Algerian pastries: the unsung heroes of Paris

With all the beautiful gateaux, sweet macarons and dreamy viennoiserie here in Paris, it’s easy to get lost in the neighborhood patisseries, never imagining that some other delicacies could seduce you. But last year, right before I moved back to New York, my friend Ana gave me a box of pastries from La Bague de Kenza. I had photographed their amazing heaps of petite pastries before, but never had I indulged.

Mon dieu.

If you like nuts, honey, dates, figs, marzipan, orange blossom, rosewater, phyllo dough or any combination thereof, you must visit this small chain of patisseries Algériennes.


There are so many beautifully crafted pastries. Half the fun is looking at the teetering towers of sweets and deciding which lucky ones get to come home with you.



With the four I chose, I tried for as much variety as possible, both with their ingredients and how they looked.

I got a piece of classic baklava, bien sur.


Another rainbow bar layered with marzipan and infused with orange blossom.


One sweet green pocket filled with finely ground pistachios…


… and another humble bar with almonds.


It was a lovely array of flavors, my small feast. But next time I come to Paris, I’m going to be sure to find a chaise longue where I can sprawl like a goddess and pluck many more Algerian pastries from their perfectly packed boite.

Holy heaps of Algerian pastries!

La Bague de Kenza, now open for your visual and oral pleasure.

What will it be? Soft diamond pouches filled with walnuts and lemon?

Semolina cake stuffed with almonds?

Honey fritters?

Nothing but time and temptation to sample...

136 rue Saint-Honoré, 1eme

Top 10 baked goods in Manhattan

I was asked a couple times recently about my to very favorite baked goods in New York. Obviously this is no easy task: it depends on the neighborhood, the time of day, the season, my mood, and if I’m wearing an elastic waistband. But, then again, let’s be honest: there’s always room for baked goods.

Here’s my top 10 countdown*:

10. Blackout cake doughnut at Doughnut Plant.
9. Baklava at Poseidon Bakery.
8. Almond croissant at Café Margot.
7. Ooey gooey cupcake at Sugar Sweet Sunshine.
6. Chocolate bread pudding from the Dessert Truck.
5. Peanut butter cookie at City Bakery.
4. Walnut chocolate chip cookie at Levain.
3. Banana cupcake with cream cheese frosting at Butter Lane.
2. Pain au chocolat at Patisserie Claude.
And, if I could eat just one beautiful, chewy, chocolatey, earth-moving thing every day for the rest of my life…
1. Cornflake marshmallow chocolate chip cookie at Momofuku Milk Bar.

* As difficult as this list was to create, it was made easier by not including chocolate or gelato. Or frozen custard. And sadly, it was a wee bit easier because Batch and Amai are no longer around (though I expect I’ll have to revamp after Pichet’s return later this year!).

Obsession of the week: little things that sparkle

Besides my growing obsession with Obama, I’m nursing an obsession with all the little things that make all the difference: the not-too-sweet honey in Poseidon’s baklava; the perfectly sweet apricot jam on Treat Truck’s jammy cookies; the authentic creaminess in Ronnybrook’s chocolate milk; the rich nuttiness in Van Leeuwen’s pistachio ice cream.

Holly Brubach wrote a piece in the September issue of Gourmet in which she reflects on appreciating small, daily pleasures. In addition to indulging our senses, it keeps us in the present moment.

We should all heed these calls, sometimes silent, sometimes sparkling, of life’s little pleasures.

Epic baklava

God, I love mom and pop shops. The other day I went to Poseidon, which has been a family-run business for over 85 years. It has all the tattered, personal charm of your Greek grandmother's kitchen.

I talked to Anthony about his family, the business, high rents in the city—the kind of chit-chat makes you feel connected to the community. This is what a neighborhood joint should be about. Their great goodies don't hurt either.

Instead of a dainty triangle of baklava, Poseidon's portion is like a rock. The top is a thick, multi-layered roof of homemade flakey phyllo dough; the middle is a meaty blend of crushed walnuts and almonds; and the bottom is saturated with honey—the kind that, instead of being overwhelming or cloying, adds just the right touch of sweetness.

629 Ninth Avenue at 44th
212.757.6173