The movement continues

My friends are taking on the mantle of bread pudding. Tremeta is my most accomplished (ok, only) student and her Rumchata and other flavors of BP have surpassed my own in greatness.

I'd like to think I inspired Vonetta, a caterer who just knows what to put in everything, as she crafted an apples and cinnamon BP that was devoured by her charges and coworkers.

May, June 2015

Papa Boudreaux, Franklin, TN

Papa Boudreaux, as a Creole restaurant, should know better, and it does. BP is a New Orleans favorite, so I expected to be delighted by the peach BP. It appears flavors change. It is made with the French bread served tableside, but for some reason, it tastes like it's made with wheat bread. Perhaps it's nutmeg? It was a pretty perfect experience, and though I usually eschew sauce and ice cream, I gobbled it all up. I don't even know what the sauce was. Does it need these accessories? I don't know. It melded into a lovely experience. The vanilla ice cream was good quality and flavorful, so it wasn't just something tossed on top to make eaters feel like they're getting more for their money.

The portion was huge, and with the two spoons I could have shared it. Could have... The only sour note was the price! I would have gotten it anyway, but it's priced like an entree, at $8.95. That's ridiculous for something made from scraps. Admittedly, I'd get it again, though. It's too good for me to deny myself on principle.

Papa Boudreaux's Cajun Cafe

June 2015

Carpe Cafe, Smyna, TN

Come on, really? This bread pudding taunted me for three days when I worked from the Cafe. This spot was an unexpected gem when I needed to be in the Smyrna area for the day. The cafe is known for its artists and its cinnamon rolls. I tried one the first day. the second day I had the hummingbird cake, a Tennessee classic in my world. It's bananas, walnuts, and spices. Finally, I felt I'd earned the right to order bread pudding with bourbon sauce.

The first amazing thing is the portion - I RARELY feel like I can't finish a serving. This ramekin was chock full of goodness. The initial bite told me something was different, It wasn't that it was in cubes, which seemed like the twice-baked potato model. They bake the BP, cutting the base into cubes, then cube it again when it's to be served. What surprised me was the lightness of the BP. It didn't taste dense like so many, The cinnamon wasn't overwhelming, nor was the sweetness. For a change, this BP needed the bourbon sauce. It would have been good enough without it, delicious with. Ok, I've kept you in suspense long enough. It's make from cinnamon rolls! The pastry chef makes cinnamon roll dough, bakes it, then cubes it for re-baking, with the custard. Actually, it's thrice-processed, since then it's re-cubed for each order, heated and doused with sauce.

Bravo! Go to the "downtown" square of Smyrna, have a scrumptious lunch and treat yourself to BP, or have it for breakfast!

Carpe Cafe

June 2015