An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives.
The macarons from Essence in Tempe are legendary, but how much do you know about the rest of the sweet fare there? Seriously, have you ever heard anyone make a peep about how amazing the Mexican wedding cookies are?
No. And guess what, they're amazing. Just like mom used to make at Christmas.
The bakery's latest addition: croissants. On the way to the New Times building one morning this week, we stopped to get one (or two) of these suckers just to see how good they really are.
The verdict: Yep, they are that good. The traditional croissant was just the right amount of flaky with a chewy inside. The buttery flavor wasn't too heavy and surprisingly didn't leave your hands buttery like most croissants.
Next up was the almond croissant. Covered in almonds and powdered sugar, this croissant is the bee's knees of breakfast pastries -- almost crunchy on the outside and super soft on the inside giving it a texture that is exceptionally good. It was a little on the sweet side but definitely in a good way.
Next time, skip the macaron and try a croissant, or just go crazy and get both!
This weekend marks the opening of new Scottsdale restaurant Urban 7. click here to check out the menu.
And don't miss the Japanese Matsuri Festival at the Heritage and Science Park in downtown Phoenix. The festival runs 10am - 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Visit their website for more details.
