King Cake in SF or Marin?

[sweetestpea]

Does anyone know where I might find a traditional Mardi Gras King Cake in either SF or Marin? Ordering online from New Orleans is pretty expensive. Thanks in advance for your help!

[bayareatiger]

South Loooziana expatriate here - haven't found a King Cake anywhere out here in my 30 years of exile. Mam Papaul's is a good inexpensive mix, but dang if them things don't take a lonnnnng time to make.... http://www.cajunsupermarket.com/produ...

[sweetestpea]

Thanks very much for the reply bayareatiger! That may be the answer if I can't find anything local...

[wolfe]

Call it what you will but here is a similar recent thread.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/585438

[sweetestpea]

Thanks wolfe...I saw that thread. I'm actually looking for a traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras king cake. Something that looks like this:

http://www.mardigrasday.com/mardigras...

[rworange]

I finally made it to Cloe's French Cafe in Santa Rosa last week. They had stopped making of the French King Cake that Melanie mentioned in the link.

HOWEVER, starting the second week in February they will be making the classic Louisiana version of King Cake. It will be $28. Don't know if they will sell slices, but probably not. Call to verify the start date.

[rln]

Oh... great planning! I'm a Tulane Green Wave and haven't had one in years! Sad.

Just confirmed--- Arizmendi Bakery will be making it Sat, Sun before Fat Tuesday, and on Fat Tuesday. I've never had it from there but hopes are high based on their other things.
http://www.arizmendibakery.com/

[wolfe]

There was some scepticism at my work about the authenticity of their Day of the Dead bread. Hope they don't let you down.

[rworange]

Actually the DOD bread matches the description of what people in Mexico eat. The local panaderias just make a normal pan dulce with DOD shapes.

Thanks, I'll definately give the Arizmendi King cake a try.

[sweetestpea]

Awesome! Thanks for the info rln!

[casalbore spirit]

I'm guessing you wouldn't want to drive to Cosentino's in San Jose,but saw two types of King cakes in the bakery there tonight.One a simple one and another a more elaborate filled one.Both very pretty.Brought back memories of my families six years in N'awlins.What a special and fun time Carnival is.

[bayareatiger]

Picked up a simple $6.99 and an elaborate pecan and raisin king cake $8.99 today from Cosentino's San Jose (Bascom & Union). I confirmed with them that they will be making them through Fat Tuesday. Will report back as soon as we consume them. PS The king cake baby is on the outside of the cake (instead of the inside) due to the liability issues.

[bayareatiger]

OK here's the report. The simple standard issue king cake was moist and delicious. It wasn't as "thick " as other king cakes that I had growing up in La., more like a cinnamon roll, which isn't as chewy as a king cake. It was more like a pastry instead of a cake, however, heating it in the microwave works well. The elaborate king cake was filed with pecans & raisins, and I was not as impressed wiht this one. Still, it's good to get king cakes locally and not pay an arm and a leg for shipping. Laissez le bon temps rouillez! It's Carnival Time!

[sweetestpea]

Thank you for the rec casalbore spirit...my BF had to be in San Jose yesterday for business so he stopped by Cosentino's to pick up a King Cake (the $ 6.99 version). I agree with bayareatiger...it was very good! Lovely too, decorated with beads, doubloons, etc. Thanks again!

[casalbore spirit]

My pleasure.Glad it worked out well for you.Enjoy this years Carnival season as Ash Wednesday is Feb 25th.End of the celebrating.My niece is celebrating Carnevale in Venice Italy this year.

[rworange]

An update on the Arizmendi King's Cake. Only the SF location will be making it and it is $12. I talked to both the Oakland and Emeryville bakeries and they will not make it. I asked at Cheeseboard and they don't make it either.

The person I talked to at Cheeseboard referred me to the Bread Garden bakery near the Clairmont. They will have it this weekend and on Fat Tuesday. The price is $15.

[rln]

Thank you. After all this discussion, I realized I wasn't even sure when Fat Tuesday was this year, and it's this coming Tuesday!

[Dave.Pitinga]

The Bread Garden's King Cake (filled with almond paste?) is excellent. Worth every penny.

[NOLAstateofmind]

Great news! My friendly neighborhood baker, who uses only the freshest of ingredients, has agreed to bake authentic King Cakes (with cream cheese filling) by special order for $28, so you can have one anytime during the season. He is so into freshness that he discounts his baked goods by 50% after 2pm each day. You very well may have a King Cake that is even fresher than if you bought one in New Orleans since he uses no preservatives. I am so excited! He is in the Glen Park Neighborhood in San Francisco (near 280) and here's the info: Destination Bakery, 598 Chenery, SF CA 94131, 415-469-0730.

[wolfe]

Previous mention of Destination as a good source for challah.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6628...

[srfergrl]

I totally recommend Destination Bakery! they saved my superbowl sunday, or guess I could say, it was the great King Cake that gave the Saints the power to win!!! They were awesome and the cake was moist, flaky and just the right amount of sugar/spice (I did the non-cream cheese filling one). The icing and colors were perfect too.

[NOLAstateofmind]

Well, I'm happy to report that Destination's King Cake was a big hit at the King Cake/Superbowl party. I liked it better even than Haydel's! Anyway, we've had lots of them from various places over the years, and everyone agreed that this was the best one. I'm so glad that I can now get one locally for future parties.

BTW, if you are local, I must encourage you to stop by for Joe's out-of-this-world Hot Cross Buns, available only until Easter. They are on the small side, so you can eat them relatively guilt-free. They are so fresh and the little extra bit is a subtle tang from orange peels.

[Melanie Wong]

Nora's Patisserie in Colma will be making King Cake for Mardi Gras. It's pretty much a straight-ahead french bakery, so don't know if it will be NOLA style or French.

[artemis]

My Tulane alumni SO special ordered a Destination bakery king cake with traditional cream cheese filling, which he is picking up this afternoon. He is a very tough customer when it comes to New Orleans food, so I am cautiously hopeful based on this thread. After recently encountering yet another inauthentic representation of New Orlenian food at Just for You Cafe (delicious breakfast, but beignet fail), I really hope Destination can deliver something not too far off from his favorite Gambino's.

I will report back, but note that tomorrow is the last day for king cakes at Destination, which requires 24 hours notice for a king cake so if you want your own, you'll need to order this afternoon. We also called Arizmendi, but the filling is some kind of pecan-raisin filling, which he thought was completely inappropriate.

[artemis]

The Destination bakery king cake ($26) is delicious, but apparently not exactly right to my Tulane alumni SO. The cake is moist, eggy, sweet, tender, and has a faint orange flavor. The frosting is not too thick, and I appreciated that the mardi gras colors were somewhat restrained, as opposed to the solid electric neon colors I found personally unappetizing in the Gambino's pictures online. It's a lovely coffee cake, and it's quite large.

To my untrained palate, I thought the cake was a little bland, and a little sweet, but very tasty. It grew on me with each bite, and really tasted of quality ingredients. The SO enjoyed it a lot, but said there should be more orange and cinnamon flavor, and was somewhat disappointed from an aesthetic perspective that the brioche was folded over the cream cheese filling instead of braided as in New Orleans. I don't agree with the braided criticism, but I would have enjoyed more citrus notes in the cake. He would get it again.

[Spatlese]

Have no idea how authentic/good it is, but I saw King Cakes for sale at Bi-Rite Market last weekend.

[sdavissm]

Cost Plus World Market carries Mam PaPaul's King Cake Mix. I made it last weekend and it was really good. Very authentic in smell and taste.

Merritt Bakery in Oakland had King Cakes last year.