Montonaro Cakery & Macarons is a "traditional bakery located at 2424 Kanawha Terrace STE B, Saint Albans, WV, specializing in custom cakes and macarons. We can cater your wedding, baby shower, gender reveal, birthday, anniversary or any other special event with cakes, macarons or other pastries. We can sell to individuals, grocery stores, and restaurants. At Montanaro Cakery, we guarantee that every single purchase you make will be a seamless process from start to finish," according to the website.
The storefront can be a bit hidden, so be sure to keep an eye out when driving in the area. The shop has a small entrance with a case full of macarons and opens up to the prep area in the back.
Macarons have become quite popular in the Kanawha Valley recently, and I was excited to see some new flavors. I purchased a box with oatmeal, eggnog, strawberry shortcake and neopolitan. I was also lucky enough to snag a fresh pepperoni roll.
Macarons are notoriously difficult to perfect. The top should be smooth and slightly crisp like an eggshell. It should have small, clean "feet" edges. It should have a good filling to shell ratio. And the interior should give way to a chewy texture. The slight crisp is only on the exterior - there really shouldn't be crumbs or chunks dry and falling apart. It's tooth-sinkable in a vedy satisfying way.
All that to say - these were technically wonderfully done. Maybe a touch on the dry side but that is likely my own mistake not eating them immediately. Very lovely. The pepperoni roll had a nice, soft bread but could use some more filling.
Grade: B
Shepherdstown is home to quirky shops, great art and delicious food - especially ice cream. I visited a second homemade ice cream shop in town recently: Amy & Alex's Homemade Ice Cream & Coffee.
The small shop, which has parking right out front, features traditional ice cream flavors like chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, as well as options like and Mint Chip, Honey Raspberry Blueberry Swirl, Peanut Butter Chocolate Pretzel, Mango Dragonfruit, Coffee Crunch Bar, Matcha White Chip, Chocolate Almond and Cookies & Cold Brew. I went with a caramel (of course); the smooth velvety texture is what I recall most. There's something about the homemade ice cream that feels so much creamier.
Grade: A
If you frequent Super Weenie in downtown Charleston, you may have seen the adjoining "Quarrier Store" in recent months.
This small store has a variety of goods, some of which are packaged directly by the shop itself.
I tried some dried mango, and there are plenty of drinks, candies and more. Have you been?
Lock No. 4 is an Ohio-based coffee shop with specialty drinks and snacks. They recently opened a Vienna location, complete with drive-thru.
I ordered a frozen hot chocolate because when I had one from Tim Horton's, I was a big fan. I can't say I was as crazy about this one; I don't think it was blended as finely as it should have been, and it needed more flavor to combat the ice watering it down.
The featured donut was OK. A donut has to be pretty special for me to get excited. This was fine - probably better paired with hot coffee.
Grade: B
All work property of Candace Nelson. Powered by Blogger.
