Each Friday, this list will track five of the best things Heavy Table’s writers, editors, and photographers have recently bitten or sipped. Have a suggestion for the Hot Five? Email editor@heavytable.com.
The Hot Five is a weekly feature created by the Heavy Table and supported by Shepherd Song Farm.
Poppyseed Cake Topped With Lemon-Raspberry Custard at Savory Bake House
Longfellow’s newest bakery has some good stuff going on both the sweet and the savory sides of the aisle. Here’s one from the former: the lemon-raspberry-custard-topped cake offers up a lovely hit of tart via the lemon curd, which looks like an egg yolk atop the poppy-seed-dusted cake. The cake itself is tender without being soft or over-moist and the raspberry flavor comes through clearly.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
Chocolates from Patisserie 46
Boxed-to-order chocolates are the best kept secret at Patisserie 46. Each bon bon is a small masterpiece of well-flavored ganache or caramel coated in a thin layer of dark chocolate that snaps to the bite. The green piece in the bottom row is filled with a peppermint and lemongrass ganache. The beige dot on the chocolate in the middle row is a perfect half of a coriander seed that denotes the coriander-mango milk chocolate inside.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Jane Rosemarin]
Spicy Pork Eggrolls at Domo Gastro
Here’s the question that really matters this week: Are the spicy pork eggrolls at Domo Gastro merely the best eggrolls of the moment? Or the best eggrolls of the year? Domo Gastro’s spicy pork eggrolls are thin, brilliantly crisp little affairs, with just the right ratio of crunchy exterior to rich, fatty sausage interior. There’s also a lingering kick of heat that complements the savory flavor of the meat without overwhelming it. Dipped in the nuoc cham, these things are unimpeachably tasty.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #1 | From a review by James Norton]
Madame Tartine from St. Genevieve
The Madame tartine from St. Genevieve is an elevated version of the French open-face classic. Showcasing ingredients of the highest quality — Red Table Jambon Royal, Raclette cheese, and a sunny-side up egg — it is jaw-droppingly simple, yet refined.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #2 | Submitted by Paige Latham]
Infinity Imperial Stout from Freehouse
This week we very much enjoyed Freehouse’s newly-debuted Infinity, a bourbon-barrel-aged imperial stout. Rather than flaunting its alcoholic content of 11 percent ABV, the beer skillfully conceals it. This makes the beer quite balanced and pairable with food, but still flavorful and robust.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Paige Latham]