Miette

Macaron Happy Hour!

2010-09-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

Good ideas often come about after a beer or two. Perhaps that's where we got the idea to host a happy hour of our own: Macarons are only $1.00 at our Hayes Valley store from 5-7pm, weekdays. Cheers!

We'll Be Havin' Some Fun

2010-06-14T17:32:00.001-07:00

From Miette

We continue our salute to the seas of summer with a selection of treats that are not only delicious, but are essential to any seaside holiday. Set sail on the most buttery boat in town. My, she was a yar cookie... $5

From Miette

More of a land-lover? Stroll down the sand, collecting precious shards of glass polished to an otherworldly glow by the waves. But perhaps some rock candy would be just as pretty but more delicious? $3

From Miette

Pop in the water before the fog rolls in- of course, in this magical make-believe sea you can stay in the water for hours, with no threat of dense, freezing fog rolling in 5pm. You've got all day! Splash about, wave to seals, try not to get scooped up by a pelican.

From Miette

Ooo! A school of chocolate sardines! Watch out for that pelican, guys. $2.25

From Miette

Frolicking in the waves sure works up a fierce appetite. Even just watching someone else frolic! Stroll the boardwalk in pursuit of funnel cakes, slush puppies, vegan corn dogs, & hand-twisted lollipops. $4-$7

From Miette

Everyone looks better at the beach with a moustache. Forget the aerosol spray tan: you just need a nice 'stache. $1.50

From Miette

And despite the funnel cake sundaes & deep-fried cheesecake wrapped in a tortilla (real!), you're going to need snacks for the trip home. Jelly beans & sixlets will hold you nicely until dinner, when it's back to the world of shoes & clothes & sadly unfried foods. $3

Happy summer!

Summer by the Sea, Establishing Shots

2010-06-08T10:09:00.000-07:00

From Miette

We live surrounded by the sea, here in San Francisco, and yet I can't remember the last time I even caught a glimpse of it. I might own those quintessential sailorgirl striped shirts from Gravel&Gold, but the only body of water they get anywhere close to is Mission Pool.

From Miette

So maybe it's time to hit the beach, get windswept, taste sea salt for its own sake, without caramel or chocolate. Rent a car, find a licensed driver (or if you are a licensed driver, invite a Miettegirl), or most magical of all, hop on the N-Judah.

I don't know if I can explain to native Californians how mind-blowing it was to me, a Midwesterner, that you can pay $2, and be taken all the way to the ocean. $2! I still forget it's possible.

From Miette

Lie on a blanket in the sand, forget that San Francisco is mere steps behind you, feast on fresh-baked bread and coffee/coconuts/toast (yes, bread & toast, the sea takes it out of you), and then, when you've achieved that glorious surfer hair usually only possible with Bumble & Bumble products, come back to the city, come to Miette, and gaze with nostalgia at our seaside-inspired sweets.

Summer Seas at Miette:
Licorice Pipes, Wax Moustaches, Red & Black Licorice, Pixi Stix giant & tiny, Peppermint Sticks, Saltwater Taffy, Sixlets, & much more to come.

An Extra Hour of Beauty Sleep

2010-05-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

From Miette

New hours at our Octavia shop!
Weekdays: Noon-7pm
Weekends: 11am-7pm

Carrot Cake Just for You

2010-05-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

From Miette

For years we made our carrot cake in a sweet little loaf pan, and called it the Picknicker. It was the perfect size for sharing, especially in the park on a blanket, ideally with a coffee from Blue Bottle down the alley. It was also a cake that former Confiserie-manager Kelly & I loved to share, with a cup of tea, on those days when 5pm arrived and yet we still hadn't eaten lunch, somehow.

Carrot cake makes an excellent lunch. Carrots! Walnuts! Coconut & currants!

From Miette

This is turning into a love letter to the Picknicker, but that's okay. It deserves a proper good-bye. After much deliberation, we decided the Carrot Cake was ready for a new form- actually, two new forms! The full-size 7-inch cake you see above, perfect for a party or a brunch. Carrot cake makes an excellent brunch.

From Miette

And now there are perky little Carrot Cake Cupcakes as well, just for you. The picnicker was too much for one person, and that says a lot coming from me. But a cupcake is just right.

Someday we'll discuss the custom of splitting a cupcake 4 ways. The mind reels.

Carrot Cake
7-inch: $24
Cupcake: $3.25
Available at Ferry Building & Octavia

Strawberries: Not just for daiquiris!

