A nice day calls for a nice cream, and given that it was a nice day, I did what was called for. A new bakery has opened on Upper Amsterdam, between 106 and 107. This bakery goes by the name La Toulousaine. This bakery is operated by a man reputed to be of Parisian origin. There is nothing quite so mythic as a Parisian baker, except perhaps a Japanese Ramen Master or a Naples Pizzaiola.
As I walked in, I was assaulted by the most intoxicating aroma. This was not like walking into Hot & Crusty. There was a godly, buttery scent. I wanted to start eating the air. Words cannot describe the intense allure of this smell.
After regaining my composure, I chose a beignet with cream. It was basically the greatest cream sandwich I have ever tasted. A tender, fluffy, donut-like pastry with granulated sugar on top served as the bread; a luxurious, sweet-but-not-too-sweet cream as the meat.
The cream veered into the custard spectrum while still maintaining its cream identity. The velvety nature of the cream played marvelously off the buttery, savory quality of the dough, and the granules of sugar added little bursts of sweetness. Was I mistaken, or was there even some salt mixed with the sugar?
A cream sandwich for the ages.
