After receiving some unhappy e-mail regarding our old review of Ma's Donuts in Middletown, RI, Mom and I promised our fans that we would give this bakery another shot. Since we were in the area, Mom thought that it would be a perfect time to go through the drive-thru and get a half dozen Ma's donuts. I pulled into the drive-thru at just around 6:30 p.m.
Since Ma's Donuts is open for 24 hours, it seems to be a big hit with the Newport Grand Casino set (since it is right down the street). I knew a few girls from my old job that always made a point to stop by Ma's after a long night of gambling. With our first review, we basically said that Ma's had "uninspired" donuts. They were good, but nothing special. This caused quite a stir with a few fans who actually go out of their way to pick up a box of these doughy delights. Since we wanted to be fair, Mom and I decided that on this visit we will order six assorted donuts. We let Ma's choose the donuts because a) we were going through the drive-thru, and b) we would never discriminate against a particular donut. We love them all!
When I arrived at the drive-thru window, I was immediately greeted over the loud speaker. The gentleman asked me what I would like, so I said, "A half dozen assorted donuts, please." He muttered something that we thought was "drive up," so I headed toward the window. When I got there, the gentleman asked me what kind of donut I wanted. I told him that I wanted six assorted. He said, "What?" I said, "Assorted." He just stared blankly, so I said, "You know ... mixed?" I even made this mixing sign with my hands which probably looked more like I was kneading dough rather than explaining what assorted meant. Then, he asked me how many I wanted. I said, "Six." OH MY GOD! Pay attention! I don't want to be discriminative, but why do stores and restaurants always put the person who knows the least amount of English either manning the phone or serving customers? I mean has no one ever come through and asked for an assorted box? Thank God we didn't order coffees or we would have been there all night. Once the gentleman and I were on the same page, he handed me my box of donuts and quoted me $4.99. Mom and I headed home with our donuts in a pretty Ma's box.
After dinner, we brought out the donuts so that her and I - and Dad - could all have one. When I opened the box, I was a bit disappointed to see that the donuts had rolled around inside of the box they were placed in. One of the donuts was frosted, and most of the frosting had rubbed off. Perhaps there isn't a need to have boxes that only hold six donuts. We shrugged it off as Mom and I were the first to dig in. She chose the chocolate cream-filled donut while I picked the blueberry cake. Mom's donut, although packed with chocolate cream, was a little on the dry side and not very flavorful. She felt that the filling actually tasted better than the donut. Mom has had this type of donut before from other places - including Dunkin' Donuts - and she said that it was much better at the other establishments. Dad's jelly donut was packed with so much filling that it was starting to split on the side. My blueberry donut was good, but I can find the same thing at Dunkin' Donuts, only theirs taste a little better. When I came home from work the next day, Mom told me that if I wanted to have another donut, I'd better act fast because they were already drying out. The remaining donuts we ate were good, but again, nothing special.
Although we didn't go inside of Ma's Donuts, we saw the interior through the large glass windows. The walls were a deep rose color and there were several seats that you can choose from. There were also a few chairs set up outside for people who wanted to enjoy the fresh air. What I didn't know is that the inside of Ma's (not just the drive-thru) also stays open for 24 hours. I had to call and verify this as most drive-thru places close down their eat-in section after hours. On the menu, Ma's offers your normal breakfast/bakery type items such as donuts, breakfast sandwiches, cookies, muffins, and assorted pastries. They also have malasadas, which is fried dough for you non-Portuguese fans. Ma's also has a long list of drinks like coffee, iced coffee, cocoa, smoothies, and fat-free fruities, which I'm assuming is a fruit drink. Lunch is also offered here with sandwiches such as chourico and peppers, roast beef, ham and cheese, and turkey. The prices are average for this type of restaurant, and Ma's offers several combo specials that may be a little easier on the wallet.
There is one thing that Mom and I always notice about Ma's Donuts - it always looks closed. The parking lot is usually empty, and it always looks pretty dark inside. I don't want to say that Ma's has a dated look, but there is something about the exterior of this restaurant that would lead me to assume that it was dingy inside. However, it's obvious that Ma's has a loyal fan base which is what has kept them thriving as a business.
We wanted to like Ma's Donuts. We really did! However, we have to stick with our original decision. These donuts are uninspired, and it's a shame because out-of-the-way places like Ma's usually has fantastically unique donuts. Perhaps they'll improve over time, but it's sad when a large chain like Dunkin' can serve up a better tasting donut.
Ma's Donuts & More is open daily for all 24 hours.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Ma's Donuts & More
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
New York Bagel Company
My mother keeps reminding me that there are no Jewish delicatessens in the immediate area. Are we Jewish? Nope, but Mom insists that this city is in dire need for something new on the culinary scene. Since I've never really had any typical Jewish delicacies, I decided that one day I would take myself out to lunch at a local place that is known for carrying things like lox spreads and knishes - New York Bagel. Well, today was the day. I pulled into the parking lot of the Fall River store, which is located in a large plaza, at around 1 p.m.