2010-04-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

From Miette

It may be blustery & cold today in San Francisco but we're feeling sunny because look at the cute pink buttercream! Strawberries are back at the Ferry Building Farmers' Markets, as mentioned last week, and we can't get enough of them. Yellow cupcakes with strawberry buttercream? So stylin' & girly I wish they came in a dress.

From Miette

Even the Tomboy's sporting strawberry buttercream, though you know she is pouting about having to wear pink. You'll have to just deal, Tomboy, it's strawberry season!

From Miette

Strawberry macarons are like travel-size on-the-go strawberry shortcakes. Finally!

From Miette

And these babies manage to be strawberry-y & spare, in their black & white & pink splendor. Now that would make a cute shoe...

Cupcakes:$3.25/each

Tomboy Cakes: $30/six-inch, $50/eight-inch

Macarons: $1.75/each

All available at Ferry Building & Octavia!

Rosy drops of honeysweet prettiness

2010-04-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

From Miette

Hard candies seem like such a no-brainer, right? They're the good ol' reliable candy you can always count on, just as delicious after spending months at the bottom of your bag, just waiting for that moment when you're fingers will happen upon them... Oh hey- candy!

Nothing's better than surprise candy.

From Miette

Still, with all the virtues of all the classic hard candies, we're always on the look-out for something a little more...fabulous. You know: French.

From Miette

One day one of our favorite vendors sent us a little brochure along with our usual chocolate shipment, just a single sheet with photos of flowers & herbs & tiny drops...and the rest is candy history. We love them! They're sweetened with honey, & taste just as pretty as they look.

From Miette

We especially love their dainty size- you can enjoy them without feeling like a cow chewing its jawbreaker-cud. Feel free to use that in your next brochure, candy-makers! I'm sure it sounds better in French.

French Drops
Top to bottom: Rose, Lemon Verbena, Raspberry, Garden Mint
New flavors to come soon!
Gift Bag: $5
Bulk (at Octavia only): $20/lb

P.S. The rose drops were honored to be featured in a breathtakingly beautiful issue of Martha Stewart Weddings!

No, We're Not On Some Crazy Strawberries-Only Diet!

2010-04-21T15:50:00.000-07:00

From Miette

I sooo wish my refrigerator was like this: full of vintage charm & strawberries! Now that spring is here, the Ferry Building shopgirls jaunt out to the Farmers' Markets a few times a week to pick up flats of strawberries for us. The bakers incorporate them into buttercreams, mousses, & more, while the shopgirls place them delicately atop spring-pink desserts...

From Miette

...like this one! Super-moist chiffon cake is layered with soft-yet-bouncy strawberry mousse, topped with strawberries, and wrapped gently in an elegant little just-for-you wrapper.

From Miette

It doesn't get more single-serving-perfect than this petite buttermilk panna cotta, with its crown of fresh strawberries. Like something a fairy queen would served!

Strawberry Mousse Cake

Ferry Building Only (Octavia by special order)\

$5/slice

Contains gelatin, needs refrigeration

Panna Cotta

Ferry Building Only (Octavia by special order)

$4- bring back your jar for a $1 refund

Contains gelatin, needs refrigeration

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry Blossom!

2010-04-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

From Miette

That's right! Inspired by Japantown's annual Cherry Blossom Festival, the gorgeous spread in Martha Stewart Weddings, and of course the carried-away pink-&-white blooming cherry tree in front of our confiserie, we're having a tiny cherry blossom festival of our own!

From Miette

Oh, sweet little Milkies! These glossy buttons are Denmarks version of m&ms, and all the more elegant for the missing m's. $3/bag

From Miette

Now, you have to give me a little creative license on this one: a bag of cherry jelly beans, while delicious, would not really evoke the whole glorious wonder of the cherry trees themselves. You know? We're counting on Pear, Toasted Marshmallow, & Strawberry Shortcake to evoke the lovely palette of leaves, branches, & blooms. $3/bag

From Miette

Lollipops so satiny you'll want to wear them as accessories. Satiny, sticky accessories... $3.50/each

From Miette

And eventually, if the all goes well, all these blossoms will lead to cherries! Fruit trees are such over-achievers. Either the flowers or the fruit would be more than enough, but they have to go all the way! Marzipan cherries, $5

Let's have another look at our very own cherry tree, proud producer of 3 cherries last year:

From Miette

Thanks sweet tree, you're an honorary Miettegirl.

