And no…we’re not going to use this space for a list of our brunch items for the next several weeks (look at the “menu” page for that). We’re going to chat about brunch generally. Not breakfast, not lunch…but something in between. Brunch is a slow cup of java, the fat Sunday paper, and an interesting plate to look at and ultimately to eat. Sunday is one of those in between days too. I don’t usually spend the day running errands or planting in the garden (well, I don’t really do that any other day either: absent-minded gardener) but I’m lucky enough to get to cook for my friends and neighbors so I try to make it a little special. I even play different music on Sundays…old jazz or bluegrass gospel.
Last Sunday I had several people visit the restaurant who I don’t get to see very often – my mentor Dottie and our great friend MEA. Both these people had something to do with how this whole project came together and how it continues to operate and it was so good to have both of them in the same room together…it’s been at least 5 years since that happened. And it was brunch that brought them together this week.
Brunch is a collective sigh of relief. Another week has passed and even if you didn’t get everything done, it’s the possibility that you’ll do better next week.
Hello?? Who wouldn’t want what is basically a spiced coffee cake but really is so much more? I love a good coffee cake too. It reminds me of our family tradition of watching the Thanksgiving and Rose Bowl parades together every year. My mom would make that coffee cake with the crumb topping or sometimes she made these orange frosted spice buns that were to die for. And back then (the 70’s…eek!) the moms in the neighborhood would still get together periodically for coffee and cake and it was so fun with all the kiddos playing in the backyard and the moms kicking back on the sofa and chit chatting.
The king cake tradition dates back farther than the 18th century and Twelfth Night and Epiphany celebrations. Now these days we associate it with New Orleans Mardi Gras but its origins are decidedly not on this side of the “big water”. Sometimes it’s a filled almond pastry but more often a variation on the butter and egg rich brioche of the Bordeaux region in France. The tradition includes a bean or a charm or, as it’s evolved, a baby that symbolizes good luck or identifies the “king” or “queen”. It’s getting close to that time of year and we have a delicious cake recipe that we just love to use. Our version is a butter and egg rich cake with cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. We use colored sugar glazes and throw in some beads (no flashing please…we’re a family establishment!) and a sugar paste baby (no plastic babies=no broken teeth=stable liability premiums!).
It’s certainly going to be easier for us this year to meet the demand with our 20-quart mixer but as with many of the specialty items we offer, it’s as much about establishing a tradition with food and bringing people together into the community of flavor that’s important to us. We love that it’s one of those foods that has that long and rich history, whether it’s something you celebrate every year or not. Because it’s when we all sit together around the table that we really become part of the same family.
If you want to order a king cake…holler!
…So there has been some long time wrangling (you know who you are!) to convince us to open on Mondays. And we’ve watched countless people walk up and try the door regularly so you’ve beaten us, you’ve won, we’ll take down the chairs and set the tables for limited hours. So schedule your meetings, plan your morning with Moxie Bakery & Cafe and Cakes for Cause, and know that we’re happy to see you any day of the week. But here’s the rules: no lunch, coffee and pastries (if there’s any left from Sunday you’ll get them at 50% off) only until 11 am, and no complaining because there’s only the one person there…you’ll get a great coffee and treat but might have to wait a minute for it. Remember, you asked for it (Kevin) so we’ll expect to see you now…every Monday!
We’re open on Sundays from 10:00 to 3:00 and we have all your breakfast pastry favorites and then our special “perfect plate” that we craft each week. This week, we’ll be serving a Tuscan baked egg breakfast. This plate highlights a spicy, roasted tomato sauce that surrounds oven-baked eggs sprinkled with yummy parmesan. We’ll serve it with some grilled breakfast sausages and our delicious semolina toast served with whipped butter. Our vegan and vegetarian friends will enjoy the same plate with herb-grilled tofu instead of the eggs and sausage. Pair it with a poofy cinnamon roll, a hot latte and the Sunday paper and you’ve got your morning all planned out…we may have to sit down and join you!
Agricultural sites in the same region share similar soil, weather conditions, and farming techniques, and many would argue that this contributes to the unique qualities of the final product …this is called terroir. Originally used to describe grape regions for wine and the appellation system in France, terroir provides a sense of place and time…a moment that lends flavor and depth. It’s why sometimes we’ll use the exact same recipe, the exact same technique, the exact same process and yet your scone turns out differently one day out of three.
Expand that understanding and realize that sometimes everything changes the outcome. I just made blueberry muffins in a silicone baking pan and I promise you, I seldom bake in those pans that were everywhere a couple years ago but when you’re packing for vacation nothing beats a pan that you can fold up and crush into the bottom of your grocery bag. But I’m reminded of why I don’t like them…because I think the texture and the flavor of whatever you’re baking changes when you use them…the terroir.
Sourdough bread is a perfect example of how terroir impacts the final product. Bread junkies will tell you that the reason sourdough tastes so different on the West Coast is because of the quality of the water and the elements in the air…and they’re right, it does taste different. And sometimes our coffee at Moxie tastes different from week to week…the same blend, the same small batch, and the same roaster but if the beans were harvested just a couple of weeks earlier in the season, you may taste a difference.
Coffee is a crop, just like wheat for flour, just like sugar cane, just like grapes for wine, and just like vanilla beans. And when there’s a variation in temperature from one year to the next, when the rain falls a couple inches more, when the soil is turned one week later this year than last, it can change the outcome more than you would think.
Our Moxie blend is locally roasted fresh every week by Dublin Roasters Coffee in New Market and we use a combination of Guatema Antigua and organic Tanzania Peaberry. We chose these beans as our signature because it gives us the rich complexity of African soil and the lighter smokiness of South American terroir. It’s dark and delicious with just a hint of acidity to balance things out.
When summer gets here, we’ll bring back our sourdough for the farmers’ markets and when you come back from your vacation in San Francisco, you can compare the two…and dream of terroir.
We have to say that it’s been a whirlwind three months since opening and we had a busy holiday season on top of that so we’re going to take a short time to rejuvenate and possibly re-tool some of the details. We’re definitely coming back with a fresh new winter menu that we’ll unveil on January 26th but we’re also going to make sure we’re on the right track for the program itself. It’s critically important that we have the curriculum for the youth we serve in a good place and we need to do some self-reflection. Bear with us, it’s just for a short time and we’ll definitely miss you. But we’re coming back with big plans for Valentine’s Day, our second anniversary party, and the springtime 5K cupcake run…stay tuned!
Our first apprentice has been here for almost a month now and we’re getting ready to welcome the second and third at the beginning of February. It’s hard to know at this point what kind of difference we will make in their lives. Perhaps they just want a job…that’s okay. My hope is that we transform their future but we can’t know that for a long, long time. I learned years ago that I might never know.
I hope she’s successful. I hope she finds her way. I hope she is a good person. And I hope we can play a small part in making it happen the way she needs it to.
Well, clearly we don’t really know what to do for a blog but welcome anyways…we promise to do better next time.
