love bostok. Flour has it daily but it sells quickly. I always order ahead and get a few slices. It freezes very well.

road trip!! Heading south sometime soon. Thanks!

I thought I gave up this search after deciding France is the only place to get a worthy one but i've fallen off the wagon and taken up the cause again after having a couple of decent ones in London of all places. In researching new venues I came across I couple I missed the last time, Flour and Quebrada. Also saw a glowing review and impressive photo of one from Lyndelle's (huh, what?) slathered with generous almond goodness inside. That's what I'm talkin' about.

My gripe is that the almond is almost always nonexistent, save for a couple of sliced almonds thrown on top. Just this weekend I threw 2 in the trash from a place in Concord NH, Bread and Chocolate. Cardboard with trace elements of something almond-ish. An abomination.

Most recently had one from MA France, supplied by Pain d'Avignon, and one from Iggy's. Iggy's won that face off.

Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Well, I guess that makes me guilty of almond madness. Anyone else?

Checked today and noted that the chewy ones which are not bad at all are in a brown bag with gold lettering and called Simply the Best. Not to be confused with the thick ones in the clear plastic tubs. Yuck.

Yes, they go on sale every couple of weeks. Never tried the lemon or oatmeal so I can't concur but glad to hear you liked them.

got to love the finely tuned and nuanced palates of some chowhounds like greygarious. I think I'm pretty discerning and sensitive but posts like yours show me that I've got a lot to learn!

Many thanks, flashria. Can't wait to try it.

Just back from London and would love your Bakewell Tart recipe. And nofunlatte, could you post the Linzer bar recipe too? Many thanks!

Add me to the fan club. Really amazing for supermarket cookies although they are made by Jacqueline's Gourmet cookies of Salem as are many of MB baked goods. The praline and toffee are equally mind blowing! Another good one is the thicker "gourmet" line CC cookie, again very buttery and close to homemade quality and made by Jacqueline

I have tried these two recipes. The Gale Gand one is delicious but became very thick and difficult to spread (comments show this happened to many others). The ATK one was thinner so I stirred it into the first hoping to loosen it. It did, just slightly.

http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/homemade-nutella

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/blogs...

It looks like we might have an agreement with Concord Tea Cakes for scones and shortbread. We're getting very close to settling the rest of the catering as well (KO pies are a go!!) and I'll let you know when we seal the deal.

Baker's Best and A Catered Affair are both great resources. As a non profit, cost is a major consideration and they may be out of our league but I will investigate. We are also hoping to support local, small independent businesses but who knows? It's a process that is evolving.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks to all of you for making history with us. When our house museum was fully restored 2 years ago our vision was to have this tea room so in an addition to the original structure, a tiny galley commercial kitchen was installed. Finally it's time to brew some tea.

Along with scones, we are exploring sourcing for meat pies, shortbread, fruit bars, savory bread and soups. Some vendors we've sampled: KO Pies, Via Lago, Concord Tea cakes and yes, there was clotted cream and jam. Next week it's on to Savory Plates, DPH, more Via Lago and Petsie's.
I can't lace my corset anymore but it's been such delicious fun.

great ideas. thanks so much. Verrill doesn't wholesale or deliver. Neither does Quebrada. Each person with whom I spoke however, was most helpful and gracious, offering other options. I was most impressed. The folks at DPH couldn't have been more accomodating. We're doing a tasting next week of scones, lemon bars and a few other items.

gimlis, I'm not familiar with Petal's Table but will Google and check her out. As for Sweet Thyme I hadn't even thought of her but will now and Ride Cafe is another great lead. thanks again!

When we're up and running hopefully you all can take a tour of our museum and enjoy our new, non profit venue once it's up and running. It's not our intention to be a full service food purveyor but rather to enhance the experience of a visit to historic Lexington.

not exactly the Boston area but Vic's Waffle House in Tewksbury has great pancakes and a very eclectic menu of breakfast goodies. Don't miss the Elvis waffle...banana, bacon, peanut butter and honey.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vics-W...

