Showing posts with label bakeries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bakeries. Show all posts

Monday, June 06, 2022

bread/taiwanese: i recommend EAT MI



The pandemic had everyone making bread at home, me included. For the first time, I made quick foccacia, no knead peasant bread, salted honey butter parker rolls, easy yogurt flatbread, honey beer bread, easy pretzels and of course, a lot of banana bread (not really a bread, but you know what I mean). Wow, okay seeing that, that's a lot of bread, but it's also been a loooong two years. It's evidence that  I love bread and all kinds of bread. But it wasn't until I got the invitation by a friend to try EatMI that I had heard of bread made from rice. 

Like everyone else, I’ve been trying to figure out how to eat healthier in between those media tastings, brown sugar boba and shaved ice cravings, and carb-bread-cinnamon roll-cake-croissant temptations. And most of the time, the cravings win.

So that’s why I was intrigued by EatMI, a new company making toast and bread with Taiwanese rice. Around the world, people are eating less rice (whether it’s because they are cutting carbs or have other options to pick from) and in Taiwan, rice consumption has fallen more than 30%. So the partners founded EatMI and spent two years figuring out how to make bread made from 100% Taiwanese rice and zero wheat flour, but still have a texture that bread lovers would still enjoy. With a master baker from Jiu Zhen Nan (舊振南), a food business keeping Chinese pastry traditions alive since 1890, and other partners, they are looking for a way to evolve the way people in Taiwan eat rice and the way they eat bread. 




EatMi started with a popup at Taipei 101 in December 2021, a vegan kickoff at Ooh Cha Cha x OmniPork with chef Mai Bach who also helped create some vegan toppings for them for their 101 popup, and then some collaborations with 5 restaurants like M One Cafe and Tamed Fox doing their thing with EatMI toast into eggs benedict, French toast, and bread pudding. 






Shrimp eggs Benedict w crispy hashbrowns
EatMi x M One Cafe 

Charsiu eggs Benedict Tamed Fox with EatMi English muffins

No flour, no wheat, just rice- which makes the bread a great option for those looking for gluten free options in Taipei. The first version of the packaging was individually packed and in a box, with three flavors available- original, nutty and chocolate. (NT$770/ 8 slices, combination box) 




My favorite was the nutty toast and the original a close second. They recommend (and I agree) that the toast is best when toasted longer than you would for normal toast... I use my air fryer and a good 3-4 minutes in it before I top it. I even tried my hand at the French toast that I tried from Brun, and it definitely helps those crusts when I airfried/toasted it a few minutes after griddling. The rice toast has a slightly chewy texture, not as chewy as mochi waffle, but just a slightly chewier than regular toast, and the crusts become caramelized. It's hard to describe, you kind of have to try it for yourself.

Strawberry French toast by Brun x EatMi. This was sooo tasty! 




Just launched, EatMi's second version comes in a sliced loaf, with slightly more eco-friendly packaging, and better pricing at NT$330 for 6 original slices, or NT$380 for 6 nutty slices. It's definitely still a splurge for bread, which is extremely competitive in Taiwan, but much more affordable than the pricing for the first time around. For those looking for gluten-free options, this is much tastier than the gluten free breads I've tried in the states. For more info, check out eatmi.com


Thursday, May 04, 2017

dear hungryintaipei: TRACKING DOWN TAIWANESE BAKERIES

photo credit: udn.com

OVER THE YEARS, I've probably gotten hundreds of emails and messages from readers, not to mention comments on social media like my Facebook page, Instagram and twitter. I read all of the messages and try to respond if I can and if I have the time. 

I've received many great restaurant recommendations from you guys.  Some messages are touching, a note of thanks or details of how they used my blog while they were in Taipei and appreciate my hard work. I've loved hearing from restaurant owners telling me that my posts helped them get new customers or that they feel a noticeable impact.

I've led journalists and tv crews on the hunt for the best eats in Taipei, and as far as Keelung, Shenkeng, Tainan and Kaohsiung, arranging the right restaurants to feature and shoot. 

Most of the time, people ask for restaurant recommendations, or a list of must eats, but sometimes questions get very specific. I've even gotten asked to recommend places to propose to someone. (What a huge responsibility, right??!)

Once in awhile, I get dumb questions that can be answered by Google or Google Maps. It can be frustrating, but I've reminded myself over the last year that I don't have to answer EVERY single question or plan people's entire itinerary for them.

