Ze Boulange Blog

La BouTube

2011-03-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

First, we pittered with Twitter and set up our Facebook page, in hopes that you would ‘Like’ us. Getting a handle on the Social Network and new ways to entertain and inform the super savvy of San Francisco on what our status is has been fun and challenging. It’s a fast city to keep up with. And now, we are testing our techie talents out with actual video footage. (queue the oohs and ahhs, we know…..it’s big)

Okay, so video is hardly the final frontier, but we thought it would be fun to virtually let all of you meet the managers at our Boulanges via short clips of them answering some fun questions about their week and weaknesses at La Boulange. And to top it off, since we know all of you are way ahead of us already with the whole video thing, we are challenging you to get out your Flip, or whichever messaging media you prefer, to film your own short clip answering the same little interview. We have a gift card for our favorite, so send them in via email to kate@laboulangebakery.com and we'll pick a winner!

The interview questions are:

1. Describe your neighborhood, what are your favorite things about it?

2. What is your favorite thing in the pastry case?

3. What is the funniest thing you’ve seen in your Boulange this week?

4. What is your go-to beverage to wake up with in the morning?

5. And of course, is there anyone you’d like to give a shout-out to?

We just posted a hello from the Pine street Boulangerie and already have footage from Hayes Valley and Polk street in queue for days to come. Stay tuned for your Boulange to be featured on our Facebook page. We hope you ‘like’ it as much as we do.

Spread a Little Love...

2011-01-29T11:06:00.000-08:00

Handmade paper cards, chocolates, pink and red and white professions of love and like. This is the short list of things that are surrounding us while Valentine’s Day approaches. And whether you have a valentine to get all smooshy and gushy about, we are willing to bet you have lots of love to give, when presented with a good cause.

This year, La Boulange is spreading a little love around as well, by raising funds for the SPCA. We see daily all of the love our guests have for their furry friends. Tails wagging, tongues out as they stand patiently in the doorway at our stores, salivating over the treats to come, guests rush through the lines to join them again at outside tables. These little guys are lucky to have your love, and we know there are so many more out there that need a place to call home, or some sort of special care and the SPCA works to do just that.

So, from February 1^st through the 14^th,bring in a donation of a minimum of $5 for the SPCA of San Francisco, and we will say thank you with a Valentine, just for you. Inside the valentine, you’ll receive some love in return by way of a variety of discounts and goodies redeemable at our stores! What’s not to love about that?!?

Mmm...Soup will warm us up.

2011-01-08T22:58:00.000-08:00

Cold grey days just beg for curling up under a warm blanket with a good book, or perhaps a movie, and bowl of soup. We are crazy about our Butternut Squash Soup, part of this winter’s line-up, and think bitter cold days like we’ve been having make a perfect opportunity for staying in and cooking. It helps to warm up the house as well!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP ~ SOUPE A L A COURGE

Feeds six hungry people

Ingredients:

1 medium sized butternut squash

½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

7 cups of vegetable stock

1 cup heavy cream (optional)

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut top & bottom ends off the squash & then cut lengthwise in half. Remove the seeds & lay flesh side up on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper & place in the hot oven for 40 minutes until the squash is fork tender. Let the squash cool & scoop out the flesh. Saute the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft, add curry powder & saute for 1 additional minute . Add the squash & vegetable stock to the pot & bring to a boil. Purée soup in a blender, in batches if necessary, until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot and finish with heavy cream (optional), salt & pepper to taste. If soup is too thick add additional stock or water.

Getting ready to be festive...

2010-11-15T12:04:00.000-08:00

This week I received an evite to a holiday party. I flipped to my calendar quickly, thinking…this host is on the ball…it’s so early! What? No…the party is less than three weeks away? Yes, it is already that time. I’m not sure how that’s possible. Baseball season just ended…that’s a summer sport, right?

Nevertheless, the holidays are among us and the entertaining portion of the year has begun. And if you are anything like me, then you have a full schedule of work and play already. Forget the time needed to figure out what you are going to wear to so and so’s ugly Christmas sweater party (good thing I saved mine from last year), or to plan, shop for and cook for your own party. Office pot-lucks, secret santa, travel plans, Thanksgiving…there are only 40 days of shopping left! Less, if you celebrate Channukah (Oy)!

Enter: Catering. La Boulange Catering, even better.

We’ve updated our menu, the cute little book got a face-lift, and our party food did, too! Still just as easy to order online, still delivered to my home. Woot! So, I go online to check out what is new and necessary for my upcoming holiday-time par-tay. My menu will be:

mini croque monsieurs, gooey and cheesy and delicious

brioche tea sandwiches

savory puff pastry canapé (think caramelized onion and bacon, oh my!)

and

parmesan palmiers

I’ll just need to pick a few sweet treats from the list and this little gathering is all wrapped up (in cute packaging). And like I said, delivered in the boulange blue bus. Which gives me a little bit more time to figure out just what Christmas ornament “represents me best.” There are prizes involved, people.

Pumpkin Power

2010-11-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

The presence of pumpkins has been getting stronger for the last month. They are versatile little things! Used for décor as a spooky porch light, or as a centerpiece, or tucked into a corner. They can be carved, seeds roasted, made into soups, or seasonal side dishes. Just earlier this week I saw one with a wig on, pretending to be Tim Lincecum. But, our favorite application of the pumpkin has to be, without question, the pumpkin tart. We all know our pants are going to fit a little bit tighter beginning in November, when our Thanksgiving products come out, and we’ve been rubbing our hands together in anticipation for weeks. Well, for the tart…not for the tight pants.

