Bakeries

[Pan]

This question is from a friend of mine:

I am interested in purchasing a pecan pie and or a custard/fruit tart, and cream puffs. Could you recommend a good pastry shop or bakery?

For the tarts and cream puffs, I recommended Lafayatte on Greenwich St. as a French bakery I know and like (though I've so far had nothing but rum balls there) and Something Sweet on 11th and 1st for a delicious Viennese take on these. But that leaves the pecan pie.

I think my friend would do best to go to a delicious black Southern-style place for pecan pie. Do you agree, and what would you recommend? I'd be particularly interested, for his sake, in places uptown. He lives in Washington Heights and many parts of Harlem would be a nice walk or short trip for him.

Edited September 14, 2003 by Pan (log)

[mpav]

I don't know of any place to buy a good pecan pie in NYC. For that matter, I can't think of any place to buy a good pie here, period. Pecan pies are among the easiest pies to make, so why buy?

As for cream puffs, I prefer French to Italian pastries, but Veneiros have good Italian pastries, puffs, etc.

Edited September 14, 2003 by mpav (log)

[elyse]

HELLO???

[Pan]

I don't know of any place to buy a good pecan pie in NYC. For that matter, I can't think of any place to buy a good pie here, period. Pecan pies are among the easiest pies to make, so why buy?

Why buy? Seriously, why are you asking me that question? Would it be polite for me to tell my friend that he should just bake the pie himself and shut up? Besides, I doubt that there are no good places to buy pies in New York; you just don't know them.

I've known Veniero's for many, many years. I haven't been there for some time now but they always seemed the same to me - reliable but not amazing compared to what's possible. There's actually a place on Mott St. nearest to Canal on the east side of the street that I like better, to a point. Here's my standard:

I've spent time in France, Naples and other parts of Italy, and Budapest (many, many Hungarian pastries are pretty much Viennese pastries, though I don't know what the differences are between the styles, overall). Having had fantastic pastries in all three places, I still think that the rum balls at Lafayette are fabulous and the pastries at Something Sweet are the real stuff. Though some of the Italian pastry places I've been to in New York are quite acceptable for an occasional stop on a date, they just don't compare to any old place on Via Toledo in Naples at all.

[dumpling]

Uh- Elyse- Bloomfield Farmer's Market? Why not go to the pie maven?

[Suzanne F]

Exactly. If you have had Elyse's pecan pie, you know that it is one of the best. And she will make it in whatever size, to order. Why don't you tell your friend that you know someone who makes incredible pies (and cookies, and other stuff, too) and then get in touch with Elyse? Actually, that's not a question, but AN ORDER!!!

Elyse is on the upper west side, so your friend could have a nice walk.

[Pan]

I will run this past Matthew. Thanks, everyone.

[herbacidal]

HELLO???

hee-hee.

[elyse]

Thanks all!

See, Pan doesn't know this because he had some incredibly important things to do for your potluck night, Suzanne.

[elyse]

You know, I googled "elyse" and "pecan pie" and I was second or third hit. How bout that?

[Pan]

Thanks all!

See, Pan doesn't know this because he had some incredibly important things to do for your potluck night, Suzanne.

I think I was sick or something. I wanted to go but, honestly, I doubt I could have added much to it. I seldom cook anymore and I have some doubt that anything I brought would have been of comparably high quality to the things people made and brought.

[elyse]

That's hardly the point. I thought the best thing of the evening was meeting everybody.

[Pan]

Easy for you to say. You were one of the stars of the show!

[elyse]

Oh shush. And beforehand, I was terrified of baking for these people.

[Pan]

I can understand that.

Many of the folks on these boards are really knowledgeable and critical, and I like that because I can trust their recommendations.

[elyse]

[Pan]

I just want to report back that, like the people at the New York eGullet Potluck, my friend Matthew raved about Elyse's pecan pie!

[elyse]

Yay! He e-mailed me yesterday, but it's nice to hear as many times as people want to say.