Before I left the office, I placed a call to New York Bagel and asked a very friendly gal to prepare a lunch order so that I could just run in and pick up my food. With the online menu on my computer screen, I rehearsed what I was going to order with Mom, who was at home living vicariously through me because she was too chicken to try this on her own. I wanted to make sure that I ordered every Jewish thing on the menu, so I chose a rye bagel with plain cream cheese and lox slices, a side of whitefish salad, a Kosher dill, and a potato knish. Mom mentioned something about getting a Dr. Brown's soda, but I didn't see that on the online menu so I just assumed that New York Bagel didn't carry it. That was confirmed once I stepped inside and peeked inside the drink coolers. I stepped up to the register and gave my name to a girl behind the counter. My order was already prepared and bagged, so all she had to do was ring me out. After a few miscalculations, I received my total:
A little expensive, but to me it's all about the experience. After paying, I headed back to the office where I laid everything out on my desk. I had to track down some silverware (they forgot to put some in the bag), but when you work in an office, there is always at least one file cabinet devoted strictly to ketchup packets, menus, and plastic ware. Once all the food was out in the open, I noticed a strong smell of smoked meat, which I assumed was coming from the lox. It wasn't a bad smell, but it was very potent. I decided to try the whitefish salad first. When I opened the plastic container, the salad inside reminded me of those weird cans of Underwood Deviled Ham or Chunky Chicken spreads - almost pasty. As I brought the fork up to my lips, I suddenly felt like I was Chef Anthony Bourdain on one of his many exotic excursions - only I wasn't about to eat monkey brains or seal eyeballs. The taste of the whitefish salad was OK, but I was completely overwhelmed by how salty it was. I kept having to take a bite of my Kosher dill between forkfuls just to clear my mouth of all the salt residue. Do Jewish people have high blood pressure? After eating this, I certainly did. I finished the entire container, but the salad did not impress me that much.
Next, I finished the rest of my pickle, which was cool, refreshing, and very cucumbery. Now, I've had a potato knish once before and it was quite good, so I was looking forward to this next part of my meal. However, the potato inside was very crumbly when I cut it in half. When I first called to place the order, the girl on the phone asked me if I wanted the knish heated. I doubt that heating it would have made the potato flake apart, but it still had a really good taste. It was basically a mashed potato pancake.
Finally, the time had come for me to try the lox slices on the rye bagel. I was scared to death. The smokey smell was making me a little nervous, but I stayed positive and took a bite. I did not have an immediate reaction, but once I had been chewing for a few seconds I felt the little piece of lox in my mouth. It had the consistency of sandwich meat and had a very fishy flavor. I asked Mom earlier why lox was orange, and she told me that it was salmon. I really had no idea. I've only really had salmon when it has been mixed in with other things. Straight salmon on a bagel was interesting, but not something I would probably eat again. The saltiness alone was really starting to get to me. I ate three quarters of my bagel before stopping. There was just no room left! I felt very full and extremely thirsty. I guarantee that my blood pressure was sky-high (like 200/200). I even started to feel lightheaded later on, as dramatic as that sounds. However, I drank lots of water, tea, and iced coffee and felt much better.
My family has been visiting New York Bagel for years because we think that these bagels are the best in the city. They have a large variety of different bagels such as spinach, Asiago cheese, chocolate chip, berry, poppy, and salt. Two big hits with my mom and sister are the rye and the cinnamon sugar. They also have a list of specialty cream cheeses like the walnut and raisin, scallion (low-fat available), sundried tomato, and blueberry. All bagels are made fresh on the premises, and cost under $3 depending on which spread you want (minus the lox slices). New York Bagel also makes fresh salads, sandwiches, and other breakfast pastries like muffins and croissants. They also have a list of beverages that includes everything from soda to French vanilla cappuccino. The pizza bagels ($1.40) seem to be very popular, so I'm going to have to try one of those very soon. My only complaint with the food is that they put too much cream cheese on your bagel! They put it on with an ice cream scoop, so be sure to ask them to go easy on the spread, unless you like that sort of thing. Also, sometimes the service isn't that spectacular. The workers seem like they are concentrating on everything but your order, which is a bit annoying, and often times we've seen the owner reprimand some of his waitstaff in front of customers - not really a fan of that. Mom and I have visited both New York Bagel locations and have always found the interior to be a little on the messy side, but perhaps that is because this restaurant always seems to draw a large crowd. Even the drive-thrus are always busy!
I love to eat different things, especially ethic foods, so I was very glad that New York Bagel gave me a taste of something I'd never had before. I wish this yenta-in-training enjoyed her meal more, but I still appreciated the opportunity to try something new. I will definitely be visiting New York Bagel again, but to all our Jewish peeps, or anyone else who has this type of food on a daily basis, make sure to get that blood pressure checked! Oy vey!
Both New York Bagel locations are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. Drive-thru hours are extended until 10 p.m. on weekdays.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Kane's Doughnut House
Who spends an hour and 15 minutes in a hot car driving 62.15 miles for a donut? New England Bites - that's who! After busting out the new Tom Tom GPS system that my parents got me for graduation, Mom and I poured our melted bodies into my steamy ride and headed for Kane's Doughnut House in Saugus, MA. Are we insane? Maybe, but after reading so many wonderful things on the Internet about how good the donuts were, Mom and I were feeling jealous. With the Tom Tom right on target, we pulled up next to the building which had an old-fashioned neon sign that might have made Homer Simpson say, "Mmm ... donut." Peeling ourselves off the car seats, we headed into Kane's at just around 3 p.m.
Once inside we were automatically facing the large bakery counter. The rest of the small eatery was made into a diner which consisted of a large counter area and a few scattered tables and chairs. Hanging above me was a row of Kane's t-shirts, and on the back wall behind the counter was a donut clock with the Kane's logo for sale. So cute! I was trying to take it all in while Mom was pushing her way through the small crowd so that she could place her order with the friendly staff. She ordered a box of mixed donuts, a Bismark, and one of their famous coffee rolls. The total came to $20.19 which is a lot for pastry, but with the wonderful Internet reviews still fresh in our minds, we were certain that the money spent, and the drive, would be justified.