I'm looking for a bakery to provide scones, preferably mini ones, for a tea room that will be opening in a historic house museum in Lexington, preferably a place that will deliver. Concord Tea cakes has just what we want but doesn't deliver. Love, love Verrill farms but doubt they'll deliver either. Checking with them, Danish Pastry house, Petsie's and Quebrada today. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

wouldn't rule out someone without a store front but with a legal, commercial kitchen, a la Butter Girl who sadly is too busy to make cookies for us.

timely resurrection of this topic. I made marshmallow cream yesterday using an egg white recipe. While the result was delicious it was so difficult to work with, sticky, thick and impossible to get off the knife/spoon. I was using it to make pb and fluff cups and ones with a caramel/marshmallow center a la See's scotchmallows. They were yummy but so fussy to make that I probably won't tackle it again.

wondering if it's just the nature of the beast or did I overwhip?

I've noticed a few discrepancies like cinnamon sugar coated almonds having the same calorie count as raw. Then I fell in love with the pocket full of fiber pita breads with a calorie count of 100. Really wanted this to be accurate but as I compared to other like products it just didn't jive so I asked about it. After a call to the company "nutritionist" was told that they are actually 140 calories per serving but calories were deducted for the soluble fiber which "just goes right through you" and won't add calories.

I know soluble fiber can be deducted from carb counts but never heard this practice. Another nutrition/calorie savvy friend said she's noticed the same with other Joe products.

what recipe did you use? I'm tempted to try the one on David Lebovitz blog.

Head to the barn beside the garden shop and you'll see where the eggs are laid, gathered and boxed up. The second floor houses hundreds of hens. Can't get much fresher. Watch out for the llama. She spits.

Baked goods are a mixed bag and I'm usually disappointed by the products baked in house. Lots of stuff is outsourced including the scones. Don't care for the whoopie pie filling, the tooth coating Crisco-ish kind

Buy the cookbook, a great bargain at $5.

did you try Petsie's in Somerville?

like you, I take my chocolate cake with ice cream. Don't often have coffee as a choice but it would be my preference too. that alone might be enough to get us to Coach Grill one day soon.

The negative side of being a baker is that it is very challenging to find a dessert better than one from my own kitchen so I pass on many and when I do bite, I'm a harsh critic. One chocolate cake that does tick all the boxes is the flourless chocolate espresso one at Capital Grille. I can't believe I forgot about that one! Really excellent.

keeping it all in the family (or what use to be) I do love the brownie sundae at Papa Razzi.

Terri, I'm confused. Is the cake at Abe's the same served at Coach Grill?

alas one man's chocolate cake is another's pumpkin pie..............

someone could take a lesson from Coco Dan and Terri on civil debate.

so Coach Grill is part of BB restaurant group?

Lakota Bakery, Arlington. Dense, moist, fudgy and decadent. Choice of frostings and fillings such as the most rich, silky chocolate ganache, mocha, raspberry jam, buttercream. and a few others. Custom order only and at a very reasonable price point for such quality.

As for restaurants, all I've ever tried are merely passable and not praiseworthy so I save the calories for proven winners.

That chocolate cake at Abe's screamed defrosted Alden Merrill to me and was so disappointing to this chocolate powered woman.

Say it ain't so, chef! Next you'll be telling me that you aren't stockpiling Twinkies.......

I think it's best that all future communication be done through our attorneys.

happy turtle free thanksgiving!

Rice flour is often used to get the sandy texture of shortbread so I think it is worth a try. Be bold!

http://bakingbites.com/2012/04/what-i...

As a lover of chocolate and caramel, these look interesting. However, not usually a fan of processed supermarket dessert items. Anyone ever tried these?

I guess I feel about frangipane the same way I feel about cream cheese frosting. What's around it or below it is merely the platform for the real star.