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Brioche is the bread that makes us wonder why we eat any other kind. Its sweet, sugary dough and rich, yolk-yellow tint make for a regally satisfying taste and presentation that surely drive lesser breads to slink meekly along the walls at the Carbohydrate Prom, suddenly tongue-tied before the ravishing young loaf of perfection twirling to Abba’s “Dancing Queen” at the center of the gymnasium.
When the mystically talented Pat Rutherford-Pettine of Dogtown’s Sugaree Baking turned her attentions to this cake amongst breads, we took note. When we tasted her brioche (at left), we did the brioche swoon: Imagine French toast made with this. Imagine simple toast, butter, and jelly made with this. Imagine a slice of this at room temperature, unadulterated, so tasty there will be another slice, by gum, because, even left in its au naturel mode, to stop at one is not so easy. Soon we were doing the brioche jig, a merry dance occasionally seen amongst bakery habitués and delirious plague sufferers.
When she told us she was selling full loaves for $4, we were gobsmacked. It must be Pat’s Grateful Dead / hippie past (see the business’ name) that makes this one so equitably priced. It is a brioche of the people.
rom one sweet diversion to another, the Nanaimo Bar, popularized in the cute harbor city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, is a decadent chocolate dessert new to the bakery as well. Pat’s version of this popular Canadian postprandial (below left) is a winner: a chocolate crust made with graham crackers, coconut, ground almonds, and butter anchors a soft middle layer of custard cream, with a cool, smooth layer of semi-sweet chocolate on top. These bakeless bars will melt in the heat, so we recommend trying one from a standing position, right there at the bakery.
Finally, the new developments at the Sugaree include the array of house-made quiches in standard varieties (the spinach/mushroom/Swiss; the ham/broccoli/cheddar; the Lorraine) as well as savory-flavor combos that Pat and the gang keep inventing: the Mexicano, with chorizo, roasted jalapeno, jack and Swiss; the Primavera with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, green onions, fresh garlic and Swiss; the Italiano, with Italian sausage, oven-roasted tomatoes, basil, parmesan, mozzarella, and Romano; the asparagus/feta; and the roasted cauliflower/roasted red pepper with Swiss and cheddar (above right).
The quiches join the chicken and beef pot pies in the Sugaree’s arsenal of savories, which you can pre-order and pick up freshly frozen each weekend.
Incidentally, pastry whores like yours truly were interested to discover that among Pat’s commercial accounts are BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups, where Sugaree provides the sweet potato pie; and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra concessions at Powell Hall, where Sugaree provides the cheesecakes and red velvet and flourless chocolate “ecstasy” cakes.
The breaking news is that Pat and her gang are currently whipping up a new sweet with a spicy kick: Mexican chocolate mini-cheesecakes made with cayenne pepper. Look for those soon.
Of course, for many, Sugaree is synonymous with pie. Checking each delectable variety (peanut butter, blackberry, chocolate cream, lemon icebox…) off of one’s personal bucket list is a discussion for another day.
Sugaree Baking Co. 1242 Tamm Dogtown 314-645-5496 sugareebaking.com Open Fridays and Saturdays only, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
(Editor's Note: Every few months, on a Saturday, Sugaree clears its freezer of leftover fruit pies and quiches, selling them off at half-price. The Sugaree crew calls it "Frozen Pie Day," and it's a sight to behold: the doors don't open until 11 a.m., but the line starts forming at 9. Lo and behold, Frozen Pie day is this Saturday, June 2. Rutherford-Pettine says queue up and be orderly, or it's "No pie for you!" )