And since we love ours so much, (I think it’s the decadent swirl of crème fraiche that makes it special) we want to share the recipe with you! This delectable treat along with a pecan tart, cranberry and currant baguettes, a wreath made of epi baguette and new spice or chocolate shortbread cookies are all part of the Thanksgiving Holiday line-up, which you can order for your holiday table and pick up, even on Thanksgiving day. We’ll be there til 2. In fact, if you order by the 10th, we're giving you 15% off!

Tarte a la citrouille et a la crème fraiche

Pumpkin tart with crème fraiche

Filling:

1 ¼ cups (10 oz) solid pack pumpkin puree

½ cup plus 2T firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

2 extra-large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1 chilled, unbaked deep 9-inch tart shell

¼ cup crème fraiche, for garnish

Makes one 9-inch tart

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make the filling: in large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Add the eggs, then whisk in the heavy cream until well combined. Pour the filling into the chilled tart shell. Dollop on the crème fraiche and, using a knife, swirl into an attractive design on top of the filling.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the filling is set. Cool completely before removing from pan. Best served at room temperature.

Feeling Giant

2010-10-27T15:03:00.001-07:00

We like to consider ourselves a worldly bunch. We travel to far off lands (like Danville and Novato) and we enjoy cuisines and beverages from all parts of the world (think Moroccan lamb stew, French wine and Belgian beer). We also pay tribute to globally cultural type things like the Actor’s Conservatory Theatre and the de Young museum’s current exhibition of masterpieces from the Musee d’Orsay. But this week, we are most excited about the worldly event happening in our backyard. The San Francisco Giants have landed a spot in the World Series, and you can bet that if we can get away, we’ll be parked under a plasma screen, biting our nails like the rest of you, watching it all happen.

So, San Francisco, grab something snazzy and rock the orange this week, learn some key phrases like “Fear the Beard” and GO GIANTS!

Two Wheels Will Get You There

2010-07-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

Forget planes, trains and automobiles…one thing San Franciscans have figured out is that biking it is one of the best ways to get around the city. Between circling for parking and traffic, my cyclist friends usually beat me to the destination, plus they don’t get tickets and they have zero emissions. And then there’s that whole cool one pant leg rolled up look they get to sport. The only thing that might be better than riding the wiggle through San Francisco would be watching the pros do it through the French countryside…in the Tour de France.

Already well underway, this race through the mother country will cover a span of 3,642 kilometers (that’s 2,263 miles to you and me) and will test the strength and endurance of the best cyclists in the world. And you thought cycling up Filbert street was tough.

So, in honor of the Tour de France and all of our own cyclists right here in the bay…we’re offering a couple of sweet incentives for fueling up! On weekday mornings through July 16^th, get a free latte when you purchase our breakfast special, the Country Egg Sandwich, and then the following week, Monday through Friday, through the end of the race, pick up one of our grab and go baguette sandwiches and we’ll give you a bag of our house-seasoned chips (both are a cinch to pack in your backpack). We’ll remind you on twitter, but all you have to do is show us your helmet to take part. Vive le Tour!

An Artful Meal

2010-06-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

Our private showing of the de Young’s Birth of Impressionism exhibit this Saturday was a perfect start to our weekend. Over 100 people joined us at the de Young for a Boulange breakfast in their beautiful room overlooking the music concourse, followed by a viewing of the exhibit. Thank you to the de Young staff for making this special opportunity possible and thank you to all of our loyal customers for spending their Saturday morning with us!

Let the sunshine in!

2010-06-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

It’s June! Which gives San Francisco license to begin to pretend like summer is upon us. The parks are nice and full on sunny days and we’re all wearing shorter sleeves and sandals. We, of course, all have our coats tucked into our bags for when the fog starts to roll in, but for all intensive purposes, summer is creeping in.

And one of our favorite things about summer is all of the delicious produce and cool fresh flavors that compliment the season so well. Outdoor picnics, entertaining and simply the inspiration to cook, make projects like the lemon tart a fun and fabulous hit with all of us. We’ve decided to post the recipe below so you can try your hand in it as well. So let the sunshine in.

TARTE au CITRON

Lemon Tart

1 pre baked shallow 9 inch Pate Sucree tart shell

4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, strained

1 Tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon heavy cream

Makes one 9-inch Tart

Place the pre baked tart shell on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Set aside. In a medium, stainless steel saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cream over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heat- resistant flexible spatula to avoid scorching, until slightly thickened, 8 to 12 minutes. Do not let the custard get so hot that it bubbles, as this will curdle the filling. The filling should lightly coat the spatula when it’s done. If not using right away, transfer to a small bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard. The custard can be kept, covered and refrigerated, up to 5 days. If chilled, bring the filling to room temperature before proceeding.
Preheat the oven to 325. Pour the filling into the tart shell to within ½ inch of the top, and smooth the surface.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until just set. To test, gently jostle the baking sheet-the edges will be set but the very center will move softly like a bowl of gelatin. Cool in the pan on a wire rack, and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set the tart completely. Just before serving, remove the side of the pan and transfer the tart to a serving platter.

