Found a good bakery (in Kauai...)

Well folks, I did find a place where one can get some good bread west of the Hudson, but the good or bad news depending on how you choose to view it is that it is in Kilauea, Kauai. Now Kilauea happens to be paradise. But it's also a little far and you can't get there from here by car alone.

Kilauea Bakery was a find my husband and I were particularly proud to have found without guidebooks or other outside advice. Perhaps I'll flatter us and think of us like homing pigeons subliminally programed to sniff out the good bread no matter where we are...We especially liked their Hawaiian Sweet Bread and their Hawaiian Sourdough made with guava juice. They went especially nicely with the outstanding local honey--not surprising that it is outstanding in a locale known as the "Garden Isle." We bought our honey at the health food store in Hanalei called Papaya's (Try this link, if that one I gave is not working). The breads were also superb with some local goat cheese that we found at the Saturday morning farmer's market in Hanalei. The goat cheese comes in several varieties, including plain, sun dried tomato, and passion fruit. My husband insists it might be the best goat cheese he's ever had, and them be mighty words for a guy who grew up surrounded by farms in Germany and who has lived in Greece, Italy, and France. The challah at Kilauea Bakery is also quite good, a bit like the Hawaiian Sweet Bread. NYC readers will be charmed or alarmed to know that the guy behind the counter shared with me that challah (the "ch" of which he pronounced like that in "chair") is a kind of Portuguese bread. I put on my best Great Neck accent to explain that challah (the "ch" of which is pronounced like a mix of the "ch" in "christamighty" and gathering spit) is actually not Portuguese, but Jewish. And possibly why they had it available on a Thursday but hadn't had it on Monday or Tuesday was because it is traditionally eaten on Friday. I was not raised religiously Jewish, but one needn't be to know this I believe, if one has lived long enough in New York City. The fellow, like almost everyone who was working at Kilauea Bakery who more often than not also had wide gaps in the information they had on hand about the bread at the bakery, was good-natured and enormously generous of spirit upon hearing the news.

Kilauea Bakery is located in the Kong Lung Center on Keneke Street in Kilauea on the North Shore. It's open 7 days a week 6:30 am-9 pm. Phone is 808-928-2020

Cake, Catering and other Paradise Found in L.A. at last

The curmudgeon (I) was made oh so happy this weekend. And wasn't it generous of the Powers That Be to bestow this happiness at my Official Family Wedding Celebration? The Bride did not have to make the cake afterall. Cake Divas saved the day. Recommended by a friend who knows all good things, the Cake Divas were nice, they prepared (the same morning we called--no appointment needed) a luscious tasting box that this terribly busy couple thankfully could taste on the road, they use all organic ingredients (the only ones we found that did so in a non hippie, vegan, but instead gourmet appreciation of fine ingredients kind of way). They were even not far from our house! We chose the white cake with chocolate fudge frosting on two layers, and the amazing berry cream on the third layer. The outer frosting was a white butter cream. Got tons of compliments. It still is tasting good after five days in the fridge--moist, pure, yummy.
A perfect end to the thrilling meal done by Five Star Catering (no website--let me know if you want their contact info). Folks, I wish I could keep it a secret (or have them as my private cooks), but it just would be too selfish. These gentleman rock the house, hit every dish out of the ballpark, with good nature and reasonable prices to boot. One foodie at the party said it was the best catering she could remember for a party that size (sixty guests). People, myself included, were bowled over.
They got their bread, by the way, at Le Pain Quotidien, which I have had recommended to me by people for years. It was very good. We are still eating one of the loaves and the rolls 5 days later, and they are making very nice toast and hamburger buns. They get a higher vote than La Brea Bakery and Whole Foods bread, which we have normally been buying. Happy, happy, yum, yum. CORRECTION ADDED 6/19: The bakery used was NOT LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN but instead a bakery in Silverlake, which the caterer sadly tells me has just closed shop. I tried the bread at Le Pain Quotidien in Santa Monica the other day--a whole wheat sourdough and a baguette. Eh. It was okaaaay. The texture wasn't great--the usual stiff stuff I tend to get here in the Southland. The flavor was alright. They have only a few choices of bread, all dark except the baguette (and I noticed a sign for challah tucked away in the corner, but there was no bread in front of it, and it was not offered to me as a choice by the sales lady.) I'm not going to run back there.