Homesick! Where am I? What am I craving?

Whilst the sign you see through the window at Mrs. London's in Saratoga Springs, NY, would make you think you are in France, you are really in Upstate NY. Mrs London's is nothing short of spectacular and this fact is only further exaggerated by the very fact of their location. Move this Boulangerie to NYC, Paris, Bombay, Tokyo or another metropolis, you will think it belongs to these cities. But its situation makes a statement both of its magical offerings and also of the love affair the proprietors have with the area and cooking. No wonder then that at midnight, stuck at the Ahmedabad airport in India, waiting on a flight to Mumbai, I am craving Mrs. London's and Max London's food to give me comfort, give me hope.

Even in the hustle and bustle of Bombay, the organized chaos of New Delhi, and the comforting serenity of my parents home in South Delhi, I found myself craving home. And that home sadly, was not the home where I was born, where I was last week, but I was craving home in North Country, NY. The counties north of where chic and happening Manhattanites have established their country homes. These are the counties that give NY a lot of its charm and grit. And make NY what it is. They are like Mrs. London's, a statement of reality, of life and of beauty - all at once.

Lying in bed (my last trip a month ago), on the very bed that I had grown up sleeping in daily, I found myself craving home. Craving Mrs. London's and craving the smell, the vistas, the idiocies, the people and the daftness of so many of the people that inhabit my world. A daftness that is quaint, but sometimes can be pathetic, and a statement of who we are today and how we live, educate ourselves and our kids, and how we form what we become and what we express of ourselves to the world. All of this was haunting me when I should have bee sleeping. And somehow, it all was converging in my head, my mortal brain, to my daft sensibilities as something to do with Mrs. London's. Why?

Was it Wendy London I was missing? Poetic, sensitive, caring, talented beyond words and beautiful as can be. I wish my photograph could capture her whole essence. It is nothing that anything static and 2D could ever imagine doing justice to. When we arrive at Mrs. London's or Max London's, the first thing in our heads is a curiosity about what they have made today. What is new? We love so many things there. We love everything there. Between Wendy, Michael, Max and Cliff, we are never at a loss for great food and wine. Of course wonderful conversations too. Why can we not bring Max London's and Mrs. London's to every city, every where in the world? I am not shocked that a month ago, I was craving home (the farm and Charlie) and Mrs. London's and Max London's and again today, I am having the same feeling. I know just why. Home is where the heart is. And home also means quality to me, and both these establishments, are all about quality. So there you go!

Whilst the pink light does it no justice, you have to taste the almond croissants (and of course the plain croissant, that many believe to be perhaps the greatest there is of this confection in the US, and also the top 2 or 3 version anywhere in the planet) to understand why I can be homesick for them so many miles away, sitting at the Ahmedabad airport in India, waiting for my flight to Mumbai. Crispy, crumbly, truly almond, and truly-decadently-delicious.

Cheese Danish - simple, plain and simply good. No white or yellow American cheese in these. This is all about great flaky pastry, and salty, rich, creamy, delicious cheese. Not too much, but not too little. Just right!

Chocolate-Raspberry cake. Dreamy to look at, dreamy in taste. Do we mortals deserve such immortal pleasure?

Certainly a poet, who would stumble upon Mrs. London's and eat their croissant, would write what would seem an endless Ode to their croissants. They are nothing one can find anywhere else in the US. Michael and Wendy use a reverse technique that requires a cold kitchen to work the pastry. Cold kitchens and cold pastry that are the ingredients for their croissants make me feel warm and fuzzy, just thinking about them at this hot and unbearable airport in Ahmedabad.

Their tarts too are dreamy. The pastry for the tart just perfect. Perfectly crisp, perfectly thick and perfectly tender - all at once! The lemon tart dreamily sour and sweet and creamy and addictive. The fruit tart colorful, fruity and playful. You will never accept another version of either, without reminiscing about these, and wanting this kind of attention to detail given to all tarts you eat.

All pastries are treated with great care, displayed with pride, and sold with the knowledge that each small bite will take the customer to a journey into culinary lands, and pleasurable places of memorable dining that only great food is able to do.

Tiramisu? This? Really? Hardly. It is the best you will ever eat, and you will never accept another as being good enough, or even worthy of being called Tiramisu.

It is their breads that brought them their loyal following. And it is their bread that even now, is unequaled anywhere. I am always in awe of its physical beauty first, and then as we sit down to eat at Max London's we realize that whilst beauty is skin deep, the breads at Mrs. London's are beyond just beautiful. They are what breads ought to be. And they are what breads should be everywhere. That Michael and Wendy London home the only oven made out of Austrian volcanic rock or some such outside of Europe should give people a time to pause and fathom what this might mean. Whole Foods may have played a part in getting this gravity defying feat to become reality in North America, but it is Michael's talents as a bread maker that they were lusting after. They knew why they were making such investment of money, time and energy. Luckily for us that live around Saratoga Springs, NY, these breads are a testament to what is beautiful in sheer simplicity. We are lucky to have access to them. And even luckier to be able to meet and speak with their creators.

A simple sandwich, made between a baguette, is nothing ordinary here. It is the stuff of midnight cravings. Charlie delivers eggs from our farm for Wendy, Michael, Max and Cliff to use, and on his way out, will buy a sandwich and know it will be the highlight of his day, if not the week.

