Cake Byte: Deliciousness, and CakeSpy Artwork, at The Original Bakery, West Seattle

Even if you live in Seattle, you might not ever have visited The Original Bakery.

You see, that's because it's in a mythical part of the city called West Seattle (also known as "the place where the car-less do not go"). And what's more, it's on the "other" side of West Seattle (also known as "not the Junction").

But here's the thing. You not only should, but need, to visit this treasure of a bakery, which has been around for something like 80 years, and continuously owned by the same family for over 30 years.

Not to be too pushy, but I'd like to present a few reasons why.

Photo: Lara FerroniReason 1: Just Donut. Their donuts, which are simple and unfussy, have a secret: they are filled with crack. Well, OK, this is not exactly true, but they are equally addictive. And I'm not the only one who thinks so: when I recently visited the bakery to hang artwork while they were closed for business, at least three people tried to come in and ask for donuts, and all were so sad that there were none. These donuts have a devoted following.

Reason 2: Danish Delight. Their cream cheese danish, which is rich, flavorful, and beautifully chewy, nearly brought a tear to this transplanted East coaster's eye.

Reason 3: Under my Thumb(print). Looking for an old-fashioned, nutty, buttery, thumbprint cookie? They have a solid, classic version here, like Grandma made, but better than my grandma made (no offense, grandma).

Reason 4: Challah! Anna Alonzo, part of the family who owns the bakery, is not only completely cool, but she bakes a mean challah. It's not in regular rotation (yet) but if you see it, you'd be wise to buy a loaf or 10.

Reason 5: Keeping it in the Family. Owned for over 30 years by the Alonzo family, this is very much a family operation, with Bernie and his daughter Anna working in the kitchen--this place is a fixture in the community. This is the type of bakery that people get nostalgic about when they move away. 

Reason 6: They have CakeSpy art! Yeah, it's true. I just hung a very sweet series of paintings in the seating area, so not only can you enjoy the awesome extolled in reasons #1-5, but you can also buy CakeSpy artwork. You. Know. You. Want. To.

The Original Bakery, 9253 45th Ave SW, West Seattle; online at theoriginalbakery.com. Oh, and they're on Twitter and Facebook too.

Peter Panera: The Mystical Process Behind Product Development

CakeSpy Note: So, as you know, I have been contracted to write about Panera Bread from time to time, and since I find their goodies delicious, I'm pretty happy to do this. 

Where does inspiration come from?

Well, ok, that was a pretty open ended question. But when it comes to bakeries--especially bakery chains--it's a particularly fascinating question to me.

So it is very interesting to me that Panera is very open with their product development methodology--it seems like a lot of companies are very secretive-slash-Willy Wonka-esque about this process. But right on the site there's a video about their breadmaking process (embedded at the top of the post) "inspiration" process:

Joking aside, I love the fact that they have these informational videos on their site--I truly wish every company would do this! I love getting the backstory, and find it extremely heartening that a large chain can find it possible to still have a soul and a story.

To find a location close to you, visit panerabread.com; follow them on Twitter here, and find them on Facebook here.

Have a Ball: Birthday Cake Truffles by Momofuku Milk Bar

Cake Gumshoe Leandra kind of rules. Not only is she the grande dame of NYC doughnuts, having tasted just about everything on the menu at Doughnut Plant and having tempted us all with her account of the very wonderful Peter Pan Donuts, but now, she's shared a very sweet find: Birthday Cake Truffles by Momofuku Milk Bar.

As Leandra puts it, 

Since they stopped selling slices of their cakes, they made up for it by creating "truffles" out of them. Balls of sugary dense cakey wonder packed with rainbow goodness.

Now, I don't want to speak in grand generalizations, but basically, if the very thought of these doesn't make your toes curl with happiness, then you're probably a fairly joyless person.

Of course, if cake truffles aren't your thing, you probably know that you should try their cookies. As Leandra puts it,

Also, their cookies are out of control! My favorite? the chocolate chip cornflake marshmallow. WOW.

Of course, she included a picture to illustrate the "WOW".Want more? Learn more about Momofuku Milk Bar here; read more of Leandra's delicious adventures on her site, Snacks in the City.

Cake Byte: Robicelli's Pretty Much Rules

Image: Blondie & BrownieThis is not breaking cake news to most of you who are in the know.

But.

Robicelli's pretty much rules. 

The name was not new to me, but when CS buddy Meaghan, who not long ago relocated from Seattle to Brooklyn, clued us in on Robicelli's Chicken & Waffles Cupcakes (" Vanilla “waffle” cake, vanilla buttercream, buttermilk soaked fried chicken dunked in pure Vermont maple syrup" ), it led to a little clicky-click over to their website, where we discovered even greater treasures.

First, how about the El Guapo (not to be confused with the sandwich by the same name at Seattle's HoneyHole Sandwiches) made up of "Sweet corn cake, cilantro lime buttercream, Iowa yellow kernel popcorn"...

...or the Creme Brulee--"vanilla cake, pastry cream buttercream, caramelized sugar"...

...but if that doesn't strike you as quite extreme enough, for your consideration, the Hot Josh Cupcake.Described thusly:

I really have no words to describe the Hot Josh. It’s a culinary acid trip; something that engages you, messes with your head and at the end of it all is completely unforgettable.  I actually feel a little abused by this cupcake, to tell you the truth.  It’s like that time I saw that movie where at the beginning I totally thought I knew what was going on, then I thought that there was going to be a twist and I had figured it out, then by the end I was just COMPLETELY wrong and was so confused and disoriented by the whole experience that I was rattled to the bone for days.  I still cannot see anything about “Maid In Manhattan” without shuddering just a little.

Why does this rule so much? Not necessarily because of the savory flavors. They might not be your thing with cupcakes. Truthfully, as a sweets enthusiast, I personally might not reach for a chicken and waffles cupcake (I'd prob'ly go for the Creme Brulee first!), but I respect and thoroughly enjoy that sense of adventure and experimentation in baking. Keep on doing what you're doing, Robicelli's!

Want more? If you're in NYC, follow their day-to-day goings-on via their twitter and Tumblr feed. If not, go ahead and track them the same ways, and put them way up on your to-do list next time you visit the Big Apple.