The Hour is Happy

2010-05-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

Actually three of them are, at three of our stores, every weekday. And we’re waiving our flag about it.

So anytime you see the French flag posted outside of our Polk, Noe or Fillmore stores, then you can get happy too, because inside you’ll find $5 glasses of wine, $3.50 bottles of Kronenburg (yum) and cheese plates for $8. Plus, we’ve got a whole new punch card for Happy Hour partakers. If you come in and buy a happy hour beverage, you get a punch. Once you have nine, we’re buying your tenth. Go ahead, you can smile.

So come check it out, Monday through Friday, 3pm-6pm and put a little something in your stomach to start the night off right. We’ll be very Happy to see you.

La Boulange de Polk (at Polk and Green)

La Boulange de Noe (24^th and Sanchez)

La Boulange de Fillmore (Fillmore between Pine and California)

Mom

2010-05-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

“Thanks, Mom!” Uttered often in acceptance speeches, while holding a statuette.

“Hi, Mom!” Mouthed emphatically in the background behind reporters in crowded, on-location news spots.

“MOM!” Shouted from the top of the stairs, before the words, “do you know where my blue sweater is?!?”

“mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom….” Said by five year olds in department stores, until they are answered, with a usually patient, “what?”

Of all of the many applications of this beloved palindrome, our favorite is, “I love you, Mom.” And so for all of the moms out there who just plain rock, thanks for being fabulously patient and kind…..even after that time when we played with a ball inside and it broke that vase…

Seriously, you’re the butter on our baguette.

How do YOU think Green?

2010-04-27T22:25:00.000-07:00

After almost of month of Earth Day awareness and thinking green, we are wondering what other folks are doing in this sunny, seven by seven city we love, to protect the planet and tread lightly. We’ve been posting our own planet preservation techniques, and thought it might be fun to hear from you about your favorite ways to think green.

Pick up a postcard in one of our stores and write down seven ways that you “think green” and pass it back to the staff. We’ll collect them all and the best postcard we get this week will win you four tickets to the San Francisco zoo, where we weeded and worked on our April volunteer project. Don’t worry…we did all of the dirty work already, so you get to just chill with the chimps and pass by the penguins.

Coffee, anyone?

2010-04-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

As previously noted, we take our coffee very seriously around here. I mean, drinking a bowl full of anything takes some commitment…and it absolutely has to taste good. Enter our roaster, Equator Coffees. We love these guys because not only do they roast some seriously delicious beans, but they provide perk with some purpose. They are an eco-conscious, organic bunch of folks who also like to “think green.”

And since this month is all about thinking green, we’re teaming up to offer a special evening of coffee. David Pohl, Head Roaster and Associate Green Coffee buyer at Equator will guide us through a comparative tasting of single region coffees including those featured in our La Boulange French Roast. David will cover topics such as Equator's coffee sourcing philosophy, the flavor characteristics of different coffee processing methods and tips for brewing an excellent cup of coffee at home.

On Thursday, April 29^th at 7pm at La Boulange de Hayes, join us! Treats will be provided as well! Space is limited to 30 people, please email emily@laboulangebakery.com to sign up.

We're Thinking Green

2010-04-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

There are a few things that April has notoriety for:

Easter…that bunny is donezo.

Tax Day…for better or for worse.

April Showers…we’re really enjoying the sun, personally.

Earth Day… and here's where we get really excited. We love “thinking green” and work hard to make it a part of our daily routine. We've decided, in honor of Earth Day, to make the whole month a celebration at La Boulange and invite all of you to “think green” with us. We’re doing a green volunteer project at the zoo this weekend, getting our hands dirty with the horticulturists, while working with plant life in the different habitats. We’re hosting an organic coffee class and cupping with our super enviro-concious friends at Equator Estate Coffees & Teas. And our stores are decked out and stocked with fun “think green” action for kids and kids-at-heart. Check out our site to see details on all of the fun things we have going on all month www.laboulangebakery.com.

And we aren’t the only ones that are thinking green this month. San Francisco and its surroundings are full of all sorts of carbon-light action. A couple that we found include a wine tasting of organic and biodynamic wines at the Mandarin Oriental, a potting class for kids or a container garden workshop from the super stylish folks at Anthropologie, a line-up of Earthy good programming from KQED, and an awesome renewal day put on by California Parks for thousands of us to help together.

Are you green with envy yet? How will you be thinking green this month?

Some Bunny is Coming

2010-03-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else wondering what happened to March? Spring is upon us and we’re feeling thoroughly spoiled on sunshine, and Easter will be here any minute. And although this holiday is celebrated differently from person to person, the universal truth, let’s face it: we are in this for the food.

We’re not ashamed…..the second we sink our teeth into a hot cross bun filled with dried fruit and iced with sugary goodness, our taste buds are reborn and we know that all must be right in the world. Between those, and springy lemon tarts and a bunny cookie that can only be described as giant, we have all of the traditional standbys covered.

And if you feel like shunning tradition a little…if you are over the bunnies and past the plastic grass…a chocolate hen will nestle nicely with the pastel eggs in your basket.
So get excited…because there is no better feeling than the discovery of a basketful of sweet surprises hidden inside eggs left just for you, by a bunny…

BINGO!

