It’s a capital affair. I’m in love with a pastry.
In the heart of Ottawa is a croissant. Not just any croissant. It’s a Crookie: part croissant; part cookie. Warm from the oven, the confluence of textures from the crunch of the cookie, the softness of the buttery croissant dough and the chocolatey gooeyness of the cookie dough-centre, seduces my palate into lustful euphoria. I throw caution and my diet to the wind and, in confectionary-induced hypnosis, float back to the display case, and begin pointing. I want this and I want that. This is the start of my romance with Tartelette Pastry & Café.
All the viennoiseries are made with real butter for soft dough and thin, crunchy laminations. The Pistachio Rose Croissant is one of the most popular croissants here. Its quality feels different, and its appeal is multi-sensory, as its enjoyment is visual, olfactory, tactile and of such delicate and refined taste.
And then there is the Pistachio Mini Cake. OMG… Divine layers of light pistachio sponge, pistachio ganache, saffron cream, rose pedals and chopped pistachios are a lovingly soft and smooth symphony of dreamy textures for a taste of the exotic. The nutty notes of the pistachios compliment the floral essence of the rose and saffron. The pistachios are from Iran—the best pistachios in the world. Their colour is greener and they yield more fattiness. The saffron is also Iranian, and of the highest quality saffron in the world. Its colour is a deeper yellow and its extraction elicits a more intense, elegant flavour. The rose pedals, too, are of superior quality, and add floral notes that sing of summer.
The Coconut Strawberry Pistachio Tart is am immaculate dome of coconut mousse, pistachio cream and strawberry confit that blends together for a decadent creaminess that hits all the right notes.
In the spirit of, “You can never have too much of a good thing”, the Saffron Rose Latte piques my interest. Tartelette’s saffron syrup is all natural and made in-house, as is the rose water, which is simply rose pedals nourished in water. The lattes are so velvety smooth, and a testament to skilled technique and high-quality ingredients. There are no short cuts to perfection.
So, who is this pâtissier extraordinaire? Intrepid palates need to know. Sanaz Homa, Cordon Bleu graduate, is the industrious, passionate talent who has been garnering accolades and admiration. Homa was the first to introduce the crookie to Canada, and is also known for having created the largest croissant in Canada. “I like to follow trends and have fun,” she shares. One of her aims is to introduce the best ingredients of Iran to Canadians. Saffron is her main spice of choice and is sourced from Shirazi, Iran. All her ingredients are carefully selected based on seasonality, quality and flavour profile. While the main pieces of antiquity from her ancient city of Persepolis are now housed in the Louvre, the rich flavours of her culture are found here in Ottawa. We are the happier for it.