When we took the boxes back to my car, I took photos of the donuts in case the long ride home took its toll on their appearance. Before driving away for good, Mom and I ate the Bismark because a) it was made with real cream and would not have made it home, b) it came highly recommended, and c) we couldn't wait to try it. Once we took a bite - WOW! What a delicious pastry! Both Mom and I thought that we'd never find a real cream donut that rivaled Butler's in Westport. Who knew it was in Saugus the whole time? The Bismark is a long, flaky donut with a stripe of jam (we think blackberry) inside, covered with real whipped cream, topped with a dollop of jam, and sprinkled with powered sugar. Surprisingly, it is not overly sweet. It was cool, creamy, and delicious. You could actually serve one of these for a dessert. They're that good.
When we got home around 6 p.m., we still had more errands to run. Not wanting to leave the box of donuts and the coffee roll alone with my hungry father and sister, I grabbed a few ice mats, threw them into a cooler bag and placed the boxes inside. When we finally arrived home at 11 p.m. (yes, we had the donuts in the car for almost eight hours), Mom and I were nervous to see what shape our donuts were in. They were PERFECT. No bumps, bruises, melted icing, broken pieces, or lost filling. Kane's Doughnuts definitely traveled well ... but how did they taste? Dad was the first to try one of the donuts and he loved it. I was the second. I chose a chocolate glazed one from the box and took a bite - fantastic! It was so chocolaty and moist, not to mention humongous. It was almost like two Krispy Kreme donuts got together and formed a giant, tastier version. Mom had the honey glazed crueler which she found to be delicious. It was huge, had a slight crisp to the outside, and was very soft and cakey inside. She loved both the texture and the taste. Other donuts in the box included a coconut with raspberry filling, a powdered sugar blueberry filled, an old-fashioned, a cinnamon, a jelly, a powdered jelly, a chocolate frosted with sprinkles, and a few others. Not included were the vanilla cream and the lemon filled which we had read so much about. Oh well, maybe next time.
Now let me explain this coffee roll - the Big Foot of all coffee rolls. It is about the size of a personal pan pizza, and a mystery as to how Kane's gets it to stay so soft. It has just the right combination of cinnamon, cake, and icing. You can easily cut it up and feed about six people. Notice how tiny Mom's hand looks near the roll. Rumor has it that some men can eat a single one all on their own while washing it down with their morning coffee. Well, we may be pigs, but I don't think any of us could eat that by ourselves. I personally would be in a coma afterwards and would have to take a day off from work. However, the taste of the coffee roll was out of this world. We all cut a piece for ourselves and enjoyed the soft roll and its tasty icing.
The World Wide Web may be filled with pervs, identity thieves, and x-rated sites, but without the Internet, Mom and I would never have known about the deliciousness that is Kane's Doughnut House. Sure, we'd probably be about 100 lbs. thinner, but then what would we blog about? Exercise? Yeah, right! Mom hasn't bent down in six years! Kane's Doughnuts may just be the best donuts that we've ever had, and they were definitely worth the drive and the price. These huge donuts are a must have for any New England bakery connoisseur, and we know you will not be disappointed.
Kane's Doughnut House is open from 3:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 3:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Wright's Dairy Farm and Bakery
If there is one thing my mother loves, it's a good bakery. With all the sensational sights and smells to take in, she pretty much just stands in the center of a store and starts spinning as if she were Mary Tyler Moore throwing her hat up into the air with glee. Yes, she gets that excited. This excitement was taken to a whole new level when my aunt suggested that we pay a visit to Wright's Dairy Farm and Bakery, which is about 13 minutes down the road from Wright's Farm Restaurant. She raved about their fantastic pastries, so of course, this was something that Mom and I couldn't miss - but we missed it. Twice. It turns out that the tiny arrow pointing down toward the farm at the corner of Route 102 and Woonsocket Hill Road didn't catch our eyes. Perhaps we were overwhelmed with thoughts of pastry or stuffed from all the chicken we just ate. Nonetheless, we eventually spotted the arrow and drove down the winding street to the farm at around 5:30 p.m.
This farm was exactly what all farms should look like. There were large dairy cows roaming the fields, bales of hay stacked up in one of the barns, a milking station, various storage sheds, farm equipment, and oh, did I mention the huge gourmet bakery? We drove past a sea of large boxes with tiny calves inside (perhaps for protection from the larger cows) and into the bakery parking lot. The lot wasn't too big, but was practically full. People love this place! When we stepped inside through the sliding doors, Mom's jaw dropped. I thought she was going to spin, but she just stood there in awe of all the mouth-watering delights that were scattered throughout the beautiful country store. Right away we spotted a shelf with Wright's Dairy Farm T-shirts. I should have gotten one!
