On a recent trip to Sayulita, Mexico, I found a few food treasures that I need to share. I experienced classic street food, home cooking, a perfect French bistro dinner, and some of the most delectable pastries, all in a little village in Mexico.
Today I would like you to meet Anna. Every day, Anna bakes in her little home kitchen a variety of pastries that she and her husband then drive down to the town center for the locals and tourists to purchase. Anna calls her family business Mimi’s Postres, after her young daughter Mimi. A woman after my own heart.
I first noticed Anna at her abundantly full table of delights while waiting in a rather long line for my kids to get an ice cream cone after dinner. I saw this table covered with cakes, flans, banana bread, and cheesecakes. I strolled over to Mimi’s Dessert Table and took a look. The first thing I was attracted to was the Flan; this flan looked perfect. I instantly knew that I was going to pass on the ice cream and enjoy a slice of Anna’s homemade Flan.
While waiting my turn I struck up a conversation with the gentleman next to me. Turns out he is one of the doctors that runs the local emergency room. When he is in Sayulita a few days a week he always stops and has one of Anna’s desserts. He would not let me leave without trying the banana cake. Oh my was he right, this banana cake was light and full, FULL, of banana flavor. I purchased my flan and a slice of the banana cake for breakfast. I am on vacation after all!
As I was walking away, a gentleman stopped to chat about his dessert. He had the last slice of chocolate flan and he wanted me to know that it always goes first, and that I had to try it. Oh darn, I now have to walk down to the vibrant town center and seek out more pastries from Anna. I sat with my family on a little bench, people-watching while we all enjoyed our treats. I took one bite of my flan and was in heaven. It was smooth, caramel-ey with a hint of orange, absolutely perfect. My sister, Kristy, an avid flan fan, quickly dove in and agreed.
Luck would have it I was an early bird customer for Anna a few days later. I had the opportunity to chat with her for awhile and learn a little more about Anna. She learned to bake from an older woman in town only four years ago. She learned the basic flan, cake, and cheesecake from her. Conquering the basics, she then began to experiment with other flavors.
Using only local ingredients and baking in small batches, she has created a loyal following from locals. One such fan told me that if a family needs a birthday cake or other special-occasion treat that they just tell Anna the day before and then she brings the dessert to town the next day. She greets everyone with a warm smile and affectionate hugs to friends. Many of the locals that I talked with regard Anna as a treasure to their community, and I can see why.
Andrea Charroin was a trained baker and pastry chef in San Francisco before she and her family moved to Redding 11 years ago. After falling in love with Redding’s downtown, Andrea and husband Westley opened a little pastry shop, Rene-Joule Patisserie, across from the Cascade Theatre. For the three years Rene-Joule was in business, it was renowned for making everything from scratch, using the best ingredients and keeping with a seasonal menu. To this day, Andrea is asked about her Marathon Bars, Orange Twists and sourdough bread.
Copyright 2009 Andrea R. Charroin. Visit her blog at bakerslove.typepad.com
