A Sweet Visit to Batch Pastries

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Owner and baker Emily Buysse hard at work in the kitchen of her Batch Pastries.

Owner and baker Emily Buysse hard at work in the kitchen of her Batch Pastries.

 

Emily Buysse is an avowed cookie monster.

So much so that when she was working for an IT company in Berkeley, and couldn’t find a decent cookie to nibble on during her breaks, she took matters into her own hand. She started baking, baking, and baking.

In fact, it snowballed into a sweet new career, launching her first into her own wholesale baking business before she decided to take over Montclair Baking in Oakland two years ago and rechristening it Batch Pastries.

A perfect spot to take a load off with something sweet.

A perfect spot to take a load off with something sweet.

This would almost make me take up running again.

This would almost make me take up running again.

Situated in a small strip mall atop a hill, it’s a bakery small in space but big in heart. Regulars gather on sunny days to relax with coffee and a cookie, which she considers the perfect treat because it’s the ideal size to satisfy without overwhelming.

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Finally Making Time for Sammies at B. On The Go

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A chicken salad sandwich on house-made bread at B. On The Go.

A chicken salad sandwich on house-made bread at B. On The Go.

 

I confess that my sweet tooth often rules my life.

Which is why it’s only now that I’ve finally made it to B. On The Go in San Francisco.

Typically, I’ll be so laser-focused on getting to its sister site, B. Patisserie to snag my favorite kouign-amanns that I forget everything else.

Not this time, though.

I finally made it into B. On The Go a couple weeks ago to buy two delicious sandwiches.

Just steps away from B. Patisserie.

Just steps away from B. Patisserie.

Just order at the counter.

Just order at the counter.

The sandwich shop is kitty-corner to the pastry shop. The light-filled corner spot offers soups, salads, and a few baked treats in addition to sandwiches, which are served on house-made bread, of course.

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Better Sweet-And-Sour Spare Ribs

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Not your usual sweet-and-sour pork.

Not your usual sweet-and-sour pork.

 

This is not your battered to oblivion, deep-fried, unnaturally red, gloppy sauced sweet and sour pork that’s a standard at Chinese restaurants.

No, this is a home-style version that eschews all of that — and tastes even better as a result.

“Sweet-and-Sour Spare Ribs” is from the new cookbook, “Chinese Soul Food” (Sasquatch Books), of which I received a review copy. It’s by Hsiao-Ching Chou, a Seattle food writer and cooking instructor.

ChineseSoulFood

She grew up in Columbia, MO, where her parents settled in 1975. At the time, there were no Asian markets there. In fact, the family had to drive 10 hours to Chicago to stock up on decent soy sauce and other Chinese provisions. Her parents eventually opened a Chinese restaurant in 1980, which lasted for 23 years.

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Cape Cod Potato Chips Make Waves

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Dangerously delicious.

Dangerously delicious.

 

You can’t eat just one.

No way. No how.

Cape Cod Potato Chips, which indeed originated in Cape Cod, has come out with thick-sliced, wavy-cut chips just made for dipping.

Recently, I had a chance to try samples of the new product, Cape Cod Waves, which come in three flavors: White Cheddar & Sour Cream, Sea Salt, and Reduced Fat Sea Salt.

The chips are kettle-cooked in small batches. I love how substantial they are, with a nice thickness for emphasized crunch. The ridges definitely help you pick up a lot of dip, if you like, too.

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Saffron Bistro’s Unique Brunch

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Owner Ajay Walia debuts an inventive new brunch pop-up at his Saffron Bistro.

Owner Ajay Walia debuts an inventive new brunch pop-up at his Saffron Bistro.

 

If you’re tired of the same ol’ waffles, scrambled eggs and corned beef hash for brunch, then you’re in for a treat at Jugaad Cafe.

That’s the name of the pop-up brunch offered on Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Saffron Bistro in San Carlos.

Owner Ajay Walia, who also has Michelin-starred Rasa in Burlingame, started this hybrid brunch in March. It features a few classic Americana dishes, but also a bevy of Indian-influenced ones so potently flavorful that they’re sure to jolt anyone to rise and shine.

The name “Jugaad’’ is a colloquial term in Hindi and Punjabi that roughly means “hack.” It’s what Walia did to traditional brunch, turning it on its head.

Who wants hashed browns when you can have masala tater tots instead?

Who wants hashed browns when you can have masala tater tots instead?

He was prompted to create the menu from his own experience of craving a more adventurous brunch on weekends, even if his kids only wanted pancakes with maple syrup. As such, this menu has something for everyone — expected fare like a strawberry-topped Belgian waffles for the kids, plus more unusual items such as savory South Indian lentil beignets with coconut chutney for folks desiring something different. Walia invited me in as his guest a few weeks ago to try some of the dishes.

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