I thought it would be interesting to post some of these questions and answers over the years, since some of these answers might be something you've been wondering about too, OR maybe something you guys can help me answer!

This one was cool to research because, hey, Taiwan came in SECOND PLACE at the Baker's World Cup! Who's tried these bakeries?
_

JANUARY 15, 2017 
4:59AM

Subject: Tracking Down Taiwanese Bakeries

Hi Joan -
My partner and I are traveling to Taiwan later this month and I am trying to track down some bakeries. You might know that this past year, Taiwan did quite well at the Baker's World Cup, second place!

The winners are three gentlemen, whose names can be found here: http://www.europain.com/events/bakery-world-cup

I've managed to track down one of their bakeries: https://www.facebook.com/CTCBakery

But I am wondering if you know anything about the other two men or their bakery locations. I'm a professional baker myself and enjoy nothing more than "bakery tourism" when I travel. I love your blog and we will be using it as a resource for our trip. My partner Alexandra caught wind of you all the way over here in Boston.

Yours
- Dan S

_

JANUARY 15, 2017
1:45PM

Hey Dan,

Thanks for your email. Your question piqued my interest since I actually hadn't heard about this win. 
I'm guessing you got the CTC bakery from city543. According to 40 minutes of research and Google translating, it doesn't seem to be one of the bakeries. 

Check out this Chinese article

The three bakeries are 

Shakespeare Boulangerie 

Un Jour A Paris 
昂舒巴黎烘焙坊

Wu Pao Chun
吳寶春麥方店 

One is in Kaohsiung and the other two you can find in Taipei. You can check out their Facebook pages. 

The only one I've been to is Wu Pao Chun, who is the baker who won in 2010 and led this team. 
Their shop is in Songyen Eslite. 

Enjoy browsing the bakeries! 

Joan 

_

JANUARY 15, 2017
10:40PM

Thanks Joan. I can't express how much I appreciate your great detective work! IS this blogging a business for you? You are very passionate about it. We're actually staying in Kaohsiung for most of the trip with family and a few days in Taipei in February. I would be happy to take you out for a pastry as a token of gratitude. 

Yours
- Dan


Friday, March 17, 2017

american/bakery: i strongly recommend HERITAGE BAKERY AND CAFE


HERITAGE BAKERY AND CAFE
台北市中正區漢口街一段73號之2
(02) 2311-1079

MRT: Taipei Main Station (about 10 minute walk) or Ximen Station (about 8 minute walk) or NTU Hospital (about 10 minute walk)

website: Heritage Bakery's Facebook page

hours: 11AM - 7PM (closed Mondays)

$$ 

Kid friendliness: seating on second floor, elevator available. kids will love the cinnamon buns and desserts

Visit reviewed: 3/16/2017

Must orders: cinnamon roll, salted caramel cheesecake, carrot cake


[TAIPEI]  Anyone who has been craving warm, sticky cinnamon buns in Taipei must get themselves to Heritage Bakery now. Opened in September 2016, Heritage Bakery is the result of owner Sally Song transforming an old family building into a gorgeous bakery/cafe serving a counter full of American style cakes and desserts, including a plate of cinnamon buns beckoning at the entrance's window. The cafe's classic and clean decor, peppered with refurbished vintage fans and speakers as decoration, and bookended by the original building's brick and concrete walls, looks like it could be out of the pages of Pottery Barn or Williams Sonoma catalog, both companies that Song previously worked for.  










There's currently only one savory item on the menu, a bacon mushroom potato tart, creamy and crisp, topped with a thin layer of cheese with a subtle layer of local pepper (NT$180). I wished there were more mushrooms and less potatoes since it's quite filling, but I polished off the entire thing anyways anyways.




But we are here for the desserts and there's so many to choose from! I settled on trying the most popular items- the cinnamon roll and the salted caramel cheesecake. Song said that there was definitely a learning curve in working with her pastry chef, who is Taiwanese and has never traveled to the US, to create authentic flavors and textures with rounds of recipe testing without having tasted the real thing. Considering the differences the palate between Asian desserts and American desserts, the results are pretty amazing, as all the desserts I tried were on point. 



Cutting open the salted caramel cheesecake, I could already tell I would like it. Not as dense and firm as NY cheesecake (and less cakey than the Japanese style cheesecake that is popular in Taipei), Heritage Bakery's cheesecake is more melt-in-your-mouth creamy and smooth, as a result of being made from cream cheese, marscapone and sour cream. Perfection with the sweet caramel swirls and touch of salt to balance the sweetness. 


