We visited two bakeries during our holiday. The first was Bouchon in Yountville. We had just toured Mumm winery and were ready for a little something. The almond croissant was fantastic! Layers of buttery pastry with just a small amount of almond filling, and lots of crunchy almonds on top. Perfect balance. My husband had a walnut muffin which he enjoyed and we shared a strawberry-lemon madeleine, which were 3 times the normal size. We also shared a ham and cheese sandwich on lovely, chewy bread. If you are in the area, check it out.
Oh, the choices!
The second bakery we visited was Boudin Bakery at the wharf in San Francisco, where you can watch the bakers in action. I was surprised to see they kneaded the dough on a nubby surface, which I suppose accounts for the lovely texture on the crust of the bread. The baker was making teddy bear bread when we were watching. As we were early enough to find short lines, my husband bought a little loaf to chew on later in the day. It was quite nice.
Everyday Cheer 