Most Angelinos will agree that, compared to the Bay Area, their gastronomic scene can often be as barren as the deserts that surround the city. But, as I've been pointing out these past few days, there are oases in that gastronomic wasteland.
For example, compared to my new home town of San Francisco, the city of my birth (LA) has superior Jewish delis, Indian, Korean and Ethiopian restaurants (although New York bests LA in the first three categories and D.C. reigns in the fourth).
But what really surprises me is that LA has beaten out all contenders in two culinary categories associated with the Bay Area. Today, we'll look at one of these categories: the artisan bakery.
Let me clarify myself. In each of these categories, LA has only one place, well let's be honest, one woman who reigns supreme.
I believe the best artisan baker in the country is Nancy Silverton of La Brea Bakery. I'm not referring to the frozen par-baked bread that you can buy at Costcos all over the country under the name La Brea. These are respectable loaves, but not nearly as good since Nancy and her business partners sold the name and concept to an Irish conglomerate for a reported 55 million dollars (go Nancy!).
I'm talking only about the bread and pastries that you can buy at the tiny shop attached to her and her business partner/former husband's restaurant Campanile. Although I'm more than happy with the loaves I can buy locally (especially those from Della Fattoria and Tartine), you can't beat La Brea for its variety. N, a bread fanatic, won't let me back into our house if I don't return from LA with a bagful of breads and pastries.
This trip I picked up several loaves, including our favorite olive bread infused with thyme, and several varieties of pastries, including a couple of canneles.
I couldn't resist sampling Nancy's take on the famous caramelized bordelais pastry that has been whetting my appetite on several other food blogs. The one other cannelé that I had sampled locally failed to excite me. In fact, I had such low expectations for this new cannelé that I didn't even bother to photograph it. However, I'm happy to report that my new friend from La Brea was spot on, crispy on the outside with an alluringly rich and custardy interior. After the first bite, the thought occurred to me that I should grab my camera and take a photo as evidence of its beauty, but I couldn't refrain from taking a second and then a third and then...well, you'll have to forgive me, but it was just too late. I finally understand what all the hoopla is about.
Yet another reason to continue to visit LA.
Canneles are really too eggy for me to appreciate properly... that said, I'm very jealous of those who DO love them, because they are pretty and special.
As for Ethiopian in LA... I've NEVER been to a good restaurant! Tell me where you go, because I adore Ethiopian/Eritrean food. I went to school in DC, and fell in love with the stuff at a young age. I have monstrous cravings for it; on those days, I'm glad to live in Oakland!
Posted by: Fatemeh | Monday, October 17, 2005 at 02:58 PM
We are so spoiled in the Bay area.Good bread abounds. Even the par cooked frozen bread is better than I've eaten while traveling.
G.
Posted by: Greg | Monday, October 17, 2005 at 05:34 PM
Fatemeh--maybe somene needs to slice the inside from the outside for you...
I'm so glad the cannele word is spreading. Nancy's was my frst too.
Posted by: shuna | Monday, October 17, 2005 at 10:06 PM
brett - you dont like the boulangerie caneles?
I LOVE them.
the first time i had one was in chez nous about 4 years ago.It was a revelation to me.
my friend (the groom who just got married) has got the real french molds and we have been meaning to try and make them together for years.
we just havent got round to it yet...
Posted by: sam | Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at 07:40 PM
Fatemeh, LA has a strip of Ethiopian restaurants on S. Fairfax near Olympic. It's been a while, but I think the name of the one I went to that I thought was pretty good was Nyala.
Greg, we are very spoiled in the Bay Area when it comes to bread, aren't we?
Shuna, that's funny that Nancy's was your first good cannelé, too. We share a common bond. What's your opinion of the ones at Boulangerie?
Sam, it's been about 5 years since I had the cannelé at Boulangerie. My memory of that experience was that it was kind of a letdown. It was spongy, too cakey and dry. Nothing like the one I had at La Brea. But, seeing as you highly recommend them, I think I'll give them another try and report back to you. Maybe they've improved. It would be great to be able to get a good one here! I'd also love to try to make them. I was just reading the recipe in Paula Wolfert's Slow Med. Kitchen and wishing I had the molds to give it a try.
Posted by: Brett | Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at 08:30 PM
brett - they are the only canelles I have ever tried so I have nothing to compare them with.
But I will never forget the experience of eating my first at Chez Nous, so they must have been something. I still always enjoy them.
Posted by: sam | Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 06:27 PM
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000149.html
there - check it out!
Posted by: sam | Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 06:33 PM