Last weekend's #engagetheweekend adventure was all about experiencing Oktoberfest. That included a Maple Leaf Parade, some old (drunk?) guy singing like Lennon, brats, and maybe just a little bit of Fest Bier for me. This past weekend we decided to try a bakery in our downtown for the first time as a family. So on our bikes we hopped yet again for a ride to check out a French-themed cafe/bakery...and so the fun began.
As fate would have it, one of my new coworkers and his wife run and operate a little cafe in our downtown area. What was more fascinating to me was the history of their business model; his wife is a well-known baker and pastry chef, and she has actually won two Food Network Baking Champions. I had no idea the background of the cafe downtown, yet knew I had to support his family's business and try some new food. How easy of an adventure is that?
I like to try new foods all of the time, but I am by no means what some would call a "foodie." My wife, on the other hand, is maybe a tad bit more "snooty" about food than me...but that comes from having a classically trained chef for a mom, and a sister who is a well-known chef in the Portland, Oregon area. She can pronounce things on menus that I have never seen before; all I need for a Saturday night meal is some prime rib, salad, and side veggies...hey, I'm a simple guy, you know??
The deserts and pastries here looked wonderful. I'm not much a sweet tooth either, but my wife and daughter are. The food in the display cases looked good, but I was in the mood for something else.
So what did I decide to go with my French-inspired lunch? Here was my pick:
An egg souffle sandwich...featuring arugula, pesto mayo, and tomatoes. Very good...Hattie and company opted for this one:
That's a banana Nutella panini covered in sugar...too much sugar for me!
Overall, the experience and food were great. The foodies of the family loved the food, and I was happy to finally be able to visit and support a coworker's family business. I mean, it's Wisconsin after all...especially this small river town. It's the last place I expected to find this type of quality cafe food and sweets. Yet I'm happy it has found a home and a group of people that are willing to support it. Who knows, maybe I'll even help out with their cost accounting in the future and get some more treats for the Hattie monster. That would be an ideal "win-win" for me!
That's it for our adventure this past weekend; I hope the weather stays nice a few more weekends in order to get more bike ride adventures in. Who knows though...it's Wisconsin.
Hoping everyone had a wonderful weekend too -until next weekend, have a great week everyone!