Nope, the tree's not for sale

2010-04-06T17:58:00.000-07:00

From Miette

The outrageous cherry tree in front of the Confiserie, with its fluffy, flouncy pink & white blooms, has inspired us to have a little Cherry Blossom Festival of our own. More to come soon...

Last-Minute Bunny Transfusion!

2010-04-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

From Miette

Thanks to a late-night (afternoon) raid by your two stalwart candy girls, we have a bunch of chocolate bunnies for your baskets! Just look at them- those bunnies are ready to go!

Solid (Gold) Milk Chocolate Bunnies
$7.50
Ferry Building & Octavia

From Miette

We couldn't resist adopting a hundred of these little doe-eyed sweeties!

Semi-Solid Milk Chocolate Bunnies
$5
Ferry Building & Octavia

From Miette

And we saved the gorgeous-est for last...we now wait with baited breath each holiday to see what Diane of Maison Bouche has come up with. The answer is always "awesomeness". (You can also catch a glimpse of her Easter caramel boxes in the second bunny photo.)

Maison Bouche Dark & Milk Bars
$6
Ferry Building & Octavia

The Opposite of Peeps

2010-03-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

From Miette

Inspired by this awesome mention in 7x7 magazine a few years ago, we put together a little easter basket, sans the usual eggs & pastels. For the serious licorice-lovin' bunny in your life, may we present minty licorice schoolchalk, honey licorice, licorice marshmallows, molasses-y licorice tubes, dark chocolate licorice lentils, french licorice drops, & let's not forget those little ammonia-bombs scattered in front. They might look innocuous & caramel-y, but they are salty & funky to beat the band.

We make custom baskets!
Licorice Basket shown above: $25

Parties fit for a Super-Glam Sugarplum

2010-03-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

From Miette

It would be super fun to hold your next party at Miette Confiserie in Hayes Valley. I mean, it's fun to work there, so just imagine how great it would be to party there! Cupcakes & champagne! Cotton candy & champagne! Champagne bubble gummies & champagne!

From Miette

And of course, for kids' parties we would just stick to the gummies.

From Miette

Think of it as renting the darling-est candystore for the morning, or for the evening. Bring in whatever food, drink, & entertainment you dream of, & we'll provide space, tables, chairs, & a magical environment.

From Miette

Birthday parties, engagement parties, baby showers, wedding showers, chocolate-tasting parties...we'd love to have you.

Parties at Miette 449 Octavia 415.626.6221 Weekdays 9am-12pm $500 Weekdays 6:30pm-9:30pm $500 Weekends 9am-12pm $650 Weekdays 6:30pm-9:30pm $650 For details please write events@miette.com

When showing up empty-handed just won't do

2010-03-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

From Miette

Hi! Can you imagine how cute you'll look on someone's doorstep, in your spring finest, sweet box of macarons in hand? Neighbors will start shouting, "No, come over here instead! We have Bellinis & a pinata!". You'll be totally in-demand.

From Miette

We sell a lot of macarons this time of year, in part because of the onset of Passover. Our little macs are flour-free & leavening-free, so they're quite popular for Passover desserts. And year-round for those who can't have gluten!

From Miette

And really, don't they look sweet & brunchy? No matter how many waffles or biscuits or hashbrowns you've had, there's definitely room for a tiny little almond cloud.

Macarons!
Price: $1.75/each
Availability: Ferry Building & Octavia
Current Flavors: Chocolate, Hazelnut, Grapefruit, Lemon, Pistachio, Rose Geranium, Vanilla

Surrender (to) the Pink

2010-03-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

From Miette

After three years in pale ballerina-pink, our shop on Octavia is rocking a new look! We were all trepidatious about the Pink, wanting neither bubble gum nor barbie. Shopping for pink paint inevitably turns into shopping for make-up colors: yes, that would make a great blush, but would it work on a whole wall? We buckled down, abandoned all thoughts of lipgloss for a moment, & found this pretty shade. Hope you like it!

Hmmm...it would make a fantastic nail polish....