2010-02-26T16:10:00.000-08:00

Forget what you’ve heard… or what you remember… about Bingo. No blue hair, or balmy Floridian breeze. No eyeing your neighbor’s card suspiciously, wondering who will be the first to yell that silly word victoriously? Who will get the prize? This is Bingo brought to San Francisco standards. Its takes some smarts, its tech-savvy and every bingo wins a little something.

La Boulange Bingo takes our followers through the city and tests their trivia talents. And there are some sweet rewards to take home if you earn a bingo. (Think signed cookbooks for all bingos and a chance to win a Napa getaway.) So, if you are not following us on twitter, then perhaps this is a good time to start. We will be tweeting a trivia question daily (subjects range from San Francisco, Baking, France, and La Boulange) and players will visit a sequence of Boulanges to answer the question and earn a sticker for a square on their bingo card. Once you’ve visited the right combination of stores to fill a line on your card, then BINGO!

Find the full details by following the BINGO link on our website http://www.laboulangebakery.com/ (Rules will be posted as of March 1st and the game will last the entire month of March.)

And click here to follow us on twitter @laboulange

Study up! And leave your daubers at home.

DIY

2010-02-22T13:35:00.000-08:00

Secret to Happiness? Never be afraid to eat more chocolate.

One of our friends was feeling inspired to bake at home and chose our chocolate gateau as her project. Her final pic looked so delicious we just had to share...and thought in case someone else got the itch to take it on, we'd post the recipe as well:

GATEAU FONDANT au CHOCOLAT
(Bittersweet Chocolate Cake)

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (approximately 2 cups)
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4 extra-large eggs, separated
2 extra-large egg whites
Pinch of salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup chocolate ganache

Makes one 10-inch cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Spray a 10-inch spring form pan with vegetable oil spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a large, heat-resistant bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks to break them up, and then whisk into the chocolate mixture. Set aside.

3. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on a medium speed until foamy. Increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar. Continue to whip to medium-firm peaks- the peaks will droop slightly when you lift up the whisk. Stir the egg whites, rather vigorously, into the warm chocolate mixture, until there are no white streaks visible. You need to be gentle, as this cake is best without a lot of air incorporated into it. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth it out, and pour the ganache on top. Using a spoon, or your fingers, marble the ganache into the batter.

4. Bake in the center of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center of the cake no longer looks shiny. The cake will be puffed up and wobbly in the center but set on the edges. It’s a soft cake that will firm up as it cools. Cool the cake completely, on a wire rack, before removing the side from the pan.

5. To slice the cake (easiest when it is chilled) , run a long knife under hot water, then wipe it off with a towel, and cut the cake into 12 slices. The cake can be kept 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days if refrigerated.

from American Boulangerie, Pascal Rigo

Green is the New Blog

2010-02-15T14:23:00.000-08:00

Green…the color of luck, the color of money, green with envy, a green thumb, Kermit the Frog, the sexy green m&m….all great reasons to be fond of being green, but we’re talking about the idea of lightening our carbon footprint, putting things in the right container (Blue? Green? Black?) and in general, using less…using only what we need...and prolonging the life of the planet.

In an attempt to carbon tip-toe, and hopefully set the example, we are upping the ante by becoming “green certified.” Our Cole Valley and Noe Valley stores have already passed the test. This title requires a little work up front and a process of approval, but once our stores come out on the other side, they are basically biodegradable. Not really, but close. We already recycle or compost almost everything. Our paper products and to-go containers are all ready for a green or blue bin, our light bulbs burn less energy, our toilets flush with less water, plastic to-go bags are a thing of the past. Behind the scenes, our checklists are laminated so they get wiped clean and used again and all of our cleaning products are environmentally friendly. Soon, the rest of our stores will be green certified, too.

When all is said and done, we hope that folks will see our efforts, appreciate and think about their own footprint, and pay it forward with their own habits, or look for other businesses that are making the same strides.

Go Long

2010-02-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

So, with Superbowl Sunday fast approaching, we couldn’t help but try and think of ways to franco-fy what is probably one of the most American days of the year. “Football,” with players padded from head to foot, and as much commercial airtime as there is actual game-play, it’s tricky for ze French to wrap their brains around. However, it is also a day centered around getting together with friends and enjoying some good food and drink, which we can certainly get behind.

Enter….Le Superbowl…(let’s say it together….luh……soo-pearh.…bowl) Tres Bien! So we took our baguettes, made one loooong sandwich, and paired it with our house-seasoned chips and some Dame Blanche (petite cream puffs filled with whipped cream), which, let’s face it.........are a touchdown in anyone’s book.

So, whether it will be the Saints or the Colts for the win (we’re not choosing sides), we intend to be well fed and content watching the festivities in South Florida on a big screen somewhere. And like all of you, I’m sure, hoping that The Who does not suffer from any wardrobe malfunction.

It Just Takes One

2010-01-27T14:56:00.000-08:00

One voice, one idea, one person to start something good, and to build the momentum it takes to make something happen. And then one calls another one, and pretty soon, you’ve got eleven…Boulanges that is…coming together to do something big.

