Thursday, November 27, 2008

Peanut Butter and Parrot


Background

We picked up some treats from Pittsburgh's Allegro Hearth Bakery -"Crusty European Breads" - at 2034 Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill.

I felt right at home - the woman behind the counter even used to live in my neck of Brooklyn. Then again, I never have found myself feeling out of place as long as I'm surrounded by baked goods.

Above, Roscoe looks on as we prepare to sample our haul: a lemon bar, a pumpkin pie bar, 2 peanut butter and chocolate cupcake-shaped items (I've forgotten the official name), and one chocolate "petite four" (which also had a longer name).

Quartet

My personal favorite - and the treat that started our avalanche of purchases - was the petite four, which had ribbons of thick chocolate frosting on top of alternating moist chocolate cake and whipped cream layers. It was like a homemade Zinger. Brilliant!

The cupcake-shaped items had the consistency of dense brownies or thick but soft peanut butter cookies. They weren't cakey or light like cupcakes at all, but the peanut butter flavor ruled and they were not too sugary. The pumpkin pie bar was a good concept, executed tastily and well-spiced while still being subtle, and a sweet-tart lemon bar is always classic.

Desserts aside, they also sliced and sold us a swell loaf of sourdough bread, perhaps my favorite sort of bread. Another winner, the sourdough has an open, lacy crumb and zingy flavor.


Sourdough

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