A Cake Worthy of a Bonnet

2010-03-10T20:36:00.000-08:00

From Miette

You're all dressed up in your spring finery, basket on your arm, bonnet on your head, & you need a cake. You've been eating tiny chocolate bunnies & eggs (peanut butter filled, please!) all day, but that's just not enough. Those were just snacks: it's time for dessert. May we present: The Spring Scharffen Berger! Dark chocolate cake, a double-layer of dark chocolate ganache, & hand-piped spring blossoms. Would you like it to say "Spring", or "Happy Birthday Easter Bunny", or would you like just the flowers? Just let us know!

Spring Scharffen Berger
6-inch (serves 6-8): $30
8-inch (serves 10-12): $50
-Spring flowers are only available March 30th-April 4th
-For pick up on April 4th (Easter Sunday), place your order by 7pm on March 31st.
-You can order cakes by calling the Ferry Building at 415.837.0300, or Octavia at 415.626.6221.

Easter Parade (of Cakes)

2010-03-10T19:59:00.000-08:00

From Miette

This year's Spring Cakes are so springy, we're going to need 2 days to cover them.

Or, I took photos of the Princesses & photos of the Scharffs under completely different circumstances, and they won't look good together...

Either way, double the springtime fun!

From Miette

We'll start with the Princesses, of course. They expect no less.

We usually make our Princess cake as follows: delicate sponge cake is moistened with St. George Raspberry Eau de Vie, spread with raspberry jam, heaped with pastry cream, dolloped with whipped & lightly-sweetened Straus organic cream, and draped in elegant green white chocolate fondant. Green, with a pink rose. Lovely.

But spring is the perfect time to indulge in sweet pastels the color of...

From Miette

...baby chicks...

From Miette

...robin's eggs....

From Miette

...or cherry blossoms. Order yours today!

Spring Princess Cakes
6-inch (serves 6-8): $35
8-inch (serves 10-12): $55
-Spring colors are only available March 30th-April 4th
-For pick up on April 4th (Easter Sunday), place your order by 7pm on March 31st.
-You can order cakes by calling the Ferry Building at 415.837.0300, or Octavia at 415.626.6221.

Super-Lemon!

2010-03-10T08:22:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Citrus season is in full effect here in San Francisco, & though our Salute to Grapefruit continues with great pageantry, Lemons are the stars of the hour.

Above, you see the cutest little lemons there ever were: buttery cookies decorated with tinted royal icing, & did I mention the cuteness?
Availability: Ferry Building & Octavia
Price: $8

From Miette

And our meringues, which change flavors seasonally (we've done Rose Geranium, & Peppermint, & Violet) are now Lemon- perfect little swirls of sunshine!
Availability: Ferry Building & Octavia
Price: $5

Not pictured, but no less exciting, are the following lemony treats now at Miette:
*Lemon Macarons! $1.75/each, Ferry Building & Octavia
*Lemon Panna Cotta! $4, Ferry Building Only
*Lemon Rock Candy! $12/lb, Octavia Only
*Lemon Marshmallows! $2/each, Ferry Building & Octavia
*Lemon&Grapefruit Jelly Beans! Ferry Building & Octavia
*Lemon Drops! $3/bag, almost sold out, but more arriving very soon
*Lots more lemon fun I'm forgetting about right now!

Don't forget to thank us in your speech!

2010-03-04T17:39:00.000-08:00

From Miette

If we weren't working on Sunday (ah, service industry!), we would definitely watch the Oscars.

Maybe I shouldn't implicate all the Miettegirls in this: I would definitely watch the Oscars!

Pretty dresses! Pretty tuxes! Trash-talking & betting! What more could you ask for?!

Oh right....cookies. Award yourself the Most Awesome Customer Oscar, and weepily bite his buttery head off- but not until your speech gets cut-off by the "that's quite enough from you, thank you" music, of course.

Oscar Cookies
Availability: Ferry Building, SOLD OUT AT OCTAVIA!
Price: $8

Pretty-Up Your Chocolate Stash

2010-03-03T09:15:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Come & get 'em! More Mast Brothers Bars, in all their glory. After several months using Madagascar cocoa as the base for all their bars, the Mast boys have moved on to beans from the Dominican Republic. That's right, they use beans seasonally! So tough.

We cracked open a Single Origin 81% bar, you know, for research, and it's delightful. Unlike the tangy, fruity, almost sour quality of the Madagascar chocolate, this bar reminds us most intensely of a freshly-pulled shot of espresso. Just imagine that: the incomparable combination of brightness, roastiness, subtle sweetness, and dark richness, topped off with that magical creaminess that all proper espresso should have. Where does that creaminess come from?! The ether? All we know is that it's fabulous.

