Tatte Bakery & Café: Boston, Mass.

Fresh out of my rigorous season with the Boston Ballet, I am still getting used to days which I can fill with whatever activities spark my interest. On nice days, I find it is enough to just sit outside with a book and soak it all in.

Lunch dates, which are never possible while I am working are all of a sudden the best way to break up my day of lounging in the sun.

Although I realize that not everyone has the ability to skip out of work for an hour or two to amuse me, I was lucky this week to meet up with a good friend of mine who works in the Kendall Square area.

First of all, Kendall is really growing as a destination in this city. I particularly enjoy all the new eateries that have been sprouting up of late and my friend graciously took me to the newly opened, Cambridge location of Tatte bakery.

I have of course heard of this bakery, originally stationed in Brookline, but I had not had the opportunity to try it out. Here was a perfect opportunity:)

Tatte is most famous for its 'nut boxes' (of which there is a picture below). They are also known for their individually wrapped treats, from the large, deluxe boxes above, homemade preserves and other fine cookies and cakes that make for delicious gifts.

It was excessively difficult to make a decision, but we managed to narrow our choice down to three items. The first was a Pistachio Crush, which at first glance appears to be some sort of cheesecake, but one bite confirms that this is in no way a cream cheese matter. As Tzurit Or, the owner and chef behind Tatte, puts it, we are dealing with a pistachio meringue crust, whipped cream mixed with whole pistachios and handmade caramel mix...with more pistachios on top:) Biting into this was like biting into a creamy cloud, it was sweet and subtle but rich and decadent at the same time. Suffice it to say that we could only manage a few bites...

Both of our favorites was the Blueberry Clafoutis, a traditional, French dessert with juicy blueberries baked into a custard-esque filling and topped with delicious, crunchy hazelnuts.
I love the added element of fruit, it made the dessert seem less heavy, more summer oriented. This one we polished off with no trouble:)

Of course, we could not come to Tatte and not order one of their nut boxes. Simply, it is a box made out of a buttery crust and filled with caramel and your choice of nuts. We went for their mixed nut assortment as we wanted a bit of everything (as always!).

These treats are beautifully prepared and just as appealing to the taste buds. By the time we reached this guy however, we were pretty much maxed out and got in a good taste...but no worries...all the more for me to take home and enjoy later...which I did!

I don't think you can really go wrong at this bakery, even their savory items looked and smelled heavenly.

The interior is rustic and clean and they have some nice details like serving cutlery in big, clay flowering pots.

I am always jealous of people who work or live near Kendall and with the addition of Tatte, I am even more so!