Stopped by for more canales today and was amazed that they still had some left by the time we left at around 11! I think people just don't know what they are. Jonathan said that they had a busy morning and sold out some stuff before we got there at 10. We hung out and chatted for a while; he's such a nice guy. I need to get back in soon to try some of the pizza (after 2pm, I believe) and quiche.

Also ran into snap203 breaking the record for the largest order he's ever gotten: 24 pastries.

Congratulations to Jonathan for winning the Chicago Chef Battle: Dessert Edition!. I'm sorry I had to miss it!

Those salambos were amazing.

Tambreet wrote:Congratulations to Jonathan for winning the Chicago Chef Battle: Dessert Edition!. I'm sorry I had to miss it!

agreed, congrats Chef Jonathan !

Today Chef Jonathan was serving the two items he served in the Chicago Chef Battle, so of course in stopping by this afternoon I had to try both.

Salambo w/pumpkin chai filling
&
Earl Grey panacotta

While I enjoyed the panacotta, the highlight for me was the Salambo

Hoping he still has a couple tomorrow morning!

Hey guys! Cool stuff that happened recently....
1. I won the WBEZ chef battle. Sweet.
2. http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/food ... spots.html
3. Surprise pho lunch.
4. Visit from Moises Herrera and Marysabel Caballero, producers of finca el puente.

I went to Bad Wolf Coffee this morning for the first time. I learned several things:

1. They only make the caneles on weekends. However, they told me that they've avoided making them during the week due to freshness concerns - they're only amazing for a few hours - but they've been thinking of doing half batches of six caneles during the week. They can do these on request, also, but because the process takes a couple of days, you need to put in your request a couple of days ahead. No problem, as far as I'm concerned; I love caneles and would be happy to order six of them a few days in advance.

2. Okay, about their kougn amman. I've had them at Floriole and Bennison's, and both are very good. But at Bad Wolf - OH MY GOD. Sheer heaven. I feel that only now do I truly understand how amazing this pastry can be.

3. I also got some really good little corn meal cakes.

Note, they don't have all that many different types of pastry, at least on weekdays; they had around 5 different items and that was it. But what they have, is outstanding.

Note, they don't have all that many different types of pastry, at least on weekdays; they had around 5 different items and that was it. But what they have, is outstanding.

Ditto on that - I've been a few times now, and try not to have my stomach set on anything - I just eat whatever he made that day, what's left anyways, and have always been happy. Excellent pastries, amazing coffee, and nice guy to boot!

I was in early on Saturday and had something new--a freshly 'brewed" apple cider with Kachera bean hulls--yes, that would be well-caffeinated hot cider!!!! A cup of that, a hot-out-of-the-oven kouign amman, and a coffee chaser and I was the real life version of the energizer bunny breaking down my garden and cleaning my deck--I lifted 5 gallon pots full of dirt and tossed them off my balcony into the dumpster below like they were cups of sugar! We're talking serious amperage here. And all were delicious to boot!

My favorite part of stopping in to Bad Wolf is NOT knowing what they'll have that day and knowing there will pretty much always be something different. And incredibly delicious. So happy to have Jonathan and Bad Wolf in my neighborhood.

Apparently the Kachera cider had more caffeine than a cup of coffee? Well, that's what Jonathan said. However, I drank both that and a coffee and didn't have my cold standard of cocaine-like reactions to caffeine, which is based on drinking a bottle of La Colombe cold brew. Either way, it was delicious.

mgmcewen wrote:Apparently the Kachera cider had more caffeine than a cup of coffee? Well, that's what Jonathan said. However, I drank both that and a coffee and didn't have my cold standard of cocaine-like reactions to caffeine, which is based on drinking a bottle of La Colombe cold brew. Either way, it was delicious.

Aha...but did you have the Kouign Amann?? If not, then the magical properties weren't fully maximized...

I had the best slice of gingerbread I've ever had this morning at Bad Wolf. Rich, moist, dark, just a slight hint of bitterness...the only problem is that I'll be disappointed in my own gingerbread from now on. It was worth it, though.

