Best Friands Forever: The Chocolate Friand at Tartine, San Francisco

Visiting Tartine is kind of like a Mandatory Activity for any lover of baked goods while visiting San Francisco. I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure, that the Pastry Gods will smite you with thunderbolts of artificial sweetener if you don't.

Let me tell you. I've been there before. I've tried the Morning Buns. I've sampled the gougeres, the eclairs, the meringues. But on this visit, I went for some smaller treats: a coconut macaroon and the Friand.

I shared the macaroon (so giving!) but the Friand was all mine. And it was a good Friand to me.

A friand, in case you were wondering, is sort of like a Financier, the sponge cakey almond cookie that I think is slightly better than the madeleine.

But this one was especially special—it was served in a little candy cup not unlike peanut butter cups, and the cakey cookie was chocolate-flavored...and, like most of the good things in life, it was topped with a nice dollop of chocolate ganache.

Now. It is worth noting that a Friand is also someone who is "cultured, having good taste"...so clearly, this Friand was well matched with me.

Find your own Best Friand, or something else delicious, at Tartine, 600 Guerrero Street, San Francisco. Online here.