Seven Pastry Pairs

I work in pastry.  Now you know.

I've been doing it for six years professionally and several more as a hobby.

In the 'biz I've followed the trends closely and have my own opinions on these things.  Ask me about cupcakes, whoopie pies and macaroons another time, when we both have plenty of free time!

Any pastry professional I have ever met has a style.  I never thought I had my own style until recently.  As in the last year.  Without spilling all of my secrets all over the web, I want to share with you some of my favorite things.  Today I want to tell you my seven favorite pastry pairs, NOT pears.  Shall we?


Seven Favorite Pastry Pairs

• Apples & Cinnamon These two are the ultimate Batman and Robin in the entire world, sweet and savory.  The earthy cinnamon is the perfect Robin.  Always there when you need it, always doing his job well, never thanked but always missed in his absence.  The Batman apples just have to show up to the party because once again, Robin is doing all the work.  Perfect Example: Apple Pie.
• Salt & Caramel This combination is relatively new but not surprising at all.  I love salt.  No secret there, I am a red blooded American, we all love salt and our health issues can prove that!  Caramel and I go way back and our bond will never be broken.  I would prefer to bathe in caramel sauce because I feel like its the perfect replacement for water/soap/lotion.  Also if it got into your mouth by accident it wouldn't need to be spit out like soap.  Perfect Example: Soft caramel candies with a hearty sprinkle of sea salt.
• Dark Chocolate & Mint This combination has never ever let me down.  Good chocolate, bad chocolate, real mint and fake mint it always works.  Something about it just takes me to my happy place.  I don't need the bright green color, but it helps.  Ice cream is a prime example and I devour it by the gallon, thanks Blue Bell and Sweet Republic!  Perfect Example: Thin Mints.
• Lemon & Blueberry I have a confession: I am not a big fan of raw blueberries.  I know, I know.  BUT! As soon as you cook them down or bake them into something else they are my jam!  Combined with the tart freshness of a lemon its the perfect 1,2 punch.  Also happens to naturally make the most beautiful colors.  Perfect Example: Lemon cheesecake with blueberry compote.
• Vanilla & Raspberry Vanilla is my drug.  I know it sounds boring and just plain vanilla, but its so complex.  Vanilla beans have distinct notes and qualities much like wine varietals and chocolate origins.  I am very partial to ANYTHING with vanilla beans in it but when you put a tart raspberry element anywhere near that vanilla bean laden creation, I proceed to a comatose state of awesome overload.  Perfect Example:  Vanilla bean creme brulee with fresh raspberries. 
• Pumpkin & Brown Sugar  Seeing as how fall is approaching you may think this is a seasonal selection.  Guess again.  I appreciate pumpkin year round and many thanks to Libby for making that happen!  Pumpkin can be made into anything and is pretty tasty with all the spices that come with it, you really can't mess it up.  However, if you add brown sugar it kicks it up and makes a special treat even more special.  Perfect example: Pumpkin pie with brown sugar whipped cream. 
• Strawberries & Peppercorn  This is another not so normal combo.  Combining the best berry ever with a savory peppercorn sounds silly.  I know.  When done correctly with good pepper and perfect summer berries this combo is a version of my own personal nirvana.  Perfect Example: strawberry shortcake infused with peppercorns. 

My runner up is peanut butter and chocolate.  Trust me, I won't sleep well having left them off this list today but I can't help how I feel in this minute!  Please forgive me peanut butter gods!

I bet there's more than just a few banana peanut butter lovers out there, too.  Sorry.  

Seven Essential Summer Foods

Saturday! Its the last weekend of summer for some people around here.  Bummer for them. 


I haven't really had a summer vacation in 6-7 years, so it means nothing to me except my birthday is rapidly approaching and then Christmas!  Then we just rinse and repeat.  Some people really take summer to the extreme.  They switch out their closet and rotate their footwear.  Stop eating warm foods and simply eat chilled delicacies.  Not me.  No big deal to me.  Its hot.  Its sticky.  It rains randomly here in Arizona.  I don't care to swim too much, I don't vacation strictly during the summer months so its just kinda another season for me.


Herc has given me his essential list of summer foods.  What he doesn't know is that I am using my magical privileges as the owner of this blog and adding my own commentary(in orange)!