I've been going there for several weeks now on my way to a class. I love love love the Paris-Brest, the canele and the kouign aman. I tried a pear almond scone once and was really disappointed. The nutmeg was too strong and the scone was too dense, I prefer the more biscuity kind that is loaded with butter and crumbles a bit. That's not going to stop me from going there of course, as I can make my own excellent scones and I've never made any of the 3 items that I love there.

Thanks for the compliments guys! I really appreciate it!

I need to notify everyone that we will be closing very soon for a week once our new baby arrives! I will post our closing dates on twitter as well as the shop.

I'm happy you have enjoyed the cascara cider! Its strange that I've had two people say it didn't do much for them and more than a dozen come back and say they were bouncing off the walls. Wish I knew why.

Scones can be difficult in that everyone expects something different out of them texturally.
Some people will swear they have to be light, Brits will swear they have to be dense. I know they have made plenty of people happy and I think they taste great. I trust that the most.

5 things later in the day is actually amazing selection for my shop. We're a coffee shop that happens to have some tasty pastries. I would close for the day if I ran out of coffee. I run out of pastries well before close on a regular basis. Things have gotten better with this though.

I'd also like to announce that when I do return to work after the baby is born, I will be rolling out a retail program. We'll be selling a few whole loaf cakes, pies, and confections. A great way to share bad wolf with your family over the holidays!

Thanks again guys. I love you.
Jonathan

Yesterday afternoon I stopped by with several of my friends. I got to try the cider which was delicious, as well as the gingerbread pound cake which was incredibly moist, not overly sweet, subtle in flavor and gorgeous in color. My friend and I also shared a loaf of the olive oil pound cake which I tried once i got home. It had a nice lemony flavor and again was extremely moist. My friends loved, loved the coffee. Thanks to Jonathan for the lovely service and cutting the olive oil cake in half so that my friend and I could share. If any of you are looking for some great holiday treats, I would recommend the whole gingerbread and olive oil pound cakes for sure. They are very pretty in their simplicity and deliver wonderful flavor. I can't wait to also check out his chess pie.

Last month a friend brought some treats from Bad Wolf to my house. There were a few caneles, which lasted about 30 seconds after they were spotted. I thought they were phenomenal and could not remember ever having one I enjoyed more (anywhere, including France). The exterior, even hours after it had been baked, had a lovely, hard shell and a flavor that straddled the line perfectly between sweet and brulee'd. The interior carried an intoxicating vanilla aroma, a not-too-sweet flavor and a moist, rich, almost-custard-like texture. These were sensational in every way. I hope to someday make it over there in person and eat some more of them, and some other items, too!

=R=

In the spirit of "What's worth doing is worth over-doing," the Professor and I did a pastry gangbang yesterday (or as she terms it, "We went on a Chautauqua"): canele, sweetroll, a sconelike thing, olive oil cake, a donutesque torus split and sandwiched around a delicate cream, and coffee. The canele was excellent and every thing else very good, though I continue to suffer a long history of sconophobia and just don't understand why they exist. The highlight for me, as in the past several visits, is the olive oil cake. It pairs just right with coffee for me: subtle citrus, moist, slightly sweet, and with enough of the revered lipid for a great mouth feel. If they didn't make anything else, I'd go there for the OOC alone.

The sandwich item you describe is called a Paris Brest, in case that is of use to you. And one of my favorite items there-- it looks like it would be really heavy and really sweet and it is neither.

But, most importantly, are you saying you were there on a Friday and he had Caneles?? Guess he got enough "likes" or whatever on Facebook. I remember he said something to that effect a while back but I forgot about it. In my weekday stops over the last few weeks I hadn't seen them. Good news if that's the case.

boudreaulicious wrote:...are you saying you were there on a Friday and he had Caneles??

Yep: stopped between 10:30 and 11 and there were indeed a few caleles in view. Thanks for providing the proper name "Paris Brest," which is good to know, even if I'm probably too Portnovian to say that name out loud in public. I have no prob saying "donutty thingamabob" in front of minors, however, even if it leads some people to believe I probably have lesions in my lateral hypothalamus.

Choey wrote:Thanks for providing the proper name "Paris Brest," which is good to know, even if I'm probably too Portnovian to say that name out loud in public. I have no prob saying "donutty thingamabob" in front of minors, however, even if it leads some people to believe I probably have lesions in my lateral hypothalamus.

