Sweet Place: Patrick's French Bakery

I traveled back home to Grand Forks recently for a long weekend trip. The trip was great, but the getting to Grand Forks part was not so great.... I ended up getting stuck in Minneapolis overnight (so close to home, yet so far away) and then my dad ended up just driving to get me instead of taking my final flight back.

While I was extremely upset about not getting back on time (and extremely might be an understatement), one good thing was that since my dad picked me up, I got to spend some extra time with him and we also stopped for lunch at one of my favorite Bakery/Cafe's in the world: Patrick's French Bakery.

We were going to just have a snack, but then realized how close it was to lunch (and that my stomach was still on Eastern time).

I ate a Bouchee a la Reine which is flaky puff pastry filled with chicken, chives, mushrooms and dumplings in a creamy sauce.

Absolutely Delicious!!

Then, for dessert, my dad and I split a Feullantine Pralinee Chocolate Cake which was also delicious. Very nice chocolate mousse with a cake layer on the bottom, entirely enrobed in chocolate ganache and garnished with gold leaf.

I've always really enjoyed just gazing at the beautiful pastries inside the case, but now, since I'm studying Baking and Pastry, I looked with new eyes....

Look at those delicious viennoissrie products!

I think I now have some ideas for new danish to try to make sometime back in Charleston....

I was a bit worried that after making such amazing product in my Laminated Doughs and Pastries class that I would be disappointed by Patrick's products.... But was I ever wrong! Everything was still as wonderful as ever.

We bought several things to take home for dessert that night (where I think I gave my grandparents one of the shocks of their lives because they didn't know I was coming). Patrick's Cheesecake, the Lemon Meringue Tarte and the Napoleon were eaten quite quickly :)

So, I guess getting stuck has its perks after all :)