We didn't know where to look first, so we slowly made our way through the well-stocked shelves filled with cakes, cookies, pies, breakfast goodies, and other treats. Individual cream pastries include the small cream puffs, chocolate and strawberry boats (large and small), peaks, apple crisp, raspberry bismarks, comets, and assorted cake squares. Individual custard pastries include large and small éclairs, maple and vanilla napoleons, trifles, and zeppoles (seasonal). Other refrigerated goodies include rum teacake, cannollis, and apple dumplings (seasonal). Some of the many flavors of pie include chocolate, coconut, banana, apple cream, apple, pumpkin (10" only - seasonal), key lime pie (9" only), custard (10" only), and pecan pie (10" only - seasonal). There are also fruit square, cookies (such as chocolate chip, hermits, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter chip, Russian tea cookies, butter/shortbread, M&M, macaroons, Florentine, vanilla bisquits, pin wheels, and sugar), bars (brownies, M&M brownie, Mounds, radio, magic, and pecan diamonds), and their many varieties of cakes, such as strawberry shortcake, black forest, cow, three-layer, checkerboard, fresh fruit tiara (seasonal), killer (8”), cheesecake (10” plain or fruit), carrot, zuppa (8”), and tiramisu (8”). Other baked goods include muffins and scones, flaky pastries, bow ties, rogarts, angel wings (cinnamon discs), bear claws, eccles cakes (pretzels), almond crescents (pie pockets), baklava/choco-almond treasures, sugar-free pie pockets, sweet rolls and buns, danish, meltaways, pecan rolls, coffee rolls, and hot cross buns (seasonal). Everything was reasonably priced, fresh, and looked out of this world.
We also noticed the large refrigerated case at the end of the store. Wright's really prides themselves on their fresh milk products. According to their Web site, the milk never leaves the store and comes straight from their cows to our tables in less than 48 hours. Milk products include skim, 2%, whole, chocolate, and coffee milks. They also have mini milk containers for the kids. Wright's also carries both light and heavy cream, and egg nog (available only in November and December). Although Mom and I weren't interested in buying milk at that time, we were both dying to know how it tasted. Later on, we had a fan of ours tell us that all their milks, no matter what percent it is, have the flavor of whole. Sounds good, but we were more interested in the refrigerated pastry case. After taking a number (just like at the deli), a young worker asked us if we were ready to choose something. I had narrowed my choices down to two things. One looked like a key lime tart, and the other looked like a smaller key lime tart. Since one was large and green and the other small and white, yet they were both topped with limes, I asked the girl behind the counter to describe them. She told me that the white tart was called a key west, and had a more tart flavor than the key lime. Since it looked delicious - and easy to hold in the car - I decided to get one of those. Not wanting to be left out, Mom got one as well. The worker placed the tarts in a small box, printed out a receipt, taped it to the top of the box, and sent us on our way.
After Mom and I had narrowed down our other choices, it was time to head over to the register. Mom was quite excited because not only was she able to get a treat to eat right away, she got some breakfast goodies and buns to have the next day. We were greeted by a young cashier, who rang and bagged our order. The total came to:
Meltaways - $4.20
Chocolate Chip Scones - 3.60
Dozen snowflake rolls - 2
2x tarts (@ 1.99 each) - 3.98
Hermits - 4.28
TOTAL = $18.06
Before we left the bakery, Mom spotted some spoons in a jar by the register. We had both wondered how we were going to eat the tarts in the car, but thankfully Wright's provides both spoons and straws for your eating and drinking pleasure.
When we got to the car, we took the two tarts out of the box and grabbed the spoons. We rolled down the window, hoping to smell some fresh country air, but all we could smell was cow manure. Rolling the windows back up, we dug into our cool, fresh key wests. The key west lived up to its name. It was a bit more tart than the key lime, but absolutely delicious. The real cream that was on top really helped cut the tartness so there was a nice blend of flavors with every bite. The crust was flaky, the filling cool and creamy, and it was really a delight to eat.
Our other purchases included chocolate chip scones (which had a sweet icing and were filled with chocolate chips), a dozen rolls (the same fantastic rolls that are served at Wright's Farm Restaurant), meltaways (covered in cinnamon, syrup, and nuts - yummy), and a bag of hermits (which were deliciously spiced and available to order on their Web site):
Of course, Mom saw about 100 other things she wanted to buy, but I had to stop her. After all, how many baked goods can one family have? Wait ... maybe I shouldn't ask that question. Before leaving the farm, which has been servicing the Rhode Island community for over 100 years, we decided to take another spin around the parking lot to get a better look at the cows. A personal shout out goes to cow number 80, who posed for a picture for me!! Make sure you check out our slide show to see him, or her, in all his bovine glory.
Both Mom and I adore quaint little out-of-the-way places like Wright's Dairy Farm and Bakery. It is the perfect place to visit on a beautiful spring afternoon, and there's nothing better than freshly made pastries from a picturesque New England farm - no matter what season it is.
Wright's Dairy Farm and Bakery is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Butler's Colonial Donut House
Westport, MA 02790
(508) 672-4600
1448 Grand Army Highway
Somerset, MA 02726
(508) 672-0865
The long johns and the cream donuts made at Butler's Colonial Donut House are to die for. After reading about them on a few dining Web sites a few years ago, we decided to try them for ourselves. Trust me, you have never had a cream donut until you've had one of these. They are delicate, rich, cool, fresh, and have a knock-your-socks-off kind of taste. Since the new Somerset location had run out of both long johns and creams on Saturday night, Mom and I decided to stop by the original Westport location today to pick some up.
