Happy menu monday!

I think the laundry basket is a gauge for how well our lives are running.

Not our careers or relationships necessarily (unless, of course, you’ve let your spouse run out of clean underwear again), but the general day-to-day effectiveness of all those little things that makes life flow.  Lately my very tall gauge of daily life flow is, well, overflowing into some kind of alarming territory. If my basket had an annoying buzzer, you might be able to hear it shrieking from your own home.

Despite walking by it regularly and thinking to myself, today I swear I’m going to load the washing machine, I’ve decided it’s okay to be human. To have a seemingly ever-growing pile of laundry covered with flour (and many other human flaws). At least for a little while. I do promise to pull my daily life together before we reach an underwear emergency.

But for now, I’m going to accept that life is a balancing act I may not always juggle with grace, and just do my best. Today, I’m going to measure improvement by getting The Bakery menu posted. On time <insert little celebration dance here>.

First, let’s talk about our (yes, Mr. Amazing is full of passion for this one too) new obsession with salted honey.  Naturally sweet organic honey and flakes of sea salt is a magical combination that just makes good things better. It was, in fact, Mr. Amazing’s discovery on his salted honey & almond scones, and I’ve stolen his brilliance for glazing our buttery, flaky croissants (and many more things coming). We’re launching straight away with it this week, on Wednesday. 

The fancy blueberry muffin makes a comeback this week, piped with a ribbon of cream cheese and sprinkled with a gently sweetened oat crumble. Why should your blueberry muffin be ordinary?

I’m so very excited to see ripe red strawberries coming into their seasonal, natural sweetness. This week’s cruffin is buttery layers of flaky dough wrapped around nutty pistachio cream and fresh organic strawberries. We’re also running them in a danish, glazed in a dreamy dark chocolate balsamic. Fresh, sweet, decadent and a bit sultry.

The herb & butter croissant returns Friday. We laminate sharp parmesan and herbs into layers of our flaky croissant, for just a hint of savory. It’s amazing on it’s own, or holding your favorite sandwich fixings. Or, even along side your dinner. Who am I kidding, they never make it that far.

Behind the scenes at 1871 I am having a love affair with filling croissants. You should see the amazing things coming (you will, actually, as each week’s menu rolls out). The first one launches this week with sweet, tart lemon curd and airy toasted meringue. An homage to the best of winter citrus meeting the bright, fresh flavors of spring.

I find it hard to believe I haven’t mentioned how much I love brie yet. I mean, it’s been over a year, and I don’t feel like I’ve adequately shared my adoration of many, many cheeses. On Saturday, we’re making our danish with whipped brie and honey drizzled walnuts. It balances sweet, savory and nutty in a way that makes my cheese-loving heart sing.

Mr. Amazing’s love of perfectly sauteed mushrooms also fills a danish this Saturday, with shards of nutty parmesan and a sprinkle of tarragon. He’s only made it for the menu once before, and it left with happy faces faster than he could fill the case.

Finally, Saturday is kouign amann day. Layers and layers and layers of dough and butter, in a decadently simple spiral that makes it’s own caramel glaze. Original and drizzled with our salted caramel & fresh organic blackberries.

So, let’s start this spring week strong, with all kinds of delicious things. And maybe a load of laundry. Maybe.