Okay, so the truth is this: the way to a woman’s heart is through chocolate… or it is poppy seeds?
A few years back, Roger and I were working on a shared project through Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. I was the writer and he was the designer for their employee newsletter. We’d grown fond of each other and become good friends over a period of time.
He was commuting from Hillsboro up to Lebanon a few days per week, and somehow he found time to get to South Main Street in Concord to pick up several slices of Bread & Chocolate to surprise me with. It didn’t take me too long to anticipate and long for this periodic treat.
Each slice is a dense but flaky one inch wide by four inch stretch of pastry filled with a lovely sugary spice mix. The secret I kept for along time — didn’t want to hurt any feelings — was that I actually like the honey and black poppyseed version best. Yes, chocolate rules, bu this flavor is also special. There is also a cinnamon and walnut version of the strudel, so it really requires a taste of each one at each sitting to be sure of one’s favorite.
Baker Franz Andlinger, Austrian born and trained, is responsible for the wonderful flaky strudels and hearty breads. They also sell sandwiches and all manner of cakes and pastries. It’s also a source of the best all-purpose farm loaf at the best price we can find in the region. Hard to go wrong with any of it.
So, the truth? I did fall for the guy. But Bread & Chocolate paved the way.
