1508 W. 18th St.

And then, if you can travel a little bit (or get on the purple El line to Davis Street) you can try the home of one of the winners of the World Cup of Baking.

Quote from Chicago Sun-Times:

For years, hundreds of Evanstonians have known there's something special about the pastries at Bennison's Bakery.

Now the whole world will know it, too. That's because co-owner Jory Downer's skills with baked sweets helped America take first place Tuesday at the World Cup of Baking in Paris.

Downer was part of a three-person American team of bakers that rose to the top against finalists representing 12 countries. The Americans competed with three other teams on Sunday, the first day of the contest, sweating it out in a 12-by-12 foot mock bakery for the entire day while judges scrutinized their every move.

Downer had to make five different types of pastry, and his entries included a fresh mango and papaya danish and a cranberry filled pastry leaf. The other Americans specialized in breads and bread sculpture.

Bennison's Bakery

1000 Davis Evanston, IL

←

I totally endorse Bennison's Bakery and The Bleeding Heart Bakery; you've got great choices. Welcome to Chicago and enjoy your stay. Judith Gebhart

[gfron1]

I'm in the airport on the way back from Chicago. Yesterday we hit the pastry shops (also had dinner at Alinea and Le Colonniel and Devon St.). I saw that Bittersweet had a booth at the Fancy Food Show so I was biased before I stepped in the door thinking you can't maintain quality when you grow too much (not fair, but its what I was thinking).

The staff was a bit understated and almost grumpy which didn't sit well with me since I had been looking forward to this even more than Alinea, but I figured I didn't need to eat in front of them. I was hoping for more non bars and brownies. I grabbed a variety of macarons and shortbread, both of which were nice. I also had a small espresso ganache tarte which was very creamy. The ganache may have been the creamiest I have ever had and now I have a new standard by which to judge my own.

Then we took the walk to Vanille Patisserie. This was 100% exactly what I was looking for. I felt like Ling when I walked out with $50 in pastries with little intention to share. I bought a variety of macarons, a Vanille Tart, an Entremet Vanille, and the Cubano (caramel and espresso). The tarts and entrements died from heat before I could get them photographed so I borrowed from their website. All were amazing - even melted.

What really made it special was the staff's friendliness and generosity of information. I presented myself as an untrained pastry hobbyist, and they explained how they made a number of the items. Now I just want to get home and start playing again!

[Jean Blanchard]

Thanks for the report. I've been to Bittersweet several times but its been a while. I've not tried Vanille yet but those macarons are calling my name. Believe it or not, the best ones I've had in the states so far are from a bakery in Columbus, Ohio. I'm planning a trip into the city on Saturday and Vanille will be one of my stops. Hope you enjoyed Chicago.

Jean

[gfron1]

Congratulations to Dimitri Fayard of VP who was listed as one of the top 10 Pastry Chefs by PA&D.