Thursday, July 2, 2009

The Blackbird Bakery in Bristol, Virginia




This bakery has been in business just over a year and is already developing a reputation as the best place around to buy donuts and pies. There was a steady stream of customers on a Thursday morning.

Ratha Shabeldeen bakes all of the pies and pastries. When she immigrated from Lebanon over 40 years ago, she didn't know how to read. She started to learn by reading pastry recipes, working at a restaurant for 33 years and with the school district for 11.

She said she could give us the recipe for her flaky crusts, but with crust making, technique is what really matters. "Don't knead the dough," she advises, because it only makes it tough and chewy.

We had the pecan and peach pies, served in individual tins. Other specialties of the house were chocolate, coconut cream, apple, cherry and butterscotch.

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