We pulled into the small parking lot of Butler's at around 1:15 p.m. Butler's looks more like a tiny home than a bakery. With about six parking spaces and barely room to stand, early morning customers often have to wait in line to get in. Since we had arrived closer to closing time, we were able to go right inside. The owner was there and was waiting on two older gentleman who were ordering donuts. While he was busy with them, I was able to take some pictures of the interior. When you walk through the door, you are automatically facing the cash register and bakery display case. To the left is a soda and milk case and an area where coffee is served. Behind the display case is their baking equipment. It looks sort of old fashioned, but they really can't fit any large equipment in the small space. Butler's is always very clean when we visit, and the smell of the fresh baked goods is intoxicating.
When it was our turn to order, Mom asked the owner if there were any long johns and cream donuts available (since she didn't spot any in the display case). The owner said yes, and proceeded to fill some freshly made donuts just for us. He jokingly mentioned that Mom and I were taking a chance by visiting Butler's so late, and he was right. Usually the long johns and cream donuts sell out very quickly, but Butler's always tries to make sure that they save some donuts and filling for latecomers like us. Mom had ordered four long johns and four cream donuts ($1.30 each; 1/2 dozen - $7.25; dozen - $14.50). Other pastries include their regular donuts (75 cents each; 1/2 dozen - $3.99; dozen - $5.99), Napoleons ($2), real cream horns ($1.85), whoopie pies ($2.50), bags of cookies ($2.50), scones, eclairs ($1.85), French meat pies ($2), chourico rolls ($2), stuffed quahogs, and Willow Tree chicken salad rolls ($3.60).
The owner quickly returned to the counter with our donuts. The total came to:
As Mom was paying, I asked the owner what the hours for the Somerset location were. Unfortunately, not only were we unsuccessful trying to get our cream donuts on Saturday, I was unlucky again on Tuesday because both locations were closed. He politely wrote down the hours on the pastry box for us. As we were leaving, a frantic older woman rushed in and asked the owner if he offered any sugar-free pastries. I don't know how that turned out, but the owner seemed more than willing to help the customer with her question.
When we got home, I made sure to take a picture of the donuts before they were annihilated by my family. We put them in the fridge right away, but about an hour later both Mom and I were ready to eat. The long john, which is covered in granulated sugar and filled with both the real cream and a blackberry jam stripe, was outstanding. The cream donut, which is covered in powdered sugar and stuffed with nothing but the cream, was just as amazing. It is no wonder why these donuts have been featured in so many newspapers and gourmet magazines. They really are the best in New England.
Butler's Colonial Donut House in Westport is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday.
*******
Date: 11/3/2007
Hoping to get some long johns and cream donuts, Mom and I stopped at the new Butler's Donuts location in Somerset at around 5:45 p.m. Unfortunately, they were all out.
It's hard for us to believe that the former Steve's Downyflake Donuts is gone, but we're glad that more people are now able to taste the fresh cream donuts that makes Butler's so famous. The parking lot is very small, and it is on a very busy street. I believe there is a drive-thru window at the back of the building, which is also very small. When you walk in, you are greeted by many loaded bakery display cases, which is very appealing to the eye. There is also a rack for breads and scones, and a cooler containing bottles of milk, juice, and other drinks. Everything is painted white, which gives the bakery a very clean look. The girl behind the counter was very polite and apologized for not having the long johns or cream donuts. She mentioned that a lot of people had come in asking for them.
Mom chose what she wanted - two cannolis, a large whoopie pie, two lemon squares, and two brownies (one with nuts). This Butler's also has deli sandwiches available, as well as the standard pastries, fritters, Napoleons, and real cream delights that you can find at the original location. The cashier began talking about a magician that had just come into the store before us and had been doing magic tricks. I spotted a balloon animal near the cash register and she told me that he had made that for her. I'm sorry I missed that!
The total came to $9.30. After Mom paid, the polite cashier told us to stay dry (it was raining very heavily on Saturday). We left Butler's and decided to park somewhere and have a cannoli. These cannolis are one of our favorites. Mom loves how the crust is neither too crunchy nor too soft, the cream is not too sweet, and that the chocolate chips at each end give the cream a little crunch. The next day, the other pastries were tasted. The lemon squares were very good. We love the nice, flaky crust and the lemon filling is not too tart. However, both the brownies and the whoopie pie were a little dry. Mom said the cream in the pie was very good (not sweet), but she was disappointed that the cake wasn't very moist. I felt the same way about the brownie (with nuts). It could have been more moist. However, the taste was good.
All in all, we love Butler's Donuts. Although the long johns and the cream donuts are what they're known for, we love their cannolis and we can tell by the empty pastry trays that the other goodies are flying out the door as well. This is definitely a New England gem.
Butler's Donuts and Bakery in Somerset is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
White's Cafe & Pastry Shop
White's Cafe and Pasty Shop (in Brockton) came highly recommended by two of my former co-workers. Since Mom was in a bakery mood, we decided to "drive by" White's to see if they were open. Usually when we say we are going to "drive by," it means we are going to park, go inside, and buy stuff. With MapQuest leading us in the right direction, we arrived at White's at around 3:30 p.m.
When we first got out of the car, we were unsure of which door to use. Two doors stated they were for the pastry shop, but we soon found out that the pastry counters are accessible through the cafe door, and the other two doors are entry to the bakery kitchen. Located in a small brick plaza, there was average parking and a ramp for the handicapped. When we stepped inside, both Mom and I were astounded. There was pastry as far as the eye could see. I had no idea it was going to be this big. When my co-workers described it, I pictured this tiny counter with a few fresh breads scattered along the top. Not this bakery. There were at least five or six large bakery cases along with two long tables topped with fresh pies, breads, cookies, and other treats. Mom was in heaven. If she had a hat, she would have spun around and threw it up into the air like Mary Tyler Moore.