When Callie, one of our employees, approached me and told me she was thinking about the situation in Haiti and really wished there was something she could do to help, she had the idea that she could donate a day’s worth of her tips to help in the relief efforts. And then thought, what if the whole team donated a day of their tips? And then what if all of the teams at all of the Boulanges donated a day of their tips….that would be something. So I told her to ask her team….see what they say, and I would help by putting feelers out to the other stores and I’d let her know what kind of feedback I got. I was touched by Callie’s idea and overwhelmed by our staff. I sent an email to managers at each of our stores and throughout the day received calls, texts and replies that yes! The staff was totally into it.

So now we pick a day and go for it….what day should we pick? A day where we’re busy and get a lot of tips! Sunday! Who should we donate to? After a little research, we’ve decided to contribute to Doctors without Borders. Callie likes them because they have been in Haiti for 19 years and know the systems and have some roots established and they need the funds to keep doing the work that is needed so much now that crisis has struck. And to add a little fuel to the fire, La Boulange is going to match what the staff earns that day.

So when you are on your Sunday stroll, recovering from a Saturday in San Francisco, come on in and know that whatever you give the staff that day in thanks for their smile and service, will be doubled and shipped, on the double, to a great cause.

The Twelfth Night...

2010-01-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

Most of us have slipped back into the daily grind of things at this point. The new year has started, and everyone has turned over a new leaf…if you need evidence of this, just go to any gym at 5:30 and wait your turn for the elliptical with the rest of us. But for Frenchies and Francophiles alike, today, the Epiphany, is the official close to the holiday season. Traditionally, the Epiphany is intended to celebrate the "shining forth" or revelation of God to mankind in human form, in the person of Jesus. The feast is also called Twelfth Day, as it is the twelfth day after Christmas, or Three Kings Day, because as the story goes, it is the day the three kings visited the baby Jesus. And to celebrate this, many tables this evening will be completed by the Galette des Rois, a golden crown of puff pastry filled with almond cream. A tiny feve, or trinket, will be secretly placed inside and the lucky family member who finds this prize will be crowned “king for a day.” And think of all of the fun that this implies. So if you aren’t quite ready to accept the new year and need one more reason to celebrate, or if you just want to try your chances to win the right to rule the roost, and claim control of the remote, then you know where to go to get your very own Galette.

A Month of Resolutions

2009-12-28T08:43:00.000-08:00

Kisses at midnight, Auld Lang Syne, black eyed peas for good luck…..and resolutions. I’m not really sure what happened to 2009, but in mere days we’ll be ringing in the new year. And since everyone is thinking about what they want to accomplish in 2010, we came up with a list of ideas…a whole month of them. And we’ll be tweeting them to you daily in January (starting January 2nd). We hope everyone will want to resolve to come in and check out some of these great and delicious deals. Follow us on twitter @laboulange, retweet to all of your friends and look for the buzz words you’ll need to know each day to collect on fun resolutions like these:

Resolve to eat dessert first! Today, purchase one regular entrée (salad or sandwich equal or greater than $8) and we'll give you a slice of our Galette des Rois

Resolve to use less gas! Today, show us your valid muni pass or bus transfer and we’ll give you 10% off your total purchase.

Impromptu....

2009-12-08T23:27:00.000-08:00

‘Tis the season of potlucks and cocktail parties all played to the tune of Chestnuts Roasting. If you are like me, the holiday season kind of showed up out of nowhere. Wasn’t it just summertime? And now there are lights in all of the trees and garland in the windows. Not to be outdone by all of the other party planners in my life, I intend to throw an “ugly Christmas sweater” themed shindig that would blow Martha out of the water. At the Block Party on Hayes, I picked up the perfect little tree, which we’ve trimmed to perfection. We’ve decked our halls and composted the pumpkins that were lingering in the entryway and I have a great playlist of festive tunes. The problem…my calendar is rapidly filling and who has time to cook? Enter my holiday hero….catering.

So, from the comfort of my living room, I peruse the menu online. It looks like La Boulange…..It tastes like La Boulange….but its La Boulange Catering…and alongside some of my favorite pastries and salads are an array of treats and bites that will knock my party-goers’ socks off. The menu of my party, decidedly a little bit more upscale to counteract the bad clothing and “small apartment décor” will be a mix of hors d’oeuvres and specialties:

Petite Gougères
Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese Crostini
Brioche Tea Sandwiches
prosciutto and fig

Charcuterie & Cheese
served with organic baguette, Dijon mustard, cornichons and mixed olives
Smoked Trout Salad
Apple, potatoes, avocado, walnut croutons, greens, citrus vinaigrette served with organic bread

French Sweets Basket
An assortment of Chocolate Fondant, Financiers, Madeleines & Canneles de Bordeaux
Dame Blanche
Petite cream puffs filled with whipped cream, topped with course sugar

Trés magnifique, n’est-ce-pas? I click my mouse and complete my order and all of this is delivered to my door, wrapped adorably in super cute packaging and ready to impress my salivating sweatered guests. Rachel Ray…Move out the way.

Let's Celebrate the Season

2009-12-04T10:54:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving: over. Christmas: not here yet. But it’s Friday night and you’re feeling merry. It’s time to channel your inner child and get excited. The shops are all lit up in pretty white lights and we’re feeling festive. Already the place to be, complete with delicious food stops, galleries, design stores and boutiques that would make anyone’s home and closet the envy of all their friends, Hayes Valley is kicking it up a notch to start the holiday season off right with the annual Holiday Block Party. A long running tradition, everyone who’s anyone should come and strut their stuff in trendy Hayes Valley tonight and check out what San Francisco’s perfectly posh have in the way of holiday spirit.

