Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Old Fashioned Patticakes

I tried to pack everything in to one day—groceries, dry cleaners, merchandise returns, hardware store, dog bath, post office and everything else you can think of. By the time I'd worn myself out Patticakes was right there. I hadn't stopped by in ages and it was easy to talk myself into a treat.

But once I was inside I couldn't choose! Could you? They've got TEN different kinds of chocolate cake! Not to mention cheesecakes, muffins, croisants, mousse cakes and tarts. Plus you can pre-order just about anything for weddings, parties or personal indulgence. I finally settled on the "old fashion" chocolate cake (it had to be chocolate). Here's the menu description: " four layers of devil's food chocolate cake with a white chocolate mousse center, glazed with chocolate ganache." Not exactly like my mom used to make it. Yours?

Patticakes has been at the corner of Allen Avenue and New York Drive in Altadena for about 23 years, and has been owned by the same family for about ten years. Mike, Phyllis, Shawn, Shannon and Billy run the place, and while I was there three of them were visible. It's spotless, comfy and busy enough to be friendly but not rushed.

I took my time with that cake. The white chocolate mousse was a cool counterpart to the rich chocolate, and latte was the finishing touch.

You work hard, you rush around, you get tired. You deserve a break.

29 comments:

Victor said...

What an enticing image. And the server in the background takes it out of still life and into the real world. Simple and very well done!

yoshi said...

Oh my god! I want the same now!

Ineke said...

Amen!

USelaine said...

That's actually sort of cruel. In my lunch sack today - cottage cheese and hummus.

ben wideman said...

wow! looks awesome. I think I may need to make the pilgrimage up the hill.

Knoxville Girl said...

Choice? Sure - I'll have the lot! Which is why I usually bring a friend along with me for a Cake Intervention.

Anonymous said...

Oh! That's the cake my friends got me for my birthday! For an extra couple of bucks, they had big chocolate curls shaved onto the top.

You know, I have some really lovely friends. :-)

Thursday Girl/Hollis the Cat said...

Oh my goodness, my mouth is watering! I will definitely have to check them out...

marley said...

This isn't just a plain old break! This is a delicious treat!

It looks yummy, and you described the place and the cakes fantastically. I want to go there! :)

Rosie said...

Petrea
I will have a slice too, only because you insist!

USelaine said...

So you see? I have no self-determination whatsoever. On the way home from work, I picked up a slice of cheesecake because of you, white wine because of Dido in Edinburgh, and peaches because of Bursa, Turkey. I draw the line at dog paw, no matter how many times Jerome in Hanoi tries to expand my mind.

Louis la Vache said...

Oh my! That looks 'gum-slamming' good!

"Louis" is buried deeper than his cowbell in a work project for the next several weeks. He will stop and visit, but may not stay long enough to 'sign the guest registry'.

Petrea Burchard said...

Hello, all! After a long day, it's so great to find all your lovely comments. (I wish I had that cake again right now.)

Welcome, snapper! Nice to meet you. I'll take some time to peruse your blog this weekend. At first glance it looks great.

So nice to see you again yoshi and ineke.

Elaine, my condolences.

It's well worth the short trip, Ben. Think how far it is for poor Elaine. Even farther for Knoxville girl, who has to bring a chaperone.

Wow elizabeth. Keepers, aren't they? I wish I'd known about the chocolate curls option.

I have a feeling next time I'm there there'll be a woman ahead of me in line with a cat in her purse...

Marley, Rose, it would be so nice if you could join me.

White wine, peaches and cheesecake. Elaine, this is much more healthy than cottage cheese and hummus.

Thank you, Louis. Now you know how I visit most blogs (unfortunately)!

Anonymous said...

Love your photos! Love your blog! Thank you for sharing your world with us!

Dina said...

Oi, I'm eating my heart out.
No cake no nothin' since I joined a Slim Peace group. (Shh, maybe I'll go sneak a piece of chocolate at least.)
Patticake patticake. . . bake me a cake as fast as you can.

Petrea Burchard said...

Hi Enci, my friend! Lovely to see you here!

I remember that rhyme too, Dina. Perhaps the sweet memory will suffice to replace the chocolate.

Susan said...

Oh heavenly cake...that looks FANTASTIC!!!

Anonymous said...

I tried your patticakes link but it didn't work for me 4 sum reason. How's the coffee there?

pasadenapio said...

I live on Atchison near Hill and used to walk the eight or 10 blocks or so to Patticakes on Saturday mornings with a neighbor, where we'd have a gabfest over coffee and a sweet. She moved to northern California. I miss her.

Petrea Burchard said...

abu dhabi, the cake IS fantastic.

Life observer, the coffee's good, too. I was having it with cake and not by itself, not savoring it like I sometimes do, so I wasn't judging the coffee. But it enhanced the cake so I think it was good. Plus, see pasadenapio's comment. She's a regular drinker of it.

The url is patticakesdesserts.com/.

Pasadenapio: a ritual and a friend gone all at once is a loss. I'd miss her, too.

Anonymous said...

Petrea, the patticakes link doesn't work-at least not for my computer. You might want to try the link yourself.

Petrea Burchard said...

Hi Mike, I don't know what the deal is but I'm having no trouble with it.

USelaine said...

I have no luck, so I'm in the same boat as Life Observer. Here's what comes up for me:

403 Error - Forbidden
You have recieved this message because the resource you have requested is not accessable by the webserver due to file permissions or other locking conditions. Please verify that you have access rights to the requested resource or that the Apache daemon has access rights to the requested resource before trying again.

Petrea Burchard said...

I still don't have trouble with the link, but who knows? It's voodoo. Have you guys tried just typing in the url?
http://patticakesdesserts.com/

Anonymous said...

Love your blog! Wanted to chime in that I live in the original Patticakes owner's house in Altadena, just up the street from the cafe. Some of the features of the cafe are also in the house from when Patricia renovated the lovely 1930's home. I have a fondness for all of their wonderful baked goods. After living in the house for about a year, I had thoughts of opening a pastry shop called "Crumb de la crumb"... Must be some lingering vibe.

Lindsey said...

Petrea, stop teasing me before I eat your slice! Haha

Petrea Burchard said...

Leslie, that is just too cool.

Anonymous said...

Petrea, a miracle just happenened. The web gods have finally granted me access to Patti Cakes Dessert website! I was beginning to think only those who actually took the pilgrimage to their bakery received this blessing.

Petrea Burchard said...

That is just too weird, Mike! But you should go there anyway.