Mast Brothers Chocolate Bars:
Salt&Pepper, Black Truffle & Sea Salt, Stumptown Coffee, & 81% Single Origin
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia
Price: $12

Snaps!

2010-02-26T13:29:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Every year 7x7 Magazine compiles a carefully-curated, incredibly helpful, and only slightly ominous list: 100 Foods & Drinks to Try Before You Die. We are honored & flattered & jazzed to have our Gingersnaps make the list...for the second year!

From Miette

There are so many great recommendations on this list, you should totally check it out. Print it, laminate it, and have yourself a delicious time.....before you die, of course.

Gingersnaps
Availability: Ferry Building & Octavia
Price: $7/tub

Sweet Chestnut

2010-02-25T07:43:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Detail of a photo by Frankie Frankeny

We flung open the door to our bright & bird-filled shop on Chestnut almost a year ago, and will be closing that door for the last time on Saturday evening, February 27th. We've had so much fun meeting our new neighbors & customers, & visitors from around the world who were drawn to the Marina by its breathtaking views & luxurious shops. Thank you for a lovely year!

We hope to see you all again soon, or someday, at our Ferry Building Patisserie & our Hayes Valley Confiserie.

Now, if there was only a way I could peel that gorgeous wallpaper off the walls & put it up in my apartment.....This sounds like a job for Lucy & Ethel Paperhangers!

Grapefruits: Not just an excuse to buy a super-specific spoon

2010-02-22T17:13:00.000-08:00

Have you heard? It's grapefruit season! Happy grapefruit season! We're celebrating pretty seriously, with cakes & macarons & general enthusiasm. As usual.

The Grapefruit Cream cake you see above is soooooooo special. Our delicate vanilla sponge cake is moistened with simple syrup, topped with almond meringue (dacquoise!), a generous layer of grapefruit cream, and sweet Chantilly cream, and finally sprinkled with dacquoise dust. Don't you want to be sprinkled with dacquoise dust? The texture of this cake is quite unctuous- it somehow reminds me of tres leches cake!

Grapefruit Cream Cake Slice
Availability: Ferry Building Only, Slices Only
Price: $5

From Miette

And, they may look humble, but those little morsels pictured above are highly-anticipated, impossible-to-forget Grapefruit Macarons. Our true macaron love is probably the Pistachio, but every winter we have a Summer Lovin'-style fling with the irresistible Grapefruit. Tell me more!

Grapefruit Macarons
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia
Price: $1.75/each

Other grapefruit excitement around town?
*Bar Tartine is serving the fantastic cure-all, the Sunny Honey: grapefruit juice, white wine, vermouth & honey.
*Bi-Rite is selling specially-bred Cocktail Grapefruits, for all your home mixologing.
*Humphrey Slocombe is scooping Pink Grapefruit Sorbet. That's the only one on this list I haven't tried, so I better scoot on over soon. I hear it's dangerously refreshing.
*ALSO!- Nopalito is mixing sparkling white wine with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice. Good enough to woo me away from my beloved Michelada!

Love Day 2010

2010-02-15T08:58:00.000-08:00

From Miette

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day! I've never taken the v-day very seriously: it's fun & pretty but I never expect to receive anything, and don't always give anything.

From Miette

However, I love love love working on Valentine's Day. Everyone is at their absolute sweetest, picking out the perfect treat, gift box, & ribbon color for their valentine. If you received a little something from Miette this year, I want you to know how carefully & seriously your gift was selected, with consultation from shopgirls & much deliberation. It's the most adorable thing to witness, really.

From Miette

And it's not just lovey-dovey! Customers put together gifts for friends who were stuck at work all day, grandparents assembled bags of sweets for each of their grandchildren, little kids surreptitiously slipped me little handfuls of chocolates to wrap up for their parents (who were on hand to pay!). So much love I'm tearing up a little!

From Miette

One of the highlights this year was definitely the custom cookie decorating. Jeff (I'm just going to keep calling him our cookie genius) was on hand Friday at the Ferry Building Patisserie, and Saturday at the Hayes Valley Confiserie. Customers bought a cookie from a shopgirl, then entered a deep discussion with Jeff regarding color scheme, motif, and message. The messages, in several languages, were soooo lovely! He had a little extra time at the end so he whipped up the "Be Mine" & "Je T'aime" cookies that you see here. Let's look a little closer, shall we?

