Monday, May 09, 2011

 

Minnesota Monday: Rustica


One thing I love about Minneapolis is the incredible food standards people have here-- you almost have to try to find a bad meal. The grocery stores are great, too, and I love having several to choose from.

Beyond that, there are a number of specialty stores within biking range that I dearly love. I have written about Clancy's Butcher Shop previously, and yesterday I tried another local superstar-- the Rustica Bakery. It was recommended by Razorite Marta, who had read about it via this article in Bon Appetite, listing it as one of the top ten bakeries in the nation.

It's within a few storefronts of two other gems-- Burger Jones and Punch, which is a traditional Neopolitan pizza place. You can just stand nearby and smell it all for free, and that's a deal in itself.

Inside, it smells like baking bread, which always puts me in a swoon. They have six or seven different types of loaves at any given time, and they all looked great (except the kind with olives in it-- why? why?).

I tried the levain, and.... well, I don't live in Waco no more. Though Waco could use a great bakery...

Comments:
Waco has bakeries. If you go to the back of the HEB store, they have fresh tortillas. They make them right there. They are the best.
 
I'm not sure tortillas qualify as baked goods.
 
Poor Waco....we just can't catch a break...even when it comes to bakeries....
 
I guess there's a good excuse for Waco...it's too hot there. That's why they have good tortillas, they only need a minute to cook on a flat surface, fresh and fast. No ovens that need to be heated hours ahead so they maintain a carefully controlled temperature and stuff like that. But then comparing tortilla, albeit an excellent one, with a crusty loaf of bread baked to perfection is like comapring carrots and oranges.
 
If there were only one food to eat,let it be a baguette of streamlined French,seemingly impervious with a crunch of satisfaction on the outside and a delicacy of softness within,adorned with copious amounts of butter.Or mysteriously dark Russian rye similarly adorned. It forces one to close the eyes and simply be guided by taste into the Universe. Ah,bread! I have wanted to try the Rustica myself. And now I shall.
 
Waco does have a new seafood restaurant, where the specialty is... wait for it... fried pickles.
 
You should try the olive bread. You will swoon again. Unless of course you are morally opposed to olives. We used to have delicious sandwiches made of it in Amsterdam at our Hotel...I loved it with thin oily salami. That's it...I am packing and leaving today.
 
Talk about good bread... here is where my parents will be for the next month or so.
 
@ Renee...I'm with you on the olive bread.
@ Marta...thanks for taking up for Waco, but honestly, we have no excuse...and it's definitely comparing carrots to oranges...or tomatoes to beets.
 
I love FRIED PICKLES! Had some the other night at the ballpark in Durham, NC ~ yum...
 
@ Mark - do your parents have room on the floor for me? No wonder your Mom missed being there last year.
 
Bread is bread. It all tastes like bread. Get over it.
 
You had to know that I would comment on a food post, didn't you?

If you become a fan of Punch Pizza on facebook (or "like" it or whatever it is that you do now to get a business to show up in your news feed), they have very good coupons through facebook, twitter, etc. Also, they serve half-glasses of beer, which may sound silly, but Someone I Know claims that that's just the right amount to drink while waiting for pizza to cook and bring home.

I'm with you on the olives. No thank you.

And if you're into doughnuts, check out Wuollet (one location at 50th and Chowen).
 
Donuts? Me?

Gobble gobble.
 
@ Tom (Crabby) La Rue: I think they have invented a procedure to help people possessing only one lonely taste bud. If you look into it you'll find yourself a little less "crabby" and a lot more La Rue.
 
Wuollet? Carrie, my sister,how could you fail to mention the Princess Torte,which is,perhaps,as sublime as a cake could ever aspire? Custard,marzipan,raspberry jam,whipped cream,tender yellow cake. I may swoon. In terms of donuts,there is a place,called Yo Yo Donuts,obviously owned by a cellist,across the freeway bridge from yours truly which has rated highly with my friends. My mother made the best ones I think.*Sigh!* Let's just eat today and forget about pretending to do anything gainful.
 
I'm in, Renee!

and for those of you interested, tomorrow's Razor will feature an expose on the French beef industry and some very pointed questions about journalist Isabelle Bres.
 
Patisserie Margo,small family owned bakery,like in Europe. English Scones,breads,cakes,croissants. You can get a wonderful sandwich. 5133 Gus Young Lane in Edina...in the strip mall with Starbuck's and Blockbuster's behind DaVanni's (which is on Vernon on the way to Jerry's.
 
boulangerie - what a great word!
 
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