Once, when Sam and I were roadtripping around Portugal, he made a very astute observation about me that I’ve never forgotten. “No matter where you are in the world,” he said, “you always manage to find the most esoteric and extremely specific pastry.” He was saying this after I came strolling back to our cafe table proudly showing off what I had just purchased at the bakery next door: something called a Dom Rodrigo, which is a Portuguese dessert of egg threads, almonds, cinnamon and sugar, piled into triangle-shaped tin foil packages.

Had I ever heard of a Dom Rodrigo before? No. Did I absolutely need to use my very mediocre Spanishified Portuguese to ask the counter person what the history of this specific dessert was? Yes. Was my life that much more full having learned that Dom Rodrigo was a traditional 18th century dessert made by nuns and named for a wealthy religious gentleman? Yes. And what’s more, Dom Rodrigo tasted great. My only complaint was how long it took me to figure out what “egg threads” (or “fios de ovos” meant. (FWIW, it’s strands of egg yolks boiled in sugar syrup.)

Sam was right, though. I have always loved learning about and tasting pastries and breads from around the world, and I tend to spend most of my time traveling seeking out the local bakeries that make the traditional baked goods of that place. I ask questions of the proprietors; I pay attention to flavors and textures that are unfamiliar; I bring back ingredients so I can use them to recreate what I remember. Without sounding like a huge dork whose only interest is Baking™️, this is legit how I have fun. Some people take up knitting! Others get into pickleball! Me: Dom Rodrigo.

Fast forward a couple of years and Sam and I were talking about baked goods again, this time on a drive down to Jersey for my mom’s birthday. It must have been World Cup fever because we got to talking about how fun it would be to bring some international baked goods to the bakery this summer, flavors and textures that are new to us, or new to our customers, or that have long held a place in our memories from traveling. So we came up with something we’re calling the Pastry Passport.

There are 10 weeks in our summer, until the bakery goes on break at the end of August. Every Saturday — starting this Saturday, June 27th — we have collaborated weekly with a baker friend from a faraway place to inspire us to make something new and exciting for the bakery.

We’ve got recipes from Mexico and Vietnam and Cape Verde and Singapore and Australia and Armenia and more, more, more. A new pastry every Saturday, in a limited number, specially reserved for folks who come in today, tomorrow, or Saturday to pick up their very own Pastry Passport. Get 8 out of 10 stamps in your Pastry Passport by the end of summer? You’ll get a special sticker. Get 10 out of 10 stamps? You’ll get a PATCH and a CERTIFICATE. Make me something from your heritage that I’ve never heard of? I’ll jump for joy and never stop.

For those who’ve made it this far in the newsletter, here is the breakdown of how this will work:

• We have 40 total Pastry Passports to offer for $1 each — honor system but only one per household, please!

• Come in Thursday, Friday, or Saturday to purchase your passport (though sooner is better in case we sell ‘em all out the gate today!)

• In addition to your Thursday weekly bakery newsletter update, on Friday mornings, you’ll get a short newsletter in your inbox about what pastry we’re serving that week, alongside an interview with a baker we love who has supplied us with the recipe. Get to know some new bakers across the world and see what they’re making and what they love and why they love it <3

• Then, every Saturday, from 9am to 12pm, your special pastry will await you — after 12pm, we sacrifice your pastry to the counter so other folks may enjoy! 9am to 12pm! That’s your arrival window for boarding or whatever! Don’t miss your flight :D ✈️

• Compare notes! Have fun! Get to the end of the summer and be 10 international baked goods fuller and happier than when you started.

• What’s up first? We’re starting with me, me, me and my favorite pastry from my childhood. The elusive, the wonderful, the perfect: the very British cherry Bakewell tart. 🍒 There won’t be an accompanying newsletter on the Bakewell because I just wrote this giant newsletter right now, but trust me — housemade sour cherry jam, almond frangipane, icing, and candied cherries?? — it’s good.

  

Last remaining updates and then I’m outta here:

Bakers’ Hang 6

Bakers’ Hang 6 is fast approaching — it’s this Sunday, June 28th from 4pm to 6pm at Castle Valley Mill in Doylestown, PA. Do you want to come on the big yellow school bus with a bunch of bakers from Philly? It leaves at 3pm from Washington Square Park and returns to Washington Square Park at 6pm from Castle Valley Mill. Tickets to get on the bus are $20 round-trip and they’re selling fast so get your ticket now, if you’re thinking of joining!

Want to join but eager to drive yourself? Make sure you RSVP here.

Thursday Loaf

Inspired by a very delicious loaf of sourdough that I got from Shinya Inagaki’s Shinya Pain in Paris, we are doing a 100% stone-ground loaf with poppy seed, dried cherry, and brown flax seed for our Thursday special. It really speaks to me because I made a special mix for this specific dough: a high percentage of stone-ground rye and high extraction stone-ground wheat flour went into the mix and its flavors really shine. It’s not your traditional BIG VOLUME bread — it’s more like a slimmer European table bread. Great with lots of butter.

Boy, this was a long newsletter! See you soon!

xo,

Dayna