LA-made Dessert Gift... that travels well?

[hhewitt]

Here's a complex one:

I'm going to visit an old friend soon, and I'd love to bring her a gift. She loves dessert/sweets, and I'd love to bring her some sort of LA-specific, locally-made gift... but, it'll have to travel well.

I'm going to be on a plane for almost 6 hours, and then I won't see her until a few days after my arrival. I'm thinking all baked goods are off the table due to the days of sitting around (although I think I will have a fridge available). Ideally, this dessert would be purchasable near the Sepulveda Pass (either end).

Does anyone know of any sort of dessert that's locally-made that'll travel well for hours on a plane, and then sit around for days without going bad?

[bulavinaka]

My dark horse candidate is J Sweets adjacent to the Mitsuwa in Torrance. They offer premium confections from Japan. Almost all of their products are meant for gifts that do travel well. The reasons I consider them a dark horse in this thread is because the OP specified somewhere near the Sepulveda Pass, which it is not. They aren't made locally, so... Also, I don't know if there's a J Sweets or something similar to it in the islands.

J Sweets
21515 Western Ave
Torrance, CA 90501
[phone]

Platine on Washington in Culver City has excellent cookies and other baked goods, but they are not near the Sepulveda Pass as well...

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Platine Sweets & Savories
10850 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

[wienermobile]

The Alligator from Viktor Benes Bakery in most Gelsons markets travels very well. Lots of pecans and butter.
http://www.viktorbenes.com/

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Viktor Benes Bakery
13455 Maxella Ave, Marina Del Rey, CA

[paprkutr]

I don't think the alligators are as good as they used to be when you walked into the bakery and got it fresh. Now it comes in plastic in boxes, it's just not the same, it is really soft.

[goodhealthgourmet]

where does she live? has she ever lived in LA? and does she cook?

[hhewitt]

She lives in Honolulu, and we both went to college in Claremont 10 years ago (so, she spent 4 years living there). I'm not sure about how often she cooks.

[goodhealthgourmet]

got it. my initial idea was chocolates from one of LA's excellent chocolatiers...but only if you'll have someplace relatively cool to store them once you get to Honolulu. i also second wienermobile's very wise suggestion for Little John's Toffee.

[Heidi]

I recently traveled to France and London with Valerie's chocolates for a several different people - truffles/caramels, toffees and the less expensive bags of treats. I had an ice pack in the suitcase with them just in case. Not only did they travel perfectly, I believe they were/are better than the chocolates I was gifted in return (Maison du Chocolat) and they were quite well received.

[Heidi]

I forgot to mention that I have their chocolates shipped to my office out of convenience all of the time...completely easy and reliable.

http://www.valerieconfections.com/

[TracyS]

I had the same need recently, and brought my friends Santa Monica-based p.o.p. candy co's toffee/butter crunch-type treats. They're tasty and held up pretty well, but started to get a little soft in the humidity of Chicago where I was visiting.

Not sure if they have a real storefront, but I bought them at Curious Palate in Mar Vista.

[hhewitt]

Their candy looks pretty good... and they'd probably travel well too! This thread is an example of why I love CH.

[wienermobile]

I traveled to San Francisco with Stan's Peanut Butter Chocolate Donuts (Reese's Peanut Butter Pocket). They even packed them especially for the plane trip and they made it in very good shape.
http://www.stansdoughnuts.com/

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Stan's Doughnuts
10948 Weyburn Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024

[goodhealthgourmet]

that's a great idea, but will they get stale sitting around for a few days?

[wienermobile]

I don't know because they all disappeared as soon as I delivered them.

[goodhealthgourmet]

ha! fair enough :) i was just thinking they might not hold up well since the OP won't be seeing the friend until a few days after arrival.

[wienermobile]

Littlejohn's English toffee. It's the best. Only at the Original Farmers Market on 3rd and Fairfax.
http://www.littlejohnscandies.com/

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Farmers Market
6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036

[paprkutr]

The best toffee! I always bring it to friends, and they want it

[maudies5]

I have brought Littlejohn's English toffee to friends in Italy as well as Israel Did well, even after the long flights.

[hhewitt]

A definite possibility! Thanks!

[maudies5]

Littlejohn's is a brilliant idea.!! It travels very well and everyone loves it.

[namstermonster]

or deluscious cookies?!

[hhewitt]

Looks possible... I can always do Diddy Riese if I'm lazy (and I won't get into waht people think of those cookies... I read that thread).

[namstermonster]

hrm...that's kinda tough. how about cake monkey?? if u can freeze them, they should be fine for several days. that's what umami does w/their batches. buying directly from cake monkey would be ideal but there is a minimum order. otherwise, u can pick some up @most umami's (tho much much less of a variety) and will be even less fresh. still, it's an option!! :)

[hhewitt]

Frozen cakes sounds a little heavy-duty for me... also, I don't think I'll have access to a freezer once I arrive for the first days until I see her. But thanks!