Tropical Treat??

Doesn't the title sound enticing? The treat for today was indeed but the title reflect not so much the origin or tradition of the fruit tart served but more the fact that it had not frequently seen pineapples and mangoes on it.  It was a nice touch. Mangoes are usually mush so to see them so firm and neatly sliced was impressive. (Not as impressive as the mango cheesecake in the Hong Kong Bakery but hey.) The tart came from the Vienna Bakery in Barrington, RI which is always a favorite. You will never complain about the quality or the taste. We did think it interesting that they used whole strawberries with the leaves still attached and the blueberries were partly cooked which actually strengthens the flavor. It is a classic fruit tart with a thick crust, a layer of pastry cream or custard and then the fruit.  Sometimes is covered with a layer of clear gelatin but the Vienna does not usually do that. Since it can make the crust soggy we rather it without anyway.  Check out the website of the Vienna Bakery. The case rivals those Hong Kong places.  http://www.viennabakeryri.com/. Their pear tart is one of our favorite cake hour specialties.

There was a lot of buzz about the upcoming pathobiology retreat coming up. Folks were busy preparing posters and waiting for the day to arrive so they can get it over with. Apparently the retreat does not go down as one of the most fun things to do. But we would never dispute the educational benefit of attending. It will be interesting to see who shows up.