Black Cat Bakery

Can't say I was ever a big fan of Mani's, although I was rather surprised that they had closed. Black Cat suddenly sprung up in its place, I read the reviews on Yelp and decided it was a must-try. After my usual Saturday morning cardio kickboxing class (also a must try at LA Fitness @ 9:45 on Wilshire), it was time to make my way over for the Black Cat! From the moment I walked in, I knew (or at least hoped) that I'd love it. The staff is friendly, the decor is warm, and the pastries look like those stop-you-in-your-tracks-and-break-you-down type. I ended up ordering their Bi Bim Bap farro dish and one bite in, I'm already fantasizing of my next visit. Definitely not your traditional Korean dish, but the combination of the vegetables (mushrooms, swiss chard, tomatoes and asparagus) with fresh burrata, a sunny side up egg and farro is brilliant. The one downside? They're only open from 8-4 daily.

519 S Fairfax
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323)932-1500

A Black and Blue Pie

I've been feeling uninspired and a 'lil blue lately, probably because I haven't had much "me" time. But this morning I woke up to the sound of light rain, a bit hopeful for what's to come. Not that there are any grand plans, or an event taking place; just a quiet moment before the cup 'o joe. Today was the day I'd get back in touch with myself and concentrate on what I think I've lost over the past year or so. That passion and zest I used to hold closer to my heart, so what a better way than to bake my way through this transition? So, off I went to my weekly trip to Trader Joe's, not sure of what I'd be making but I did have a craving for pie. Thought the blackberries and blueberries were quite fitting for curing the blues. I took my time with this pie, an all day event. I started with the crust, after a wonderful soak in the hot tub with the rain coming down. Inspired. My cat, Kisa, loves to sit on a mini ladder in the kitchen watching the action.Not having found the perfect crust recipe yet, I tried a new one that used apple cider vinegar. In the past my crusts were good, but never that flakey perfection I've been trying to crack. So I took my time with it, used the food processor but only pulsed it about 10 times, and kneaded the rest by hand.Next I made a batch of freshly whipped cream. In my opinion, this beats the heaviness you get with ice cream and I like being able to control the sweetness. I tend to not likes things too sweet and usually lessen the amount of sugar significantly. My favorite ingredient to add to cream? Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste, that I got a Surfas or you can also buy it online at Amazon. There's nothing like those delicious specs of vanilla to make your Sunday a little better. The pie was compiled, put into the oven and just like life, it came out a bit messy. To be honest, more like pie soup. Crust was amazing, buttery and flakey. However the berries took a beating, maybe they just represent what I've gone through in the past year or so. But I suppose life is never just based on aesthetics, it's what's on the inside that counts. And let me tell you, this pie was delicious.