Herc’s 7 Essential Summer Foods

• Popsicles and other ice cream novelties (red white and blue bomb pops and rocket pops) from the ice cream man or, in a pinch, the freezer.  I can't believe Herc is forgetting about Cherry Popsicles and otter pops!  Bomb pops make my lips blue and I really can't stand blue food(more on that in an upcoming blog post!).  They even had awesome Root Beer Popsicles at one point.  If I recall, Herc has a certain affinity for root beer...
•  Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream - if you haven’t had it, it’s probably because you can’t get it as it’s only available in certain pockets of our great land.  If you haven't had it, you are missing out!  If you have confused it for "blue bunny", don't talk to me anymore.  I have had the distinct pleasure of touring their headquarters in Brenham, TX.  Ice cream has never been the same for me, you could say it was religious.  Blue Bell is the only ice cream that holds a candle to Sweet Republic.  
• Watermelon - whole, half, sliced, cubed, balled, seeded, seedless, orange, yellow, pink, warm, cold, whatever, whenever.  Might I add: salted, compressed, souped, sorbet-ed?  Word.
• Tuna salad sandwiches are apples + onions + bread and butter pickles + Miracle Whip + whole wheat pita pocket = nirvana.  HERC!  I've totally had this tuna salad!  Skip the pita, add some whole wheat bread and we are good to go.  My question is: why confine this to the summer?
• BBQ - it really doesn’t matter what the meat or the cut is, cooking meat over flame is what we do best as human beings. Well that and making other human beings.  Yes!
• Hot Dogs - Herc’s with Devyn on this one. The soft bun, the boiled or steamed “dog” and these condiments are what Herc is made of: ketchup, Kraft American singles x 2, sweet relish and diced onions. Nom, nom, nom.  No joke. Went to Costco yesterday to have one of their hot dogs.  Only, the food court area was closed for some reason.  Say it with me: de-nied.
• Eegee’s frozen fruit drinks especially Orange Dream, Cherry Cider, Pina Colada, Galactic Grape, Lucky Lime and Sour Cherry - sorry, they are strictly a Southern Arizona thing.  One of the things I miss most about not living in Tucson!  Again, Herc forgot another killer flavor: Root Beer.  In honor of the rodeo holidays every year, they serve this flavor for a week.  I travel to the nearest Eegee's(Casa Grande, FYI) all the time and can often consume my weight in this treat...thrice.

I would also like to add something: Corn on the Cob.  Grilled, salad-ed, ice creamed, no matter what it is get it in my belly!

What must you have in the summer time?  Add to this list in the comments!

PS I have a surprise for you starting tomorrow... 

Seven Sweet Republic Flavors

Hey there!  A very special 7 is coming up in this post, a ranked post.  I generally don't organize my seven in any sort of rhyme or reason, but this category is very special.  I prefer my randomized lists but sometimes priorities must be made clear and what needs prioritizing more than ice cream flavors?  We're talking big time here, folks. 

Sweet Republic is a Phoenix based ice cream shop.  I worked there for their first 2 years or so.  They make everything they serve in house and it is all mind blowingly spectacular.  Everything from ice creams, sorbets, yogurts, to the toppings, sauces and even waffle cones!  I was employee 001 and I am so proud of that! They have been open 3 years and they are still doing ass-kickin' work.  Only getting better by the day.


Devyn's Top Seven Sweet Republic Flavors(in order):

7.  Coconut Sorbet.  So rich and creamy, you will not believe it is sorbet.  Coconut is awesome that way.  Top if off with chunks of fresh shaved coconut mixed in and you have a tropical delight that is both refreshing, creamy and satisfying.  Chewing your sorbet is awesome! 
6.  Rocky Road Ice Cream.  This is a rocky road I love driving down, suspension be damned!  (See what I did there?)  Almonds, chocolate chunks, and house-made marshmallows.  Crunchy, chewy, melty, and chocolately.  I love the texture!
5.  Apple Pie Ice Cream.  This ice cream usually makes its appearance around Thanksgiving time and boy is it worth the wait.  It has all of the best parts of pie:  streusel chunks, apple bits, and cinnamon ice cream.  Another texture explosion that is worth the aftermath.  It truly tastes like apple pie in ice cream form. 
4.  Strawberry Sorbet.  Super fresh, crazy delicious strawberry flavor, so insanely refreshing.  All this from fresh fruit and natural ingredients?  I don't believe it.  It must have SOMETHING illegal in it.  Too good.
3.  Brownie Swirl Ice Cream.  Homemade brownies are so delicious.  Homemade ice cream is out of this world delectable.  Combine the two and I have no idea what adjective to use.  SUPERFREAKING GOOD!  There are also ribbons of fudge.  Fudge is wonderful with ice cream, just ask the hot fudge sundae.  Let's get swirled!
2.  Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream. Salty/Sweet.  A truly powerful combination of salt and sweet.  Butter caramel sauce made with salt and swirled into the sweet cream base.  Also really pretty to see, the swirling and all creates a pretty scoop of ice cream.  This is the most popular flavor and its completely obvious as to why.  You must try it. 


...and without further ado, here is my absolute favorite flavor of Sweet Republic deliciousness...


1.  Sweet Corn Ice Cream!  The single most luscious ice cream I have ever enjoyed.  Made with one of my favorite vegetables.  Usually vegetables+ice cream= no thanks!  Its so buttery, creamy, slightly sweet, and just the very best texture with actual corn kernels folded in as well.  I have introduced many of my friends and family to this flavor and its a solid split.  Half enjoyed it, half hated me for suggesting they eat more than one bite.  It only comes around in the summertime and must be consumed so often that you can make it to next summer.  Or hoarded deep in my freezer until then, next to my thin mints stash.

This list was actually really hard for me to compile.  Too much good stuff.  There are many runners up such as: peppermint chunk ice cream, dessert honey frozen yogurt, peanut butter chip, real mint chip, espresso, and basil lime sorbet to name a few.  But my seven are ice creams that have really re-invented the boundaries of ice cream for me.  Truly a gourmet experience, worth every penny.

Just so its clear to any and all involved, the only other ice cream that I voluntarily pay too much money for is Blue Bell.  Texas' gift to the nation of frozen dessert lovers.  Thank you, Texas. God Bless America.





Some blog-housekeeping:  I will be taking Sundays off from my personal sevens, but this is where I will invite my friends and family to guest blog and post their own sevens.  Free range of topics to choose from.  Interested? Comment or email me and we will arrange it.  KM is preparing hers for tomorrow!  Get excited!