My Tatte Ride

It has been a long time dream, and a long process to get to where I am today, with my second home – Tatte.

I started in 2007 at my home kitchen not knowing what Americans indulge when they crave their dessert or pastries. I just baked what I knew to bake and hoped for the best…

I worked 20 hours a day, took those 4 hours to sleep so I can keep on going. I baked, I packed, I stood at my farmer’s market stand and then I baked some more. Neighbors came to visit and asked, do you ever stop? No, I never stopped or I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I have not stop since then.

My living room and kitchen were the main baking area, surrounded by stainless steel tables, mixers and ovens. My third floor was filled with refrigerators and freezers to keep all my thousands of nuts fresh and my brioche dough to quietly rise overnight.  I can tell you, I was in shape going up and down those stairs all day. My “loading dock” was my garage… early am loading to farmer’s market, end of day unloading and running to make another round of brownies, cookies, biscotti… a never ending the happy cycle that led me to open my first shop in Brookline on February 2008.

Brookline has been a wild ride, finding my way [and heart] in the baking scene, still, not knowing of any other bakeries or baked goods, only doing what I know how to do, baking my own creations. Still, it never felt quiet enough for me, I wanted more, I wanted to make more of what I miss, I wanted the food I miss, I wanted a home in America. ..

In May 2012 Tatte Cambridge opened. It’s been a long year and a half of searching for the right space [any 2000sqf that you can easily exhausts… in the area?], if you are true to yourself, keep only the quality of your products in mind to lead your way and not the money you will keep baking on each premises, always [and that is a subject to a separate post]. I put all my energy in this search until I found that right spot in Cambridge… the lovely space that comes with a book of challenges which most we will only find out when we are already deep into the process… you need to raise the floor for plumbing, no back of the house entrance, not enough ceiling room for all those pipes, cannot exhaust building only through the front,  cannot put awnings and signage on building unless you add this and that… and the list goes on and on… but this list came with a very nice and generous landlord who believed in me! and helped me to build it from the ground up!

I am sharing with you today the before and after pictures of Tatte 2. As you can see, we made a few changes in the raw space… It’s been a long ride; 3 months of lease negotiation, 9 weeks of constructions until we opened that heavy antique wood door… on May 8^{th at} 7am, my heart was racing when I opened that door for you, my dear and sweet customers that follows me where ever I go.

To the actual design, how I created and designed the space, the famous chandelier, the people behind that helped me build it, all I will tell you in my next post in a few days [promise]!

Have a beautiful day make sure it’s a sweet one!

Love,

Tzurit

Tatte II - The Hunt

Tatte II -- The Hunt

I've always known what I want Tatte II to be and how I want it to look, and lately I've been on the hunt for the pieces that will give it that perfect look and atmosphere. A lot of times it's simply about those things with just the right look and feel but it usually takes some deep digging.

I would travel hundreds of miles for the right piece. If I hear of a place that might have that old park bench I was looking for, even as far away as Pennsylvania, I'd most likely to hit the road right away…. I would drive through miles of empty fields and blue sky, fueled by my love for this endless [yet rewarding] search, taking a brioche or two (a girl's gotta eat, you know?) for the road...

Lately I've been looking for chairs, benches, tables, shelves, dishes, lights -- everything to create the perfect atmosphere. Of course along the way, I find some other really cool stuff:

Some items are more challenging to find as they need to adhere to building codes, and city inspectors do not take into consideration my dreams (of course). The door is my current challenge, my dream door will work just fine in Europe, but not good enough here. The outside must be as beautiful as the inside, with all the code requirements this becomes quite a challenge.

Every piece of furniture and prop comes with a story. Sometimes it has the legacy of an heirloom, and sometimes it's just been around for many years, collecting history. Either way, there's a special, breathtaking beauty about each one. It’s about the journey, the digging, and the discovery that are gratifying, as well as the gorgeous experiences I again.

For those of you who love to search, hunt, and build like me, I made this list of wonderful places that specialize in all kinds of treasures:

Acushnet River Antiques, New Bedford, MA - A must!
New England Demolitation & Salvage - New Bedford, MA
New Bedford Antiques at the Cove

Best Doors source - beautiful, uniqu, great prices - A must!
http://www.antiquesusamaine.com/ - great props, small furnitures - great prices.
Old House Parts - they will build your dream.
Get Back Inc. - simply heaven.
http://www.antiquesmap.com/

You are always welcome to contact me with questions, and I'll be happy to help you find the right piece. I simply know how rewarding that is.

Enjoy,

Tzurit

Thank You

My Holidays

Since opening Tatte five years ago, I've had to ask myself: what is my holiday season? From Rosh Hashanah through Hanukkah and Christmas, I've realized that for me, it's about celebrating both the traditions of my home in Israel and the festivities of the season here in America.

In Israel, the holidays begin in September with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. After weeks of preparation, we gather for four days of family and endless feasting. We cook and eat and tell stories gathered around the table, dipping apples in honey to symbolize our wishes for a sweet new year.

Since leaving home, it's the holiday I miss the most.

Soon after, I'm at full speed in preparation for Thanksgiving and the December holidays. I start scheduling photo shoots, designing the holiday newsletter and menu, and of course, start baking new seasonal treats.

While preparing Hanukkah at my house...

at Tatte I feel the spirit of Christmas. There are snowflakes on the window, a wreath on the door, and a bright energy in the bakery that means the holiday season is here, bringing with it new sweets and treats. It's the time of year when we bake delicious gifts for customers in the neighborhood, across the country, and around the world.

This holiday season, we're busy with some very exciting projects that I can't wait to share with you. In the meantime, enjoy this time of year with family, friends, and a little something sweet.

Continue to recipe…

Happy Holidays!

Yours,

Tzurit

The beginning...

Dear Friends,

I decided to start this blog because I want to tell the story of Tatte. It's time to open my heart and kitchen and share with you all the beautiful things that make Tatte what it is -- the recipes, the product development, the daily adventures, my insight and ideas. Flour and butter never settles in this busy and lovely world, and I want to offer you all a day-to-day glance inside, from the baking tests to the building of our new second location.

It's been an adventure from the beginning, and these days it's hard to find quiet time to simply bake and create. My heart has guided me through it all, keeping me balanced and happy. Now, I want to share the thrill and the joy of this dream through my writing on the blog, and I welcome your suggestions as to what you'd like to hear about the most. Tatte has become my second home and you are all a part of it.

Join me on this ride.

Love,

Tzurit