The Little Bird takes wing in Queen Village
Jessica Nolen, pastry chef at Whetstone Tavern and Brauhaus Schmitz, opens a bakery at Fifth and Gaskill Streets.
Why should Jeremy Nolen have all the fun?
As chef/co-owner of Whetstone Tavern, and chef at Brauhaus Schmitz and its Reading Terminal Market offshoot Wursthaus Schmitz, he works six- and seven-day weeks.
His wife, pastry chef Jessica Nolen, wants a taste of the entrepreneur's life.
Jess, whose past includes pastry at Coquette and Continental Mid-town, didn't go far to find the name, either. Her maiden name is Vogel – German for "little bird."
Menu will include Nolen's desserts from the restaurants, plus recipes from the cookbook New German Cooking, which she wrote with her husband.
Bavarian soft pretzels hang at the front counter. Her savory breads will include baguettes, foccacia, barley-sage bread and a white loaf.
Among her specialties are cinnamon rolls, caramel-pretzel bread pudding, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin-spice blondies, croissants, mini muffins and, for breakfast, pressed egg and cheese sandwiches on Texas toast, with drip Counter Culture Coffee available. There are a half-dozen or so small tables for dine-in.
In the days leading up to opening, she is taking preorders for Thanksgiving for bar and cookie platters and such desserts as her caramel bread pudding with malted whipping cream and chocolate streusel; pumpkin cheesecake with snickerdoodle crust and vanilla bean cream; pecan pie with bourbon custard and candied orange whipped cream; and hazelnut mousse torte with hazelnut crust, dark chocolate ganache and sour cherry sauce.
Store hours will be 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.