It's a sure sign of spring that Jefferson Market has re-opened. I know there's been a lot of excitement in my neighborhood about this eagerly anticipated event. And today it's finally here! Thanks to my friend Rachel who bought a cake for her husband's birthday today (Happy Birthday John!), I even made it over there this morning. Here's what I found:
The same warm cozy space with bright new paint and beautiful flower arrangements from well-wishers; a new menu with tasty sounding sandwiches and homemade soups every day; a special kids menu; a few grocery items like Guernsey milk, Mighty Good coffee and John Harnois eggs; fabulous looking cakes, pies, "bon-bons," and other yummy desserts.
The owner, Mary, is the second from the left in the photo above, wearing a green t-shirt and pink kerchief. She's joined by her daughter (or 2 daughters I'm not sure) and I think her 2 sisters as well. Business was brisk this morning. Quite a few happy people were enjoying their coffee and pastries in a beloved place with some very friendly new faces.
I bought one of the bon-bons, which were explained as a big favorite of my helper (pictured on the right above), sandwiching tiny pieces of cake with frosting, then rolling the whole thing in chocolate ganache. Mmm. I also bought a piece of mixed berry and buttercream-filled cake. It looks wonderful, but Mary wanted me to be sure to let it warm up a bit before eating it. All that butter. I have been exerting enormous self-control all day by waiting to share my prizes this evening with my beloved husband. I can't wait much longer! We may have to eat dessert first.
PS - The cake was wonderful. I don't usually get white cake, but this was moist and not too sweet. It tasted like a real cake made from scratch with butter and eggs. The frosting was also not too sweet, and very buttery. The purple-red mixed berry filling was the perfect tart counterpoint to the rich cake and unctuous frosting. I would get this again.
PPS - SOMETHING NOBODY ELSE KNOWS. I have it on good authority that if you had been standing in front of the Jefferson Market at 6:59am on Tuesday, April 1st, you would have seen this: Mary and her sister, holding hands, walk toward the the door and together flip the sign from "Closed" to "OPEN" heralding the beginning of the new Jefferson Market and Cakery.