|
Darlings, I’m not sure if you know this but Joburg has its very own queen – a queen of cookies! I’m not quite sure if she lives in a giant castle or has an army of Corgis but I’m pretty sure she has a crown - ok, she doesn’t have a crown but I’m thinking of buying her one because her cookies and baked goodies are so darn delicious! So, if you’ve never been to Northlands Deco Park then today’s find is a mighty good reason to get off your couch and visit – today. Here’s why you’re going to adore Cheryl Amy Jones Cakes and Pastry.
I first heard about Cheryl Amy Jones Cakes and Pastry from a fellow Darling who insisted I simply have to go through to try baker Cheryl Amy Jones’ breads, croissants and cookies. So, I fuelled up my car, packed some pad kos and set off to Northriding (I kid, North riding isn’t that far) in search of this supposed epic bakery. When I got there I was first greeted by a rather impressive display of baked goodies and the waft of freshly baked goods and then owner and head baker Cheryl – a business owner who is as hands on as it gets! You see, what I love about Cheryl Amy Jones Cakes and Pastry (and its owners) is that the little shop is all about putting the personal touch back into the business of baking. The entire bakery is open-plan, so shoppers can see the magic happening in the kitchen, and Cheryl is hell-bent on making sure she knows her regular customers by name and then making sure they get what they are lusting after every day. The bakery is modelled on the European style where the same products feature on the shelves everyday and you can always be sure you will find your favourite bread, cookies or pastry in stock when you visit.
I also love that everything on the shelves is made from scratch and by hand – there are no pre-mixes in sight and Cheryl and her team use a range of traditional recipes to bring the delicious treats to life (including a shortbread recipe handed down from her Grandmother!) Some of the goodies on offer in the shop include Carrot Cake, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Italian Lemon & Almond Cake, Milk Tarts, Turkish apricot and orange zest muffins, Roasted butternut and cream cheese muffins, Calamata Olive & Fresh Herb Ciabatta, Light Rye, Brioche, Roasted Butternut, Caramelised Onion & Feta quiche and chocolate brownies - to name but a few!
As delicious as those treats sound, what Cheryl is really known for (and why I was sent there in the first place) are her cookies, croissants and Millefeuille. I was lucky enough to try all three and was blown away. The Pain au chocolat croissant (R13 each) was to die for and I absolutely loved the combo of the darker chocolate flavours with the sweeter pastry. The pastry itself was also superb and crumbled and melted in mouth with every bite. Then there was the Millefeuille (R24) a decadent dessert that is oh-so-difficult to get right but the Cheryl Amy Jones version, made with all puff pastry, is just divine! And, last, but not least the cookies! Oh, the cookies! I didn’t sample them when I first visited but popped back to buy some on my way home from Northriding on the weekend and fell in love.
If you are a cookie or biscuit fanatic then you will absolutely love these little guys, which come in nine different flavours and variations. There’s the delicious TopDeck Chocolate cookie; 52% Dark Belgian chocolate, orange zest and espresso cookie; 52% Dark Belgian chocolate, cranberry and mixed spice cookie; Cadbury’s Dairymilk chocolate, peanut and peanut butter cookie; Old fashioned ginger biscuits and so much more! The cookies can be bought in large bags at R50 each and are so loved by the regulars that they sell out like hot cakes (sorry I couldn’t resist).
Now, all that’s left for you to do is pay them a visit and indulge, indulge, indulge!
By Crystal Espin
Visit my Profile.
|
|