The verdict is in! I just got back from my first trip (where´ve I been for the last 5 years!) to L'épi, the bakery owned and operated by two Parisian immigrants to Argentina. Tremendo.I came for bread ...and man did I get it But upon entering the beautifully traditional little joint, I was confronted with what everybody knew except me: the place is loaded with viennoiserie! Those sweetened (or salty, or cheesy!) little bread dough pastries are impossible to pass up so pick a few out while settling on which bread(s) to take home. Just don´t forget to include the brioche.
I don´t know why I´ve never made the trip before ...well, actually, I do know why. It´s in Villa Ortúzar in the middle of a little sidestreet block; quite a haul for a downtown guy. Much more convenient (but not much) for expats in Belgrano or Palermo. But for anybody living near the Subte Línea B... it´s only two and half blocks from the Tronador stop!
According to their website, there´s a good reason for the obscure location: The Oven. Bruno and Olivier claim that their domed, wood-burning oven is 6 meters in diameter and one of the oldest in Buenos Aires. You might have seen it figured prominently on their local tv show on the elgourmet.com channel, boulangerie, which I´m not sure is around this season.
As to the viennoiserie, I wanted them all but, uncharacteristically, decided to be reasonable. I grabbed some Pan de Raisin and a bunch more of the mini-brioche. The little slices of rolled-up, just perfectly sweetened dough with raisins were so delicate that it was a surprise to bite into them. They say that you should never pass their Pan de Chocolat; I won´t do that again.
As to the brioche, they were everything that the eggy, buttery little bastards are supposed to be! If you´re not quite sure what brioche is (or what your previous brioches were supposed to have been) ...just go to L'épi and eat one right at the counter.
Now on to the bread. I decided to take home L'épi´s Parisino, a long, rounded loaf with fairly blunt ends along the lines of a vienna loaf ...a good 46cm (18 in.) in length. (Shown above after I whacked a thick slice off the right end. Click to enlarge.)
Although it was obviously a big boy, I wasn´t prepared for how heavy it felt. "No problem", I said to myself, "I like a good dense bread on occasion."
But after hefting it onto my cutting board at home, I started to wonder if some law of physics got suspended under the franchutes' big brick dome ...it´s some of the lightest, most delicate bread I´ve every eaten.
The crumb is tender in the extreme. The crust is thin, crunchy, and hard; leaving lovely little shatters behind my knife.
The flavor is supreme. L'épi prides itself on natural fermentation instead using commercial yeast with its "generic" flavor. The word "sourdough" is sometimes applied to their method but I think that´s a misnomer. This is more like "lambic" as in the spontaneous yeasts found in Belgian beers.
Bruno and Olivier also brag quite rightly about their long fermentation times, something that you never get outside of the artisanal. Not going for a quick rise allows the dough and the natural yeasts to develop flavor components that you can´t rush.
The taste of my Parisino loaf was sharp and refreshing without any sweetness or fattiness. There was a hint of saltiness, too, much in excess of any actual salt bread contains. Although light, it didn´t melt in your mouth; there was lots for your teeth and tongue to do while chewing away on the lovely crust. I lost track of how many slices I ate.
Everything´s better with butter, right? Not this. Butter-freak that I am, the yummy yellow stuff only seemed to distract me from the those first naked slices. I can´t wait, though, to try it with a great Mendoza or La Rioja olive oil.
I almost hate finding something this delicious on my first visit to a place ...it makes me want to order the same thing over and over again! With any luck, they´ll be fresh out on my next visit.
L’épi, Roseti 1769, Buenos Aires
Martes a Sábado, de 7.30 a 19.30 / Domingos de 9 a 13
info@lepi.com.ar / 4552 6402
3 comments:
Every Monday we go to our guys on Pueyrredon and buy L'epi bread.
Our favorites are the pain con queso and the plain.
I made sandwiches, sliced it , toast it .. whatever.
It is the only bread I eat here :)
Yum!
And not too far from where I live!
It´s going to be tough buying bread from anywhere else. I´m going to have to organize myself to include a regular run every couple of days or so!
Post a Comment