From Miette

Aaaaah. Thanks for being our valentine, San Francisco.

San Francisco, Je T'aime

2010-02-13T09:17:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Have something important to say to your valentine?
~
Or something to say to someone in hopes of convincing them to be your valentine?
~
Have it written on a cookie: people pay attention to cookies.

Today only: custom inscribed 6-inch heart cookies!
Saturday February 13th
12noon - 3pm
Hayes Valley Confiserie

Food from the bottom of our Hearts

2010-02-10T16:50:00.000-08:00

From Miette

On Friday February 12th, the San Francisco Ferry Building will be hosting the annual Food from the Heart event: it sounds pretty delicious. Super delicious.

From Miette

Miette is very excited to participate! We'll be staying open late, and from 5pm - 8pm our resident cookie-decorating genius Jeff will be on hand to make beautiful custom inscriptions on Miette our heart cookies. They are going to be quite grand in scale- 6 inches, and just gorgeous.

From Miette

As you can see!

We'll also be making, for the very first time!, tiny ice cream sandwiches! House-made creme fraiche ice cream will be generously layered between two of our miniature graham crackers. Yes, that's correct, it will be the cutest thing ever. There's no photo because we've never made them before- that's how special this event is! You should totally go, and bring that nice valentine of yours.

Custom Cookies*
Ferry Building Shop
Friday 2/12 5pm-8pm
$12

Tiny Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ferry Building Shop
Friday 2/12 5pm-8pm
2 Tickets

*Jeff will also be at our Hayes Valley Confiserie on Saturday 2/13, from 12pm-3pm. More about that later!

Haze of Love

2010-02-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Miette Valentine's Day Date #1:
Grab your sweetie or your pals & pop into Miette Confiserie for made-to-order lemon verbena cotton candy! What could possibly be cuter/more obnoxious than strolling hand-in-hand, sharing a poofy white poof of cotton candy?! Not much.

Lemon Verbena Cotton Candy
Made with organic evaporated cane juice & Eatwell Farms lemon verbena oil
Price: $3.50 each
Availability: Octavia ONLY
Notes: Our cotton candy is all-natural & only lasts about 1/2 hour before deflating!

Let's Go Dutch

2010-02-09T09:16:00.000-08:00

From Miette

You might think that crushin' on Diane, Anastasia, those Mast boys, and the cutie from Penelope would be all we could handle- but no. We have infinite capacity for crushes, especially this time of year. I'd like to introduce our two newest: Mara & Anna of Dutch Door Press.

From Miette

They hand-press their folk-modern cards & prints on an antique printing press, in a gorgeous Victorian house up in the Haight. And yes, they have a real Dutch Door. I've always, always wanted one, especially so my best friend can stop by for a good gossip, Lucy & Ethel-style. Mara & Anna- how often does that happen? Once a day? Oh, good. That's what I was hoping.

Dutch Door Cards (& of course, Valentines!)
Price: Full-Size $5, Note Cards $3, Enclosure $1.75
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

Oh, you sugardaddy....

2010-02-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

From Miette

All right! Steppin' it up a notch! If you want to shower your valentine with sweet candy goodness, it's amazing what you can get for less than $20. Don't be bullied into thinking that only $90 boxes of chocolates can express your love! It's the thought, and the awesomeness, that counts.
We've got your $20&Under Total Love Solution Gift Guide below!

Pictured above is the darling handmade box of handmade caramels from Diane of Maison Bouche. Twelve sweet, buttery, delicate caramels & a vintage cupid to deliver your heartfelt sentiment.
Maison Bouche Caramels $12
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

From Miette

Continuing the caramel theme, we present the world's most decadent, luxurious, completely ridiculous caramel sauce. We're also carrying Anastasia's caramels, of course, but Valentine's Day is the perfect time to buy something your valentine would probably never buy themselves. But they will be soooooo happy that you did.
Sweet Revolution Caramel Sauce $20
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

From Miette

Just look at that! What a charming box, all tied up with a sassy ribbon. Each elegant box contains 9 fantastic & creamy sea salt caramels covered in snappy dark chocolate. The quintessential Valentine's box of chocolates, in local, handmade form.
Au Coeur Dark Chocolate Caramels $20
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

From Miette

Last of the caramels, but definitely not least, are our very own Miette fleur de sel caramels! Soft & salty & full of Straus organic butter, this is a gift your valentine can nibble on all week. Maybe they'll even share- I'm sure your valentine is generous, & all-around wonderful.
Miette Caramels*
Gift Box $18, Single Caramel $1.50
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
*We're also making chocolate fleur de sel caramel gift boxes!