And the cinnamon bun tasted as good as it looks. My fork easily cut apart each layer, which was moist, fluffy and pleasurable with a sticky finish from the caramelized sugars and cinnamon coating. I've tried my share of cinnamon rolls in Taipei (Fly's Kitchen, Mia Cucina, IKEA, Original Bakery, Bonjour Bakery, La Petite Pearl to name a few) and this one is the closest I've had yet to my Cinnabon cravings.  My only regret is that I didn't pick up a few extra to share and eat in the morning for breakfast. Don't make my same mistake.



Balsamic strawberry chocolate tart 


Guava Delight (NT$150)


Passionfruit meringue (NT$180)


Good Ol' Carrot Cake (NT$150)


Even though Heritage has been open for only a few months, Song has ideas about the bakery's space for the future- hoping to bring other bakeries or chefs for pop-ups in Taipei, since the bakery is only open during the day time and she has a full kitchen on the third floor. Until then, I will be happy to come back to try out the other delicious desserts one by one, or maybe one of their beer and dessert pairings. Heritage Bakery is worth the trek to Hankou Street, near Taipei Main Station and Ximen areas.



Wednesday, May 06, 2015

desserts/cupcakes: i strongly recommend THE CUPCAKE SHOP

  

THE CUPCAKE SHOP
thecupcakeshoptw@gmail.com
0910-709-178

website: thecupcakeshop.com.tw

$$

Kid friendliness: kids will love the designs and taste

Visit reviewed: 5/7/2014 & 6/3/2014 & 10/31/2014 & 4/29/2015


 

Usually when I eat a cupcake or cookie from somewhere in Taipei, I think to myself, I could make this better myself at home. I know some of you have thought the same thing. There are of course a few exceptions to this rule, and now there is a new find that definitely blows it out of the water.  Last year, a friend brought over some cupcakes to a lunch and I couldn't stop eating them and I've ordered them a number of times since!


Not only do The Cupcake Shop's cupcakes taste delicious, they are also so pretty and fun. Roz, who is the Cupcake Shop's baker and master cupcake artist, does an amazing job with the frosting and detailed pictures. A quick browse through their Facebook page and website showed everything from Superhero logos to Olaf from Frozen to Despicable Me Minions to just fun glittery pink and pastel cupcakes. The Cupcake Shop offers the rare combination of frosting that tastes as good as it looks.

The cupcakes are quite moist since they are made to order and there are quite a number of flavors to choose from. My favorites are red velvet, strawberry, carrot cake and chocolate. In the strawberry, you can actually taste real strawberries, it's not just bright pink cake. There's also other flavors like Oreo, lemon blueberry, pumpkin, mocha, banana and vanilla bean.

Cupcakes come in regular and mini sizes, and the minimum order is 6 cupcakes for regular (NT$550) and 12 cupcakes for minis (NT$460). Added decorations for the frosting will have an additional extra fee (usually a few hundred NT). It's best to order the cupcakes at least 3 days in advance via email or telephone (and Grace and Roz both communicate in English), or you can browse their website for more photos and descriptions. Cupcake Shop doesn't have a physical store, so you arrange pick up with them, usually near Taipei City Hall MRT. The cupcakes come in easy to carry boxes and are taped down so they don't slide and mess up the decorations. Just be sure to open the box carefully and keep away from curious little hands until they are ready.


Sparkles!




I finally remembered to take a photo of one of the cupcake's inside before devouring the whole thing. This is dark chocolate with buttercream frosting. Yummmmm.



I asked for a Hawaiian theme for a friend's birthday, and this is one of the boxes we got. I loved the sand effect Roz made with cookie crumbs. My friend loved it. You can totally discuss with them what your ideas are and what you are looking for. I even asked if they could make a pineapple flavor cupcake, and Roz said she would try.



These are from a Halloween special with pumpkin cupcakes the Cupcake Shop did last Halloween. I loved the scared orange Olaf. Haha. And I loved the pumpkin flavor with the cream cheese frosting.





Of course if you are going to make cupcakes yourself, it would be a lot cheaper. But the quality of the Cupcake Shop's decorated cupcakes is worth splurging on for a special occasion. They definitely taste better than a few birthday cakes I've had at other people's parties, where you ooh and aah for the photo op, but nobody ends up eats the cake. These cupcakes on the other hand, will disappear quickly, and your friends will be asking where you got them and ordering them for their own parties. You might be able to squeeze in your order for Mother's Day!

:)