We noticed that the cafe was empty, and all the action was near the bakery display cases. The interior both in the cafe and on the main floor is quite modern. There is black seating in the restaurant with yellow walls and a black checkerboard floor highlighting both areas. There was a lot of lighting around the display cases to make them pop, and both the dining room and the bakery area were clean and organized. There were two cash registers (one on either side of the counters) because I'm assuming that this place does a lot of business. There were also plenty of cashiers standing behind the glass waiting to take your order. Although it was not extraordinarily busy, a few customers had gathered around the goodies.
Still spinning, Mom decided to organize her thoughts and start drooling at the first display case. Filled with prepared foods like spinach quiches, chicken pot pies, and ham and asparagus tarts, the meals come with heating instructions and are ready for you to place into the oven as soon as you get them home. The next few bakery cases were filled with the good stuff - sweets. There was a great section with just mini pastries such as cannolis, carrot cakes, cream puffs, eclairs, cheesecake, and Neapolitans ($9.95/dozen). They also offer both mini pastry and cookie trays for $25 (two dozen mini pastry) and $35 (two pound cookie). Other sizes are also available. Other desserts include opera cakes, cream filled turnovers, half moons, brownies (nuts and without), cupcakes, tortes, biscotti, and individual slices of their delicious cakes. With cakes like Italian rum, banana split, black forest (from $18.95 to $176), frosted and whipped cream, midnight madness, kahlua sombrero, tiramisu, chocolate and lemon mousse, brownie torte, pavoratti, and the gateau and white gateau Charlene, there is plenty to choose from. Both the *checkerboard cake and the ricotta pie (which we didn't see) came highly recommended from a few Internet dining sites. White's also makes New York style, Oreo, Heath Bar, fruit flan, and chocolate covered cheescakes (chocolate covered - 7" is $23.95; 10" is $6.25/lb). They also offer a large variety of novelty theme, wedding, anniversary, christening, and corporate cakes. Also made fresh at White's are their delicious looking pies, such as apple, blueberry, cranberry apple, dutch apple, lemon meringue, custard (seasonal), mince, pecan, pumpkin, ricotta, squash, and strawberry rhubarb. The listed pies from custard to strawberry rhubarb are seasonal only, and pies range from $10.05-16.95. Cream pies include banana, Boston (the only one not topped with fresh whipped cream), chocolate, chocolate mousse, and key lime (seasonal). These pies range from $11.50-12.95. At the last bakery display cake were all their breads and breakfast items such as muffins, danish, danish rings, turnovers, croissants, fig and lemon squares, and pecan rolls. Visions of sugar plums danced in Mom's head as she tried to make a decision.
After a few spins around the counter and almost taking out a few customers, Mom was ready to order. She chose two mini cannolis (a plain and a chocolate dipped), two frosted brownies, a brownie with walnuts, a gold half moon, and a fig and a lemon square. Mom was too glazed to remember to get a receipt, but I can tell you that the total was $11.30, and the prices were individually marked on each item's tray. The polite cashier had a lot of patience to put up with Mom running from counter to counter and pressing her fingers against the glass.
Although we were on our way to have a early dinner, Mom decided that she just had to try something right away. When we got to the car, she decided to pull out both mini cannolis. The reason being was that they have to be refrigerated, and since we were going to be gone for the rest of the day, we should eat them right away. Good call, Mom! They were amazing. I had the chocolate dipped one, and although the chocolate side was a little too crunchy, the delicious filling and chocolate chips made up for it. I think that you can actually taste the filling more if the cannoli has a plain shell - like Mom's did. She said it was one of the best cannolis she's ever had. The shell was fresh and crisp, the filling was cool, creamy, and very rich. She said it was not sweet and had a very nice texture.
I thought I was going to have to give my mother a paper bag to breathe into while we were at White's, but when we left she was able to catch her breath and relax. This was one of the best bakeries, if not the best, that I have ever been to. There is so much to choose from, and everything is both beautiful to look at and to eat. You can tell that whoever is making these items definitely had formal training, and if they haven't, they have an extraordinary talent. Mom is already talking about her next visit, and as I type this, she's telling me that she wants to go back - NOW. Perhaps our next visit will be sooner than I think!
*Click here to see pictures of the checkerboard cake. DELICIOUS!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Esler's American Bakery
During one of her Internet searches, Mom came across a place called the Wayside Country Store. Located in Marlboro, MA, this country store complex has been in operation since 1929 when Henry Ford owned and operated it. Now home to several different shops and businesses, Wayside has definitely become quite the tourist attraction. One of the businesses Mom read about was called Esler's American Bakery. With its homemade cakes and fine desserts, Esler's became the first stop on our visit to Wayside.
When we pulled into the parking lot at around 3 p.m., we both thought that the entire complex was beautiful and well-kept. All the buildings are white and seem to be set really close to one another, if not connected. We spotted Esler's right away and were dying to try one of their decadent desserts. After stepping inside, we realized that Esler's was a tiny bakery that seemed to specialize in wedding and occasion cakes. However, they had a wide assortment of baked goods such as muffins, breads, brownies, and other pastries. The interior of Esler's is very fresh and pristine, which makes the yummy desserts stand out against the white wall color. There is a glass display case located under a large window that shows off some of their wedding cake designs. Parallel to the cardboard cakes is where all the action is - Esler's exquisite chilled display case filled with some of the most beautiful desserts we had ever seen. 
