Friday, September 11, 2009

I Love Huckleberry

While I do adore Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain's genius novel, the Huckleberry I want to share with you today is a bakery and café in Santa Monica, brought to my gourmet attention by Joanna, from Lark, a pretty and bookish blogger who's always willing to share tips on the city she knows so well.
I have been on a quest for good bread in Los Angeles - I am half French after all, and this is one of the very few places where I find excellent bread. Though for $4.50, their multigrain baguette better be fabulous!
At Huckleberry, I love the decor (those red chairs!), the menu on a blackboard, the flowers everywhere. The quality of the ingredients is really top-notch - taste for instance from the extraordinary mozzarella di buffala used in sandwiches. I also love their fresh salads and of course... the desserts. Oh the mini cupcakes!
The wholegrain scone is served with whipped cream, and their chocolate pudding (on a pie crust or in a glass) is sheer bliss. Sigh. I promise to try many more treats to report on them truthfully.

And just because I love Huckleberry Finn, too, here are the first lines of the novel:

You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth. That is nothing. I never seen anybody but lied one time or another, without it was Aunt Polly, or the widow, or maybe Mary. Aunt Polly--Tom's Aunt Polly, she is--and Mary, and the Widow Douglas is all told about in that book, which is mostly a true book, with some stretchers, as I said before.

31 comments:

natsumi said...

woow, they look so delicious! Looks like lovely cafe! I would love to try one of the pastries...

Have a great weekend. oxox

~h~ said...

There have been things I've stretched as well. But, mainly, aim for the truth. Looks and reads like heaven. Pastries are my weakness!
Wishing you well from Iowa...

steve said...

Beautiful site!! Will have to link you to mine then - my wife will especially love your photos.

Mary-Laure said...

APRILINIOWA - I loved your Huckleberry inspired comment. I too aim for the truth. Mainly.
As pastry is my weakness too.

Gabbi said...

Your bakery sounds yummy and dangerous. Also a lovely way to pay tribute to the book... must find now!

donna baker said...

Scones, bread and cupcakes...sounds like heaven to me. But, how can you stay so thin? I've always loved a Mark Twain quote and have used it often on my kids. "In all that you do, always do the right thing."

Leia said...

Ooh, the food there looks and sounds so delicious. Wish I could try it!

I love Huckleberry Finn, too :)

Mary-Laure said...

GABBI - maybe some day we can meet at that bakery...

DONNA - oh Twain is an endless source of fabulous quotes, no?
So funny too.
I like:

Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.

And:

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.

And I adore the 1rst page of his autobiography:

The village [where I was born] contained a hundred people and I increased the population by I per cent. It is more than many of the best men in history could have done for a town. It may not be modest in me to refer to this but it is true. There is no record of a person doing as much-not even Shakespeare.

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

Heavenly pleasures!
Wonderful weekend lover!!

Anonymous said...

It looks and sounds like a great place to start your day.
Those pastries look delish!
Have a great weekend!
-M

Taocito said...

Tell me why you are being so cruel as to showcase the vast variety of goodies available in your neighborhood while all I have here is... raw haring.

Sam said...

Oh Mark Twain!! My boyfriend says his books are out of this world awesome - I have not as yet read any!! Must, must, must get around to it!! Thank you for the reminder! A delicious post!! I'm addicted to rhubarb pie at the moment so I can relate!

Mary-Laure said...

TAOCITO - oh come on you're spoiled with Dutch cheese!

SAM - If you're going tor read Twain, I recommend starting with Hucklberry Finn.
And rhubarb, ah. I used to make rhubarb "compote" for my own boyfriend every year. I can't see rhubarb and not think about him now. Sigh. Sob.

Beth said...

I would risk a massive weight gain if I had such a lovely place nearby. Resisting temptation is not my forté - and those mini chocolate cupcakes are seriously tempting!
(anything chocolate is...)

jane said...

you are killing me! i.want.one.now! :) besos-jane

Mary-Laure said...

BETH - as Oscar Wilde would say, "I can resist anything but temptation" and for me too, temptation comes in the form of a chocolate pastry.

JANE - I want one too!

muchlove said...

the place sounds lovely. I love the red chairs.

Unknown said...

"$4.50, their multigrain baguette"!!! why so expensive?i think the same here costs max $3...
although happy to hear that all was delicious...;))

ps must confess that i have never read twain's huckleberry finn...

Mary-Laure said...

IF JANE - In Paris I complain to NO end if a multigrain baguette is over $2.50.........
I find that "good", fresh food is much more expensive here than in Europe, don't you?

Janis said...

This post made my mouth water. I must eat something dessert-y now :)

Solange said...

Hello dear Mary-Laure! thanks for your kind messages on my post. I have returned again and am full of new inspiration.
Of course, I have just watched all your posts, so many, such interesting things. It-s funny that I also got glasses when I was 9... (though I wear contacts now).
love this post, and indeed, bread is something that can be very, very delicious, but not easy found.
I found a french bakery near my home, expensive but worth it!!
good to be back,
take care, Solange

Mary-Laure said...

SOLANGE - I'm very happy to see you're back, I was missing you. I'm eager to see the wonderful posts you're going to share with us.

Laura in Paris said...

I love both Huckleberries!

Fifi Flowers said...

I LOVE that yummy food you are displaying!

Mary-Laure said...

LAURA - ah finalement il n'y a que ton homme qui n'aime pas.......

Kwana said...

Oh boy. These gorgeous photos make me what to hop a flight. Yummy.

marie-louise said...

Ofcourse I like that book too!!!!

Dallas Shaw said...

great photos here- the cupcakes look unreal
dallas
http://dillydallas.blogspot.com

Joanna said...

You're such a sweetie! Thanks for the shout out. I'm so glad you're a fellow Huckleberry devotee.

Mary-Laure said...

JOANNA - maybe we could meet there some time, to chat over some pastry?

Joanna said...

You had me at pastry, Mary-Laure! My parents are in town this weekend, but what about the first weekend in October? Or perhaps some evening during next week? Your call!