I’m late to the SHF party! But when I saw the flower theme I couldn’t resist putting something together, even at the last minute. This is a rendition of one of Citizen Cake’s signature desserts. Billed as the "pastry chef’s restaurant", Citizen Cake has reigned in San Francisco for years as both an elegant full-service […]...
A Spoonful of Sunshine: Maple Star Anise Mousse
Mousse is a dessert full of fascinating contradictions for me: both rich yet airy, creamy yet fluffy, dense yet light. It is wonderfully easy for even the most novice of bakers to make, yet never fails to elicit oohs of appreciation at the dinner table. And, while its chocolate-imbued incarnation is comfort food at its […]...
Puff Pastry Dreams
After last week’s adventure with the apple and almond tart, I still had some puff pastry left over. Anyone who’s made (or eaten) puff pastry knows it would be a crime to let this airiest and most wonderful of doughs go to waste. Therefore, some suitably scrumptious uses were quickly scrounged up. These recipes were […]...
{SF} Pâtisserie Philippe – A Bit of Paris in San Francisco
While I’m dreaming of my next trip to Paris, a little piece of Paris has come to San Francisco: Pâtisserie Philippe. This beautiful jewel box of a bakery takes me right back to the City of Light, with its gorgeous vintage lamp fixtures, opulent mirrors, and marble counter covered with every classic of the pâtissier’s […]...
Beauty in Transience: Spring Desserts
One of my most favorite and anticipated yearly sights is when the trees begin to sing their song of spring and bring forth their blossoms, covering winter-stripped branches with fluttery frocks in the most delicate and covetable of pastel shades (Have I mentioned that I love the color pink? although surely the astute reader could […]...
Sugar High Friday #29: Nibby Cookies
Emily of the compulsively readable Chocolate in Context came up with a creative challenge for this month’s Sugar High Friday: Chocolate in the Raw, a nice bookend to January’s Chocolate by Brand. While I would have dearly loved to experiment with a fresh, raw, cacao pod, there were unfortunately no trips to cacao plantations scheduled […]...
Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, daughter, and dog Max. 