And when the chill in the air gets to be a bit too much, come cozy up in our corner with hot apple cider or a bowl (oh yeah!) of hot chocolate. Listen to some carols and savor the sweets of the season.

Game Day

2009-11-13T19:21:00.000-08:00

In the midst of a new store opening, one can imagine the energy, the excitement, the exhaustion that comes along with it. We are in the home stretch before opening our new location in Noe Valley. Yesterday, the construction walls in front of the store came down, revealing the first lavender boulange. The smiling staff has been training all week and every day, new furniture or equipment arrives to get us closer to our Tuesday opening date. So what do you think the highest point of tension in the last weekend before a new store opening might be? Well, this time around, it is the World cup play-off match between Ireland and France.

To appreciate this completely, we’ll need to rewind a bit. As you are certainly aware, the whole of La Boulange is made up of Frenchmen and Francophiles who are clearly rooting for the red and blue. But among us is one lone Irishman, Adrian, who manages our kitchen operations, and over the past few weeks, he’s done a fair share of smack-talking leading into this match. There is a soccer ball in the office above our pine street store that is kicked around regularly and the opposing fans rib each other incessantly. From an outsider’s perspective, I’ve been trying to learn a bit about all of this soccer stuff, and from doing my research, asking other citizens of the world who follow the sport, and listening to the verbal battle in the office, the gist of the situation is this: Whoever wins this match tomorrow, as well as the second leg in Paris on Tuesday, will get to go to South Africa in 2010 to play in the World Cup. And the smack-talking story behind that is that the French team is the better team that did not win enough matches to make it into the World cup based purely on their season, so they must now play in a play-off, and since there are some French heavy-hitters on the FIFA board, they decided to “seed” the teams, ensuring that a “beatable” team, like the Irish, would be put against them, hopefully ensuring victory. I asked my non-French, non-Irish soccer source point blank, “so who’s going to win?”

His response without even pausing to consider, “the French…they’re very good.”

And so, although the Irish are the clear underdogs in tomorrow’s game, if they are anything like Adrian, they might just be scrappy enough to do some damage, or (dare I say it?) even pull off a win…

We’ll be working furiously on the final touches in Noe, no doubt checking in online on the score. And there is a bar just down the block, The Dubliner, where Adrian can celebrate with like-minded individuals (or drown his sorrows) depending on the outcome. Vive la France!

Sliding into Autumn...now we're cooking.

2009-11-04T17:55:00.000-08:00

It’s November 4th….which means if you have a sweet tooth like me, then you have already polished off all traces of Halloween candy in fun sized packages. I never have understood the power people possess, who are able to make it last until Christmas or even longer. Strange. But now, with All Hallow’s Eve under our belt, the holiday season is officially kicking off. Bloomingdale’s has had their glittery Christmas trees on display for a couple of weeks now and Union Square will be decked out in no time, no doubt.

With all of this holiday fuss underway, I am sitting in a Boulange, channeling Thanksgiving with a slice of pumpkin crème fraîche tart, appreciating the little autumn chill that crept in this morning after a string of sunny San Francisco days of Indian summer. Although we are French, we absolutely feel thankful each year that we are here in San Francisco and relish making a few traditional items for the holiday table, with our personal embellishments, of course. They are all available for the tasting now, and if you are like me, life seems to spiral into busier and busier days as the holidays approach. My secret? Order early.

Pumpkin and Crème Fraîche Tart
(makes one 9 inch tart)

1 ¼ cups (10 ounces) solid pack pumpkin puree
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 extra large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 chilled, unbaked deep 9-inch tart shell
¼ cup crème fraîche for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Add the eggs, then whisk in the heavy cream until well combined. Pour the filling into the chilled tart shell. Dollop on the crème fraîche and , using a knife, swirl into an attractive design on top of the pumpkin filling.
2. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the filling is set. Cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the pan. The tart is best at room temperature the day it is baked, but it can be kept, covered and refrigerated up to 3 days.

Feeling Patchy

2009-10-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

We are outfitted and decked out with pumpkins now at all of our Boulanges. After deciding this year that we would do it right and make a day trip to Half Moon Bay’s Art & Pumpkin Festival, we waited through the traffic, hand-picked our pumpkins from the patch, filled the CR-V with hay and gourds and made the delivery rounds. But we didn’t leave without tasting a few pumpkin-inspired creations and checking out the festivities. Here’s a list of things we liked:

1. “Hot Tamales” from the Cougar Boosters of Half Moon Bay. With Mole they were delish!
2. Live country music you could line dance to.
3. People in costumes.
4. Hand Blown glass pumpkins in all different shapes and sizes, made right there in town.
5. The great Pumpkin weigh-off….the winning pumpkin from Iowa weighed in at 1,658 lbs (The farmer who brought it here blew out a tire in Wyoming just to get it to the festival.)
6. Pumpkin Rolls with copious amounts of cream cheese frosting.
7. Everything pumpkin, from pumpkin ice cream to pumpkin mac-n-cheese.
8. And everyone loves a parade.

And after a long day of careful placement of hay bales and figuring out the right big pumpkin to little pumpkin ratio for displaying, a hot apple cider hit the spot as we headed home. So we suggest loading up on your own picks from the patch and letting that festive fall feeling in.

