National Éclair Day: How could I miss it?
I missed National Éclair Day
Yup, Friday, June 22ndwas National Éclair Day and I missed it.
I love éclairs, not one of those Rich’s frozen éclairs, nope; it would need to meet all my requirements for a great éclair. What constitutes a great éclair is the crisp, full-of-air -pockets pâte à choux oblong home to the creamy, rich, custard filling; and the pièce de résistance should be dark chocolate, ganache-like crowning glory.
My usual go to is the Double T Diner, they have a very good rendition BUT my new favorite is at the Essen Room in Pikesville. It was happenstance when picking up a coddie, there was an éclair in the case. Advised like Double T Diner, they are made in-house and their creation was perfection.
How do I love thee éclair? Once, when in New York with my friend, we were staying at my sister’s pied-à-terre. We were heading back to the apartment from a food-related event, and there must not have been a dessert or my chocolate craving was kicking in but I needed, wanted and craved an éclair. In New York, just stopping into one of the ma and pa groceries you can find almost anything and I did. As the clerk was getting my éclair out the case and I’m salivating – my friend says she can’t wait to taste it. WHAT! Share it? To the clerk, I said, “make it two éclairs” and treated my friend to her own éclair. Never covet my éclair, it is like the Holy Grail, along with lobster, but that is another rant.
Who can forget that classic scene in Seinfeld where George Costanza takes an éclair out of the trash can and starts to eat it? I do love my éclairs but not that much. How much though? Instead of bringing me bottles of wine, bring me an éclair instead. Though National Éclair Day has just passed, I am still accepting gratuitous éclair offerings.
For Dara Bunjon if it is food, Dara Does It, in fact, that is the name of her company which offers creative solutions for the food industry the likes of public relations, marketing, social media, cookbook compilations, food styling, culinary events, networking and freelance writing. You will now find Dara applying her broad range of culinary skills as a food stylist for television chefs/cookbook authors the likes of Steven Raichlen, Sara Moulton, Nick Malgieri, and Nathalie Dupree. Dara Bunjon lives, eats, dreams and writes about food and isn’t hesitant to share her views and experiences about restaurants, culinary trends, recipes, cookbooks or even her childhood food memories. She has been on the food scene for too many years to mention. Known both in Baltimore and nationally, Dara Bunjon is a former member of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs’ national public relations committee.
In the past, she has written for Style Magazine, Foodservice Monthly, Mid-Atlantic Restaurant Digest, Urbanite and other sundry publications. Since 2004 she has maintained an award-winning food-related blog called Dining Dish. She co-authored her first cookbook Yum! Tasty Recipes from Culinary Greats in association with Studio Spear. And has written Baltimore restaurant reviews for Gayot.com
Dara believes food is subjective; everyone’s taste is different and she enjoys bringing you to her table to commiserate and enjoy lively discourse.
Considered one of Baltimore’s food influencers, you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @daracooks.