From Miette

They don't fit in with our unintentional caramel theme, but we couldn't leave out the dragees! These vanilla candy coated almonds were one of the inspirations for our candyshop in Hayes Valley, and one of our all-time most popular items. We also have the classic multicolored variety, but thought the white ones were so lovely & pure- just like your valentine, I'm sure.
French Dragees
Gift Bag $12, or $35/lb
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

Cakes loving cakes!

2010-02-06T20:07:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Once upon a time, two cakes fell in love. The Princess loved the Scharffen Berger's dark, mysterious nature, and the Scharffen Berger was delighted by the Princess' sweetness, delicacy, and gentle blush. Um...that's all I got. I'm sure they were very happy.

But check out those cute cakes! Perfect for a Valentine's Day who-needs-romance-we've-got-friends-&-movies party, or an intimate dessert with plenty of cake left over for breakfast in the morning. Call us, order a cake, and let the cakey romance wash over you.

Scharffen Berger Heart
Dark chocolate cake enveloped in two layers of dark chocolate ganache
6-inch: $30
Mini-Heart(not pictured): $5

Princess Heart
Vanilla cake soaked in St. George Raspberry Eau de Vie, raspberry jam, pastry cream, whipped Straus cream, pink fondant, & sparkly pink sugar!
6-inch: $35

For pick-up on February 14th, please place your order by 7pm on February 11th!

Heartstrings & Shoestrings

2010-02-06T17:41:00.001-08:00

From Miette

We have to admit- we're total suckers for the fun, festive, silly romance of Valentine's Day. It doesn't have to be serious grown-up romance: pink & red & sparkly & heart-shaped is way more fun, and can be obtained on the cheap.
Presenting, our very first "$5 & Under" Valentine's Gift Guide!

It's just not Valentine's day without little chocolate hearts. Really, just one of these would make an adorable gift. Who could resist? Pictured above is $4.95-worth of milk, dark, and gianduja-filled hearts, if you feel like going all-out.

Gianduja Hearts $0.75
Ferry Building, Octavia

Milk & Dark Hearts $0.30
Octavia

From Miette

Red! Hot! Hearts! One of our favorite customers saw these & was like, "They still make these? I feel like I should send them a thank-you note!". Totally. They're teeny, hot, spicy, & classic. The bags in the photo are $3 for the larger, & $1 for the smaller. That's old-school value.

Red Hot Hearts, $1-$3

Octavia

From Miette

Shaun of Au Coeur makes perfect dark chocolate-covered caramels. Just perfect. They usually come in an elegant box of 9, but for Valentine's Day he's created these darling little boxes with 2 caramel hearts. Still elegant, still perfect, only $5.

Au Coeur Caramel Hearts $5
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

From Miette

We just got a fresh batch of jelly beans in, and the pinks & reds are out of control! Cotton candy, bubblegum, pomegranate, sour cherry, raspberry, strawberry cheesecake, & cinnamon are just some of your festively-hued options. We make $5 bags & $1 bags, shown above, but you can buy as much or as little as your heart (or sweetheart) desires.

Jelly Beans $10/lb
Octavia

The sunshine of your love

2010-02-05T16:45:00.000-08:00

From Miette

{NOTE: more under $10 added below!}

Hi! There is so much to be excited about today: a rare, sunny January morning(What? It's February?!), and the first Valentine's Day gift guide! I love gift guides. It may sound crass, but I looooooove reading gift guides during the holidays. It's very soothing to look at all kinds of prettiness, with no plans of buying anything. The mulled wine helped, too.

We're kicking off the romance with our Under-$10 Super-Lovin' Miette Experience*!