With cakes like the Chocolate Blackout, Boston Cream Pie, Coconut Buttercream, Lemon Layer, Strawberry Shortcake, Traditional Buttercream, and Carrot, any dessert lover will find something to drool over. Esler's also features a cake called The Atomic, which is their take on a Chicago bakery classic. Starting with a layer of chocolate cake, Esler's adds chocolate pudding, banana cake, sliced bananas, vanilla pastry cream, yellow cake, sliced strawberries, and just enough whipped cream to truly make this cake "atomic." Round layer cake prices start at $20 for a 6" (serves 6-8), to $85 for a 16" (serves 40-50). Sheet cake prices start at $45 for a 1/4 sheet (serves 20), to $140 for a full sheet (serves 90). Esler's also specializes in gluten- and dairy-free goodies, including the buttercream cakes, vanilla or chocolate cupcakes by the dozen ($18.50), cookies, and their Pavlova cake, which features three layers of meringue filled whipped cream and fresh fruit - inspired by the New Zealand tradition (6" at $20, 8" at $25, and 10" at $32). Please allow 48-hours notice for Esler's to prepare your specialty order. On the counters and in the pastry case were many different treats, such as the lemon bars ($2), double chip brownies ($2), chocolate pecan bars ($2), streusel bars ($1.75), eclairs ($2.75), cream puffs ($2.75), and chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and mudslide cookies ($1.75). Be careful - the mudslide cookies have been rated PG-13 for adult chocolate content. Also at Esler's is a variety of tarts such as the fresh fruit, key lime, apple, chocolate raspberry, banana cream, lemon, and peanut butter. Tarts are either made in 4" or 8/9" sizes, depending on how many people you want to feed. Other goodies include the mini cakes ($4.75), fig bars ($2), and the fresh baked bread from Pain D'Avignon in Hyannis, MA. Mom and I saw loaves of French, Italian, and rye breads available. If you're looking for party platters, Esler's is the place to go. You can choose to have a petite pastry platter ($30-60), or a cookie, brownie, and bar platter ($18-40). If you're just stopping in for a muffin or two, make sure to grab a cup of joe. Esler's proudly serves Terroir coffee from the George Howell Coffee Company in Acton, MA.
We were so indecisive, but Mom and I finally settled on two lemon bars, two chocolate cupcakes, and a bag of walnut brownies. The cashier was very polite and quickly boxed up our order. The bill came to:
Bar - $2
Bar - 2
Cupcake - 1.50
Cupcake - 1.50
Brownies - 6
Subtotal - $13
Tax .35
TOTAL = $13.35
Of course, we wanted to buy everything in the bakery, but the prices are a bit high here and we still wanted to shop our way around the plaza. However, after looking at all those desserts, we were starving. We headed back to my car to "sample" what we'd purchased.
My "sampling" turned into me stuffing my face with both a cupcake and a lemon bar. Mom had a bit more restraint than I did - she did not eat all of her lemon bar. Instead, she saved the second half for later and devoured her chocolate cupcake. The cupcake, besides looking beautiful, tasted delicious. It was very moist with a deep fudgey taste. The frosting on top was surprisingly not sweet. Mom was afraid she was going to get a big dose of sugar when she bit into it, but instead the frosting was delicately sweet. She definitely wants to get a half dozen of them on our next visit. The lemon bar was outstanding. With a shortbread bottom, the lemon filling was neither too sweet nor too tart and topped with a hard, sugar icing that was cool and refreshing. Full of pastry, we got out of the car and decided to work off some calories by visiting the nearby country store. Both Mom and I felt that Esler's was definitely a great find, and we can't wait to go back for more.
Esler's American Bakery, at the Wayside Country Store Plaza, is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Esler's is closed on Mondays.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Ma's Donut & Coffee Shop
I heard about Ma's Donuts from a friend who told me that he used to wake up early just to arrive at Ma's for 6 a.m. when the doors opened. He raved about their glazed donuts, and told me that they are bigger and better than the Krispy Kreme version. I just had to see this for myself, and let me tell you, he was right. I've been back a few times since then.
On my first visit, since I am not quite familiar with New Bedford, I brought along some directions from MapQuest. Luckily for me, the directions proved correct as I found the place right away. On today's visit, I was able to score a spot in the tight parking lot that is overshadowed by a painted sign. To say that you missed seeing this sign would mean that you need to change the prescription in your glasses, because you can't miss it:
Ma's Donuts is also a small coffee shop, hence the official title of Ma's Donuts & Coffee Shop. The parking lot is quite tiny (there is street parking as well), but it matches well with small brick building. However, once inside, you'll find that there are quite a few seats in the diner area (both booths and counter service). The bakery counter is just to your left as you walk through both sets of doors and into the restaurant.
When I arrived at around 7 a.m., there was already a line of people waiting to get at those delicious donuts. There were a few scattered diner patrons, but all the action was at the the bakery counter. There were three women working this morning, and all were extremely busy. When I finally got to the counter, I was able to place my order - six double chocolate and six plain glazed donuts. While the younger girl started packing up the circular delights, I noticed that Ma's had a variety of filled favorites like apple, blueberry, lemon, and Boston creme. There was also a variety of muffins, coffee rolls, squares, and other baked goods. I also noted that everything was pretty well stocked, as I've been here on other occasions and basically everything was gone. The reason for this was probably because on my first few visits I stopped at Ma's after the morning rush, and I do believe that Ma's is only open until around 2 p.m. By then, all the glazed donuts had long been digested.
