There’s nothing quite like that feeling of fresh powder first thing in the morning. You have your gear on, you’re hoping the line is short and you’re ready for the lift. I am not talking about skiing—oh no! I’m talking about the hand to mouth lift of that powdered sugar dusted Almond Raspberry Croissant from Éclair Bakery on the East Side of Midtown Manhattan. If you haven’t yet been, you must go immediately.
Éclair Bakery
305 East 53rd Street, New York, New York
My first experience with this viennoiserie (the elegant way the French describe a cross between cake and bread) was earth-shattering. Last fall I was meeting my training partner Phyllis in the park and she brought me an extra she saved from the previous day. Admittedly it was a little squished, and the flakiness I had expected was a bit off, but the flavors were outstanding and I was grateful for the treat.
Please don’t tap on the glass.
It scares the pastries.
So the next time I ventured to the East Side (a few months later!) Michael and I popped in to try a fresh batch, and let me just tell you, wow! It took us a full five minutes to gawk at the eclairs, tarts, cakes and sandwiches before we even made it to the croissant section past the registers.
We indulged with an Almond Raspberry Croissant each and a Tuna Salad on Brioche. We commandeered one of the tables out front and had a nice little picnic. I went for the sandwich first, minus the top piece of bread, while Michael skipped the savory altogether and dove into his croissant. Both of us were completely blown away. When I finally took my first bite of croissant, flaky shards of buttery pastry graced my makeshift napkin placemat and I quickly rescued them with a pointer finger thumb combo. Not a bite went to waste. The almond paste was generous but subtle and although the raspberry was gooey, it didn’t make the pasty soggy at all– truly a croissant miracle.
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