A Simple Thing of Beauty

After reading the review of La Panaderia, C-U's newest bakery, over at Champaign Taste I made up my mind to go there. And a coupon came in the mail for buy 3 breads or pastries get the 4th free. How's that for a coincidence?

My daughter and I stopped by on the way home from preschool today. She chose a cream roll, which looked delicious (she said it was). I chose a cream puff for myself and a strawberry empanada for my son's after school snack. I also bought a small french roll that we will have with our dinner tonight.

The store smells heavenly, like a bakery should. Business was brisk and selections were limited. You can tell this is a true bakery - no frozen stuff heated up here.

Normally, I would've waited until about 3-ish to sample my cream puff (that's normally when I take a little "coffee break"), but today I was high on a great lunch with friends so I made a cup of Earl Grey and dove in.

Isn't it lovely?

Who cares that the cream tasted like Cool Whip? For all I know it was, but do I care? Nope. Not a whit. Would I have preferred handmade cream? Sure, but I'm not picky. And maybe it is handmade and their stuff is just like Cool Whip? Anyway, the puff pastry was reminiscent of my mom's - light and eggy and all goodness. A pure delight and much better than the eclair I bought at Sweet Indulgence last Saturday (they lost me on the custard which was a bit too sticky for my taste, not creamy at all, and it did not have enough vanilla).

While I wallowed in my cream puff's carb- and fat-loaded deliciousness, Flynn decided to do a little painting.

My sweet, beautiful girl wanted to make a picture for her daddy.