On the epicurean fast track, sweets are picking up speed, and local shops are offering decadent, high-end pastries and chocolates that have created a rumble among food aficionados. And as manic foodies hunt for more authenticity and thrills, artisan bakeries and candy stores are joining the likes of tea rooms, gourmet comfort food restaurants, and microbreweries in their zest to please.
Here in southeastern Michigan the options for a sweet palate are many. A hazelnut praline cupcake from Cake Nouveau in Ann Arbor; a chocolate, pig-head piñata filled with 28 truffles from Gayle’s Chocolates in Royal Oak; or a banana, caramel and chocolate tart from Cannella Patisserie in Birmingham are just some of the fine indulgences available to feed the furor. And the crowds are growing…
Birmingham’s Pastries
At Cannella Patisserie, French carnival music, replete with accordion melodies, drifts through the speakers as a customer partakes in her mid-morning ritual: an almond croissant and a steaming cappuccino. According to owner and master pastry chef Matt Knio, she patronizes the café every single day, imbibing in her two favorite delicacies.
Many of Cannella’s patrons are regulars who yearn for the breads and pastries of Europe. And Cannella may be as close as it gets in southeastern Michigan. That’s why the shop draws many Europeans – Germans, Italians, Russians and others – who Knio says “come from far away to see and taste our viennoiseries and pain.”
The pastry case is filled with rich, French delights: pain au chocolat, éclairs, petite brioche, croissant fromage. Knio, a Frenchman, and his staff use ingredients that are easy to find in France but difficult to access in the states, making for expensive desserts and breads. Yet, business is good. Knio says that upscale sweets are definitely catching on as Americans caught up in the foodie culture are becoming more open-minded.
"People see it, taste it, and like it. Then they need to have it again," says Knio of his beautiful, tasty treats. "It’s hard to spend this money on an expensive pastry, but if people try it, they’ll find a way to afford it, just like a bagel or donut – even if it’s just once in a while."
Ann Arbor’s Cupcakes
Courtney Clark, Cake Nouveau owner and master chef, makes the big bucks from fancy, exotic specialty cakes, but has a steady stream of walk-in customers that groove on the cupcakes at her Kerrytown shop.
Clark says that boutique sweets are catching on. "The big, crazy cakes are becoming really popular," she says of her art-inspired cakes made from high-end imported ingredients and decorated with everything from aqua frosting, to edible shimmer dust, to orange polka dots. While Clark tries to reach all sorts of crowds, "the cakes are more upscale and quite pricey." The smallest, four-inch cakes starts and $25, but extreme cake devotees will spent more; Clark once made a $2,000 wedding cake.
People are also nuts over her cupcakes. "The cupcake thing is really crazy," says Clark with a giggle, admitting that she loves cupcakes and has to remind herself to eat real meals. "Cupcakes are very trendy right now, very hot. The craze is coming from L.A. and New York." Along with the standard vanilla and chocolate cupcake offerings, Cake Nouveau rotates two flavors weekly, without repeating the same recipe for an entire year. Interesting and exotic, cupcake flavors have included tangerine poppy seed, chocolate honey lavender, and strawberry lemonade.
With a growing and appreciative audience, who crave more pure, high-end sweets, Cake Nouveau’s business is better than Clark ever expected. She gets a kick out of educating customers and pleasing the already-educated customer. "When you can reach a foodie, it’s a really good thing. We actually have customers say ‘is this Italian meringue butter cream?’ which is great that they know that," says Clark.
Royal Oak’s Chocolates
Seems the same is true for chocolate appreciators, according to Stephen Heffron, retail manager at Gayle’s Chocolates in Royal Oak. "The crowds are more educated," he says, noting that the staff also needs to be knowledgeable about the chocolate-making process to keep Gayle’s a cut above the rest. "We don’t just hire clerks and cashiers, but people who have a genuine interest in the chocolate industry," says Heffron.
Without a doubt, the truffles are one of Gayle’s most decadent items. "Our truffles are hand-rolled, which is very time-consuming," says Heffron. "There is no mold; it’s become harder and harder to find them made this way." The number of foodies looking for exceptional chocolate is growing, and Heffron says that business couldn’t be better. Besides Royal Oak, Gayle’s has satellite shops at the MGM Grand Detroit Casino and McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
One of the most popular novelties at Gayle’s is a wine and chocolate pairing kit, which the shop rolled out three months ago. "People are making it a destination to find the kit," says Heffron. The kit includes recommendations of wine/chocolate pairings and a guide on how to taste chocolates in terms of texture, sound and finish. "Not in a clinical way, but a fun way," says Heffron.
Authenticity in preparation is one of Gayle’s biggest pride points. Even the espressos and coffee drinks are done the old-fashioned way – hand measured and hand made – without any mechanized or computerized machines. The same is true for Gayle’s renowned hot chocolate. Foodies on the hunt for the best-in-class hot cocoa arrive ready to scrutinize. "People who hear about it come to test it to see if it’s really that good," says Heffron.
This type of gourmet mania, and its ensuing buzz, is building velocity for southeast Michigan sweets shops – and business is booming. With a commitment to wholesome, high-quality ingredients, or as Clark says, "no fake ingredients," and a dedication to traditional processes, appreciation is growing among patrons who truly relish the end results. As common consumers evolve into amateur epicures, the region can expect more surprises from artisan bakers and master chocolatiers to keep interest peaked and palates wanting more.
Melinda Clynes is a Detroit-area freelancer. Her last article for Metromode was SE Michigan Brews Mean Business.
photos:
Matt Knio enjoying a Cap at Cannella Patisserie - Birmingham
Courtney Clark, Cake Nouveau owner and master chef - Ann Arbor ( photo
Dave Lewinski )
Truffle counter at Gayle's Chocolate - Royal Oak
Photographs by Marvin Shaouni
Marvin Shaouni is the managing photographer for Metromode & Model D.