27 January 2009

Little Miss Flaky

Finding the perfect croissant is a lifelong pursuit. They may be everywhere, but unfortunately, most just aren't that good.


When you do discover one, you treasure it. And you eat it as often as possible, even if it's from a bakery that's a 20-minute walk from your apartment. No matter how long it takes you to get there, the buttery, toothsome croissants at Almondine (85 Water St., Brooklyn) will make it worth it.


On my most recent morning visit, I decided to try a new one- the almond-raspberry croissant ($2.65)- with a cup of Mighty Leaf English Breakfast tea ($2). The pastry was sublime; the rich but not-too-sweet almond frangipane topped with a layer of raspberry jam brought to my uncultured American mind a PB and J fit for Louis XIV.

And the tea, for a bag, wasn't bad either. But if you're going to be turning out croissants like this, why can't you pay as much attention to the accompanying drink? When I go to Almondine in the summer, I just bring a thermos of my own looseleaf brew and take the pastry to eat in the nearby Empire Fulton Ferry Park, nestled between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges.


Still, the tea they served did the trick this day. And with all those creamy, glazy traditional French pastries, chocolate-chip cookies as big as your face and warm, freshly baked multigrain loaves ($4.75), Almondine won't disappoint.

3 comments:

montague said...

i've walked by this place several times, but never eaten there... i must try it! i love almond pastries!

Anonymous said...

Now I feel terrible for eating a half a bag of Tater Tots™ for dinner. Why aren't I out eating croissants and bringing my own tea?!

test it comm said...

That looks so good with all of the cinnamon swirls!