Warm Fuzzy

2009-10-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of being in the boulanges, we think, is getting to be a part of our customers’ routines, and by extension...part of their lives. It is often the case that not only are we so used to seeing someone that we can grab their favorite pastry and start their espresso drink before they get to the register, but that we’re also privy to the stress they are feeling because they have a midterm coming up, or we’re elated to hear that their wife just had a baby. In any event, it gives us the “warm fuzzies” when our guests let us be part of these triumphs and pitfalls, even if only as spectators.

So our cup runneth over when we found out two of our former regulars from the Boulange de Cole came back in to visit a favorite from their old neighborhood and he got on one knee and proposed to her…

“We went to La Boulange de Cole for coffee and breakfast. When we lived a few blocks away from Boulange, we would go there three or four times a week for coffee and breakfast. I still go for lunch frequently because I work in the neighborhood, but this was the first time Humu went there since moving away from the neighborhood. John and Tim behind the counter greeted her enthusiastically. John topped our coffee drinks with awesome barista artwork. Tim put our name in for our order as some variation on Jefferson because the capital of Missouri is Jefferson City. (This requires some explanation. Some other time. You’re here to read about the proposal.)

After we ordered, we stood in our usual place waiting for our drinks. I took Humu’s hand, looked her in the eye, and got down on one knee. I told her that I loved her, that she was the most important thing in my life, and that I wanted to grow old with her. I asked her to marry me. She didn’t say “Yes.” Instead, she answered in a variation of our favorite Bernard Purdie quotation. She said, teary-eyed, “I would like that very much.”

(This is an excerpt from their blog, which you can check out at http://trottomatic.com/our-wedding/the-proposal/ )

Rich and Humu, congratulations to you both. We’re very happy for you!

Relocating Phyllis

2009-09-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

It is not uncommon for a Pigeon to wander in to one of our Boulanges…no doubt tempted by the crumbs of almond croissants that sprinkle the floor underneath our sample platter, and so the staff knows to walk towards them and usher them in the direction of the front door….coaxing them back outside where they belong. Occasionally, the coaxing does not work, and the birds decide to take flight. Typically, this means someone has to catch them to send them on their way again. I’ve seen this scenario play out enough times to not be surprised by it.

At our Polk street store, we’ve been introduced to a particularly cheeky pigeon. She figured out quickly that if she flies up into the spacious loft-style windows above the entry, then no one can easily get to her and she can watch the comings and goings of the busy Boulange undisturbed. She’ll occasionally fly a lap around the dining room, but seems content to perch at the front of the store more often than not. The staff at Polk street has named her Phyllis, and much to our dismay, she has grown more and more comfortable over the last week or so. We were fearful that her lazy circle around the dining room might begin to include a dive-bomb snatch and grab style attack on a dining table, or that the pastry case might be a future target, and so we could not continue to let her feel so welcome. We decided to take her to Golden Gate Park.

Yesterday, when she sauntered in and made her morning appearance, we set to the work of capturing her. We set a ladder below the window she’s most comfortable in, but every trip we made to the top of the ladder resulted in a stressful escape attempt by her, sending her into the windows and then circling the dining room. We have to replace the step ladder we’re using with a larger ladder that will get someone up on the platform where she likes to stay, and we wait.

Watching while we wait for her to get comfortable seeing the ladder beneath her, a curious customer wanders up and asks, “So, do you think she’ll just climb down the ladder?”

“Actually, that would be nice if she did,” we reply. No such luck.

Levi, the lucky one going up the ladder, ingeniously ties an apron to the end of a pole, and as he ascends, he slowly lowers the apron over Phyllis, until her flapping attempts of escape subside. She is cornered and her attempts to fly out the windows are met with thuds. Watching him, you might think he’s done this before….He hops up to the platform and gently wraps her in another apron until she’s bundled and brings her down. She went for a brief ride in Levi’s truck before being safely deposited in the park.

This morning, on my visit to Polk, I look up to the window where Phyllis liked to perch, feeling victorious. We didn’t hurt her and she will no longer be a fixture……and I see a new pigeon has
picked up where she left off.

Cheeky, cheeky pigeons.

On Strike

2009-08-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of year again…when the sun starts going down a little earlier, and kids are headed back to school with fresh notebooks and new backpacks. No doubt, there will be a first day writing exercise where they are given 10 minutes to write about, “what I did on my summer vacation.” I remember that assignment…particularly, looking longingly out the window at the remaining days of summer and wishing it wasn’t quite over yet. And now, years later, I look around at the rest of the “grown-ups” in the room, and we are all still looking longingly out the window, missing those days of summer vacation.

So… in the French spirit of August and all things summer, today I strike.

I am not setting my alarm clock. I will leisurely sip my latte (from a bowl, of course) and splurge with a slice of croissant bread pudding at my dear boulange. I will complete the crossword puzzle. And once the fog burns off, if the fog burns off, I will do what people on vacation do in San Francisco. Okay, so I’m not going to Pier 39 or Alcatraz, but I will have a picnic in the park (I have a baguette in my bag already) or taste my way through the Ferry Building. And if the fog lingers….I’ll take a nap.