Jonathan also has called them Noisettes, as a play on words in French. For those who have had them in the past but haven't tried them recently, he's improved them with a buttercream filling instead of the pastry cream used previously.

--
edc

Choey wrote: I continue to suffer a long history of sconophobia and just don't understand why they exist.

The purpose of scones is to give clotted cream a reason to exist.

scottsol wrote:The purpose of scones is to give clotted cream a reason to exist.

You have just demonstrated considerable skill in psychotherapy: I believe I've achieved transference of my sconophobia. I'm gonna try a scone with clotted cream. Now, what's the word for fear of rugelach?

Hey guys!
Yes, we did get enough new adds on twitter to do canelés every day, so come get one at 10!

Another note, we just began taking preorders for a valentine's day box we're putting together. It's $65, but we're discounting it $10 for orders put in before the 1st. They can be ordered to be picked up on the 13th or 14th. The box will contain:
A chocolate raspberry cake for two
Vanilla bean /chocolate covered marshmallows
Chocolate and raspberry macarons
Dark chocolate Armagnac and milk chocolate sea salt truffles
Chocolate canelés.

I thought it would be especially fun to highlight chocolate because I use it so rarely in the shop.
Thanks again guys for coming in and eating pastries. You are appreciated!
Jonathan

Rugelach hate?!?!?
What can you possibly have against little rolls of delicious cream cheese dough wrapped around delicious fillings!?!?!
That's like saying you're afraid of pizza.

sallekhana wrote:Hey guys!
Yes, we did get enough new adds on twitter to do canelés every day, so come get one at 10!

Another note, we just began taking preorders for a valentine's day box we're putting together. It's $65, but we're discounting it $10 for orders put in before the 1st. They can be ordered to be picked up on the 13th or 14th. The box will contain:
A chocolate raspberry cake for two
Vanilla bean /chocolate covered marshmallows
Chocolate and raspberry macarons
Dark chocolate Armagnac and milk chocolate sea salt truffles
Chocolate canelés.

I thought it would be especially fun to highlight chocolate because I use it so rarely in the shop.
Thanks again guys for coming in and eating pastries. You are appreciated!
Jonathan

This looks amazing--can't wait!

Choey: I tend to believe that fear of rugelach stems from a phenomenon known as "has-only-encountered-faux-sub-par-rugelach-resembling-pre-made-crescent-rolls-itis." Once you have a top-notch rugelach, you will know, and there will be love. Where to find them in this city, though? Maybe that could be a future project for Bad Wolf.....

rehorn wrote:Choey: I tend to believe that fear of rugelach stems from a phenomenon known as "has-only-encountered-faux-sub-par-rugelach-resembling-pre-made-crescent-rolls-itis." Once you have a top-notch rugelach, you will know, and there will be love. Where to find them in this city, though? Maybe that could be a future project for Bad Wolf.....

Yes, Bad Wolf rugelach!

edc wrote:

Choey wrote:Thanks for providing the proper name "Paris Brest," which is good to know, even if I'm probably too Portnovian to say that name out loud in public. I have no prob saying "donutty thingamabob" in front of minors, however, even if it leads some people to believe I probably have lesions in my lateral hypothalamus.

Jonathan also has called them Noisettes, as a play on words in French. For those who have had them in the past but haven't tried them recently, he's improved them with a buttercream filling instead of the pastry cream used previously.

--
edc

He has also changed up the dough, which he confirmed last time i was in there, to make it more sturdy. The last version was softer and eggy-er. This one, dryer and more robust. I think the new version is better for the sturdiness and it highlights the cream better. I am constantly impressed with the care he takes to make an excellent pastry even better!

I stopped in at 10:30 this morning, and all I can say is "Wow!" Again, not a huge selection, but the pastries are amazing. Today's selections:



From the top: caneles (that's butter behind them), the next shelf has paris brest on the left and cheese Danish on the right, then cheese biscuits, and kouign amann below.

The caneles come out at 10:00 and they're still slightly warm at 10:30. I only had the caneles and the kouign amann but both are outstanding, the two best pastries in all of Chicagoland for my money. Here are detailed photos:

Forgot about that Danish. Another best in class.