Coffee too is treated with respect. And is not what we find in other spots in North Country.

Like Granola? You can eat it here with fresh fruit and yogurt (or milk) or even buy a bag to take home or to gift away. As elegant and impressive as everything else sold at Mrs. London's. You need not worry.

Dreamy cakes, tied with gossamer ribbons, leading to kaleidoscopic visions of pleasure in your mind, body and soul, everything touched by Wendy and Michael, and now their Son Max, and his partner in culinary crime Cliff, turns into edible gold. You can tell by just how simply and artfully even the cake stands are stored that people in the kitchen are proud artists.

I still remember the pleasure and amazement in Saori's presence immediately after having experienced Mrs. London's and Max London's. She was shocked that outside of NYC, in Upstate NY, she was enjoying what would easily be considered very rarefied offering of great edible treats. Saori, the owner of Korin in NYC, is Japanese by birth, American by choice and residence and global in her sensibilities. She has wined and dined with the greatest of great culinary geniuses. Traveled with them, hosted them and taught them a thing or two as well. And here she is above, outside Mrs. London's in North Country, having the time of her life. Watching  her enjoy the discovery that is Mrs. London's and Max London's and to see her revel with the magic of each offering, was as much a statement about the two very fine establishments, as also the magic of our life in North Country. It makes me feel proud to have made home in Washington County. It makes me feel proud of the wonderful others that are striving each day to enrich our community, their own lives and those of neighbors with each action they take. As customers and neighbors of the London family and businesses, we owe them endless gratitude for being part of our community, and for not leaving us for greener pastures in Manhattan, Paris, Mumbai, Tokyo, or another bigger city. Thanks Michael, Wendy, Max and Cliff! I am homesick for sure, but also excited that soon I will be back home, and enjoying your veritable offerings.

Comments

[Anthonysgodfather]

"Where thou art - that - is Home. " ~Emily Dickinson

I really need to spend a healthy amount of time in upstate New York (Saratoga Springs = the summer land of Balanchine) - Your pics of all the offerings that the London's provide are calling to me.

xo
D

[Laissezfare]

Wonderful post & photos. Mrs. London's is definitely one of my favorite spots in the world - there bread is second to none and their pastries are nearly the same. Plus Michael and Wendy are amazing, as is their son Max's skills in the kitchen. Just a shame it's so far away (from me at least)!

[sophie London]

Thank you for your beautiful words Suvir, you are missed here as well...Come home soon!
Filipe and I are now bringing Mrs.London's goodies to the Troy Farmers Market every Saturday from 9-1.
Sophie & Filipe

[suvir saran]

Where are you Laissezfare? I agree with you that their breads are second to none and that their pastries are nearly the same. You said it quite succinctly.

And Max? What can I say. We are BIG fans and feel so blessed that this young man, like his parents, has made it his mission to add magic and great food to Upstate NY.

[suvir saran]

I shall be home soon enough, or so I hope. How are you and Felipe settling in? You are an added gift for our community. So wonderful to have you around us. Hope you will find it special here and stay.

Troy Farmers Market is blessed to have you both bring Mrs. London's goodies to its lap. WOW WOW WOW! lucky people, those who get to enjoy these goodies.

Thanks for visiting the blog. Tell us more about what you bring to the market. What is selling best? And what the reaction of the locals is to this product. Thanks!

[elizabeth osborne]

Hi Suvir,
It is time you came home. For those of us who emigrated to Washington County from the city, there is truly no place like home.

I have such fond memories of Mrs. London's which go back to the 70's, after I moved here. When they were on Phila or Caroline Street I took European friends with my parents for lunch one day and I will never forget how they raved about the meal, the bread, the dessert etc....They had been traveling all through the States and I think they thought they were never going to have decent food, until they hit Mrs. London's.
At about that time Craig Claiborne of the NYTimes wrote about them and called it the best bakery between N.Y. and Montreal. Of course we were all very proud, as though we were knocking out that wonderful stuff ourselves.
And now, it has come full circle, the next generation is turning out great food with care and panache....and aren't we fortunate to have them in our back yard.
It's time to come home my dear.
Betty

[elizabeth osborne]

Another Mrs. London's comment:
My granddaughters, who live in Sarasota, Florida, make an annual pilgrimage to Mrs. London's...one for anything chocolate, and the other for anything with fruit. They lived for many years in Brussels and developed a taste for good pastry.One year we ordered the Buche de Noel for the holidays.....oh my!

[Mary Ann Joulwan]

I've hesitated to post a comment for quite a while
for fear that no one would believe me. But what a pity, I thought, to withhold such delicious and invaluable information - so here goes:

The magnificent pastry offerings at Mrs. London's
Boulangerie in Saratoga Springs, NY, are among the finest you will find anywhere - even rivaling those in Paris, Vienna and other noteworthy pastry cities of the world. Go see and taste for yourself - I think you'll agree.

And ps: don't forget the breads - they're amazing.

[suvir saran]

I am almost home Betty!
Should be there this weekend.
Have missed you, the animals, the plants and the air of our beautiful towns.

We truly are lucky to have Mrs. London's and Max London's in Saratoga. And yes, I agree that the next generation has continued in the same magical way of the London's. Sharing beautiful food, cooked with pride and served with love.

[Air Jordan]

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