The Saucy Scholar, Cincy Edition: The BonBonerie

It almost seems unfair to write a review of a bakery like The BonBonerie after one visit, and in most circumstances, I normally wouldn’t. But the fact that I have eaten their scones, cookies, cake, and even tried their coffee on this trip, and I still haven’t explored all of what they have to offer should give you some idea of the kind of magical place The BonBonerie is.

Once you step inside, it’s like walking into something out of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, except brighter and a lot more whimsical. You’re instantly surrounded by well-stocked displays of cakes, cut-out cookies, pastries, and other treats, and there’s a little nook where you can serve yourself a cup of coffee or tea. Which brings me to one thing that TheBonBonerie is famous for that I didn’t get to experience this time around–the Afternoon Tea. With a reservation, you can take tea in either the tearoom or the Café, which is a few blocks away from the bakery itself, and includes an assortment of scones, savories, and pastries.

In addition to their award-winning cakes (especially wedding cakes), The BonBonerie is also known for their handmade sweets and cookies. They make their own marzipan in a variety of shapes, and have a constantly rotating array of meticulously iced cut-out cookies. And they aren’t just fun to look at–the marzipan is sweet and just the right amount of nutty, and the cookies are light and soft. The icing does make them a little sweeter than your average cookie, but the icings actually have a variety of distinct flavors, so it doesn’t feel like you’re just eating a mouthful of sugar–even the little non pareils on top are flavored too. They’re almost too pretty to eat, but not quite.

To celebrate our birthdays, The Boyfriend’s parents treated us to a delicious lemon cake–the cake itself was light and fluffy, and the inside was filled with a rich lemon cremes. Our names were iced onto a piece of white chocolate, and the top was decorated with marzipan flowers and lemons, with white chocolate shavings on the side. If they had left me alone with it, it was very possible that I could’ve eaten the whole thing. While I didn’t catch the price of this particular cake, their prices are generally reasonable for the quality of the food–I’ve seen bakeries in New York and elsewhere charge slightly more for things that just flat out aren’t as good.

It was obvious in every bite of everything that I had this week that these were all lovingly made desserts with high quality ingredients. If you ever find yourself in the Cincinnati area, this place is an absolute must-visit, whether for a special occasion or an afternoon tea with friends.

April 2012 Easter Egg Cutout from The BonBonerie

Report Card:

• Cake: A
• Cookies/Pastry: A
• Coffee: A-
• Atmosphere: A

 GPA: 3.925 (A)

The Saucy Scholar, Cincy Edition: Skyline Chili

The Boyfriend and I spent Spring Break visiting his hometown of Cincinnati, and every time we go, I insist on getting Skyline at least once. This trip, we were lucky enough to get it twice–once at the Cincinnati Zoo, and once for a late lunch after getting some work done at a coffee shop. For  those unfamiliar, Skyline Chili is one of the more famous varieties of “Cincinnati-style Chili,” which can be served over a bed of spaghetti, sometimes with beans and/or onions (“Ways”) or used as a sauce for hot dogs (“Coneys”). Both are topped with heaping amounts of shredded cheese, and served with a small plate of oyster crackers and hot sauce. As if this doesn’t sound amazing enough, it even comes with an endorsement from Mr. Redlegs himself:

That just about says it all.

To Cincinnati With Love,

The Saucy Scholar