The friendly waitress then gave me my total - $5.48 (or $5.49 - it was early, and my mind was clouded with the allure of donuts). She handed me two large boxes and wished me well. I briskly walked to my car, got in, and headed for home. The smell of the icing was just too much for me, and I ended up devouring one of the double chocolate donuts at a red light. I found it to be very good. A little crispy for my taste, but still delicious. The icing wasn't sweet at all and the donut didn't feel like it was made of lead. After a safe trip back to Fall River, I raced upstairs with the two boxes of goodies. Mom dug in and chose a plain glazed. She thought it was heavenly. Again, this donut is not sweet, yet it is covered in icing. I'm not sure how that is even possible, but the donut remains light and fluffy and has that classic glazed taste. Like I said before, my friend was right - the Ma's glazed is bigger and better than Krispy Kreme's! Ma's Donuts have been consistently good each time we were lucky enough to get some.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Bristol Bagel Works
Bristol, RI 02809
(401) 254-1390
Round two began this morning at 8 a.m. I woke up, quickly dressed, headed down the road and over the Sakonnet and Mount Hope Bridges, and parked right in front of Bristol Bagel Works at a little after 8:30 a.m.
As you can see from the picture below, I was at the back of the line as soon as I walked in the door. Apparently everyone in Bristol comes here to have a quick nosh before dashing off to work. While waiting in line, I noticed the large menu board above the ordering counter. It displayed many morning favorites like coffee and muffins, along with their specialty bagels, spreads, and other pastry delights. I noticed an olive spread which I'm dying to go back and try, but I was really only here with one thing in mind - the mocha raspberry muffin. This muffin is legendary on the Internet, and I just had to have one.
The interior is very plain, but extremely clean. It is decorated with local brochures, photos, books, and magazines, all set up around the edges of the dining area. There are tables and chairs both inside and out, and food transport is easy in the provided red baskets (which are to be returned inside once you're done eating). There is also a juice cooler over to the left of the restaurant with various fruit drinks and bottled water. Everyone that was there, both the workers and patrons, seemed to know each other. This is definitely where you want to go to get the "local flavor" of Bristol at breakfast time.
The girl who waited on me yesterday was working this morning, along with another young girl and two older women. They were all very polite and had been striking up small talk with almost all of the customers. The woman I had when I finally got to the front counter (which didn't take that long since everyone seemed to be very organized) wished me good morning and asked me what I would like. There was a long tray of muffins sitting atop the bagel display case, and I asked her to name them all. She not only did what I asked, but she went into detail explaining the ones that I wasn't familiar with, like their "Morning Glory" muffin which is basically carrot cake shaped into a muffin, and the other oat and fruit varieties. She then came across one mocha raspberry muffin. Just one! I can't believe all the others had been purchased. I took the last mocha raspberry and a morning glory. I also asked for a cheddar and broccoli bagel, which is something I'd seen the sign for yesterday, but unfortunately there were none left at that time. She put the three items in a bag and rang me up. Only $3.46 for these delicious and unusual treats. I could not wait to bring these home to Mom.
When I got them home, I announced to Mom that I was only able to score one mocha raspberry muffin. It was then decided that we split both muffins in half so that we could try a piece of each one. Before I did that, I took the above picture of the two muffins and the blueberry, cinnamon sugar, and cheddar broccoli bagels (remember, the cranberry walnut one from yesterday never made it home, ha, ha).
I sliced the up the muffins and put them on plates. Then, we dug in. Exquisite!! We tried the morning glory muffin first. It was like a delicious carrot cake without that sometimes overpowering cream cheese frosting. It had pieces of carrot, walnuts, and hints of cinnamon and nutmeg that was out of this world. I didn't think it could get any better - until I tasted the mocha raspberry. By far one of the two most delicious muffins I'd ever tasted - the second being the already devoured morning glory. The muffin was moist and was filled with mocha chips with a delicate hint of raspberry. Mom, who is not a fan of both mocha chips and raspberries, was bowled over by the taste. She agreed that both muffins were supreme, and you could definitely tell that they weren't store bought. These were true homemade delicacies.
Considering how good everything was, I was quite surprised that everything was so inexpensive. Although you really have to get there early (they open at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays), it is worth it if you're in the area and are looking for a great morning treat. Bristol Bagel Works is open from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Sip N Dip Donuts
68 Mink St.
487 Metacom Ave.
New Boston Bakery
Dunkin' Donuts
Sunday, May 20, 2007
United Liberty Bakery
Wholly Cannoli
www.whollycannoli.com
The Cornerstone Bakery & Restaurant
Terminal Bakery
Panera Bread
Marzilli's Bakery
Marzilli's has the best grinders I've ever tasted. Besides the abundance of fresh meats and cheeses they put in your sandwich, it has to be because of the bread. This Italian bread, made on the premises, is absolutely delicious. It has a very soft inside and a nice crust on the outside. Whether eaten alone or stuffed with meats, this bread is outstanding. They have all kinds of sandwiches, the most popular being the Italian, but they also have ham & cheese, meatball, Italian sausage, eggplant parmigiana, etc., etc. They have a small area for dining, but most people get take-out, and boy do the sandwiches fly out of here. On certain days, this place is very busy. However, one bite would tell you that it's worth the wait. The prices are very reasonable for the size sandwich you get, and for the