I had the pleasure from learning how to make challah from former Bouchon Bakery chef Nick Bonamico. He is now creating amazing things at Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco. Way back when I was producing Facebook Lives (remember those?) at Williams Sonoma, we invited Chef Nick to demonstrate a round challah, one of the bakery’s bread offerings during Rosh Hashanah.
When I visit Bouchon Bakery, one of my favorite things to purchase is a bag of the shortbread cookies. It may not be as exciting as the tarts, eclairs and macarons, but I love the simplicity of the cookie. It’s so satisfying to sink your teeth into the thick slice. I also love the sprinkling of sugar on top for extra crunch. The vanilla bean flecks are noticeable throughout.
Gracing the front cover of the Model Bakery cookbook are the Napa bakery’s famous English muffins. I’ve made muffins before but they look authentically like store-bought ones versus these golden puffy pillows that sell out every morning at the downtown St Helena shop.
When I tasted my first Model Bakery muffin it was unlike anything I’ve ever had – this is how it’s supposed to taste? – I thought. The muffin had been in the freezer for about a week and I placed in a toaster oven to re-crisp. It was so flaky, crisp and buttery. Thank goodness for the book, because I had to have them, at any time I wanted. Lucky for me, shortly after my experiment I got to meet the owners of the bakery so I could see firsthand how the muffins were made and get some tips in the process. So here we go, my muffin adventure!
Beautiful sunny day in late July, perfect for a foodie trip to Napa and as per tradition, the first stop was Bouchon Bakery. I made my way over to the 10-person deep line and inhaled the aroma of fresh bread coming from the window. It was worth the wait.
Inside the bustling shop