One thing I did learn this summer, while traveling, is that when you learn to count on a morning ritual, it is a rarity to find something that compares to what we have at home. And although, on the road there are exceptional treats and new and different things to taste, the folks behind the counter don’t know my name, or that I prefer my latte extra hot. So while it is easy to long for a getaway, it is so nice to get back home and into a routine. This is not to say that sometimes, while looking out the window, we won’t begin to miss the days of summer.

Like I said, today I’m on strike.

Did You Hear the Drop of the Pin?

2009-07-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Situated on the sunny (well, usually) corner of Polk and Green streets, I’m perched in the window seat at La Boulange de Polk. I love coming to this location because in addition to the line-up of open-faced sandwiches and delectable viennoiserie, this Boulange has a full kitchen and beer and wine, which means that I can have frites with my lunch or a mimosa with my Sunday morning scramble. Très important. I also like the people watching quality of Polk street. There is always a great mix of San Franciscanites including men and women in suits, rushing to work, ladies who lunch with their pups on a leash, and folks in fitness gear who’ve just left Crunch and have earned their croissant bread pudding.

Outside my window seat, snuggled in next to the flower box and the patio seating, is a five foot tall sculpture of a pin from Google Maps. Google has launched a fun campaign called “My Favorite Places” to let anyone who might be wondering, or even passing by one of the picks, know that somebody who's somebody likes this place. The pin outside Polk, artfully depicting the Golden Gate Bridge, is the signature for a pick from Mayor Gavin Newsom.

“I grab a green tea from this Polk St. pastry shop almost every morning on my way to work,” says the mayor about our Boulange, and we couldn’t be happier. We like it there, too. And we are excited to be listed as ‘un endroit branché’ (a place to be) in San Francisco.

Powerwalking

2009-07-21T23:04:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, thousands of San Franciscans participated in the AIDSWalk. These folks, all together…walked and raised 3.5 million dollars to go to AIDS research and medical assistance for those affected. Très impressionnant, non?

As a city with one of the largest populations of people living with HIV/AIDS in the country, this is a cause that sits close to home for many of us. And since this city is our home too, La Boulange just had to have a team to help. Check out those smiling faces in the Boulange blue.

There seems to be an electricity in the air at events such as this where people get together and accomplish something, join a cause and make a difference. Heart rates go up, we get the warm fuzzies in our stomach, and last Sunday was no different. We had a great time contributing to the energy and to the fund.

We don’t just walk, though. In the interest of helping out close to home, once a month we get together and volunteer at a variety of organizations. So far this year, La Boulange has helped prepare and serve meals with Dinners with Grace, Ronald McDonald House, St. Anthony Foundation and the Raphael House. We get to be surrounded by food and friendly folks (two of our favorite things) and we have a blast in the process.

So cheers to everyone who contributed to the AIDS Walk this year. We had a lot of fun, and our feet are feeling better already.

Vive la France!

2009-07-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

It’s summer in San Francisco, which is cause for celebration enough, but now that we’ve all recovered from the festivities of the 4th of July, it is now time to turn our attention to the very important upcoming French holiday, le quatorze juillet (14 July). You call it Bastille Day. I call it a really good time.

Without getting into a lengthy history lesson on the subject, this is a day when French people everywhere can celebrate the storming of the Bastille! A moment in history seen as symbolic of the uprising of the majority against the monarchy and the beginning of the First Republic. Vive la France!

In Paris, the streets are lined with flags, people will crowd the Champs Elysees to watch the parade and fireworks will spill out of every surface of the Eiffel Tower and light up the sky above. It is a sight to be seen. But, for Bay Area Francophiles that can’t make it across the pond, there are a few things you can do to join the celebration:

Today, the Alliance Francaise is hosting festivities in Golden Gate Park. A concert from 1-3 in the Spreckles Temple of Music (the bandshell), located between the De Young Museum and the California Academy of Science. Check out their website (www.afsf.com) to get the full scoop.
And then on Tuesday, for the big event….Belden Alley becomes San Francisco’s “place to be” for anyone feeling festive. A collection of French and non-french restaurants band together and have a line up of themed offerings. Reservations at one of the restaurants might be a good idea, but la fete (celebration) will spill onto the streets outside and promises to be a good time for any party animal (un fetard). For more info, go here: http://www.belden-place.com/view/bastille-day/

And at the very least, get your French fill for the day with a baguette, or croissant……I know a good place to pick one up.

Coffee in a Bowl

2009-07-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

I’m doing one of my favorite things right now. It’s early morning, I’m sitting at a table on a sunny San Francisco sidewalk and I’m sipping from a vast and seemingly bottomless bowl of coffee. The laptop is open, but I don’t think I’ll work just yet. San Francisco is waking up. Someone just jogged by on their morning run and the local merchants are shaking out their doormats, getting ready for another day.

The thing about drinking coffee from a bowl, is that it is a true commitment. It takes two hands! You can’t take a sip distractedly while you type another email, or check your voicemail. You can’t balance it in one hand while you run to catch the muni. You have to consciously set those thoughts aside, place your palms on the sides of the bowl and lift it to your lips. It takes time, and a willingness to put off your work day and enjoy, for just a few minutes, the feeling of waking up. You Americans….always in a hurry to go here or get there. Work, work, work. If you can’t give it up, you can take your coffee to go in one of those paper numbers with the little sleeves and the lid, head to work with your ipod on and check your messages on the blackberry all at once. As for me? I am closing the laptop and having a pain au chocolat. Today, I claim my independence.