First! A brand-new, perfect-for-Valentine's-Day chocolate bar from the lovely Diane of Maison Bouche! Milk & Dark chocolate bars are infused with rose oil, then she adds crystallized mint for a perfect zesty freshness.
Maison Bouche Bars: $6/bar
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

From Miette

If your Valentine isn't a floral flavor-lovin' type, but you'd still like to buy a pretty pretty bar of chocolate, look at Diane's other bars in all the pinks of your 11-year old dreams! From top, we've got Pink Pepper, Pink Grapefruit, and Crunchy Sables.
Maison Bouche Bars: $6/each
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

From Miette

When I was growing up, my dear grandma bought me a decorated, royal-iced cookie for every holiday. They weren't organic, and the colors were definitely artificial, but I loved them & would never want to face a holiday without one- & now I don't have to. Buy one for your valentine & one for your grandma!
Miette Cookies:$8
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

From Miette

There are very few places left to get a malt with your valentine, Archie&Betty&Veronica-style, but malt balls are pretty great, too. Here's one of our current gift bags!
Malt Ball Gift Bag: $7.50 (or $10/lb)
Octavia only (for now)

From Miette

Is this all a little too pink for you? We'll finish with more gorgeous bars from Maison Bouche- the Dame & Valet de Coeurs, or Lady & Gentleman of Hearts, from vintage French tarot cards. These bars are the Valentine's versions of Diane's popular Fleur de Sel bars in milk & dark chocolate. Fun fact: the Valets have been selling twice as fast as the Dames! Time to find more manly chocolates!
Fleur de Sel Chocolate Bars, $6/each
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

From Miette

Check out this beauty! Dark chocolate is molded into intricate floral panels, & filled with fresh minty cream. Unique, sparkly, & awesome. Flowers & chocolate in one!
Beaux Gateaux Flowers $10
Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

From Miette

I am a total sucker for the teenage French girl look of these hearts. So over-the-top, so fantastic. If you love someone passionately, or know that they love dark chocolate & gold-dusted-almonds passionately, this is the heart for you.
Michel Cluizel "Passion" Heart $10
Ferry Building, Octavia

From Miette

Another cutie from Michel Cluizel! Fantastic dark chocolate with an almond & hazelnut praline center. A little more restrained than the heart above, but still super-fun.
Michel Cluizel Praline Heart $6
Ferry Building, Octavia

Coming soon: Under-$5 Guide, Under-$20 guide, and lots more xxx&ooo.

*This is what happens when it's sunny in San Francisco in the winter: the "supers" & the exclamation points get out of control. I'm sure the fog will be rolling in soon, & everything will calm down.

The lovin' starts tomorrow.

2010-01-31T15:40:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Yards of lovely Italian paper, snippy Japanese crafting scissors, and three movies* to keep me entertained while I cut hundreds of little hearts....

Yup, Valentine's Day is a'comin. In shops February 1st.

*Juno, Grandma's Boy, & Knocked Up. Excellent.

Oh, Mast Brothers...

2010-01-28T15:00:00.000-08:00

From Miette

...you've outdone yourselves. Again. Four new Limited Edition bars, in the world's prettiest papers.

Black Truffle & Sea Salt (shown above)~ incredibly sophisticated, earthy, funky, and a total knock-out. Get a loaf of Acme bread, a bottle of wine, a Black Truffle bar, and you've got dinner. -SOLD OUT

Maple & Pecan~ what I imagine Vermont tastes like- the maple syrup adds a complex, liquor-y sweetness that blends perfectly with the roasted pecans. We took a shopgirl-vote, and this is the first bar we opened to sample. Good choice. -SOLD OUT

Stumptown Coffee~ there's nothing hotter than a collaboration between Mast Brothers & Stumptown- except eating this bar at the Ace Hotel. That's the dream. Ethiopian coffee has the personality to stand up to the tangy Madagascar coffee, and the sweetness is subtle, just-right. You figure, if anyone can nail the tricky chocolate-coffee combination, it's those two forces of awesome. PDX + NYC love, right here in SFO. Now if someone could just send me a Stumptown/Mast Brothers mocha, I'll be all set. -SOLD OUT

Cranberry~ um, we haven't tried this one yet. The paper is gorgeous (purple & green), and we love cranberries, but there's only so much chocolate you can taste in one day- even for pros like us! Soon! -Still a few at Octavia!

Seasonal Mast Brothers Bars
Availability: Mostly sold-out, but we have another order pending! Price: $12
Notes: We also have Salt&Pepper, Almonds&SeaSalt, & Plain 70% Madagascar!

Everything's Better With a Brogue

2010-01-22T09:03:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Miette has a secret genius at work for us: his name is Jeff, and he makes the prettiest cookies around. He did such a gorgeous job on our Christmas cookies that now we just say, "Jeff, can you make us some cookies, please? Whatever strikes your fancy!" This week: Thistles, national flower of Scotland, symbol of both evil & protection (!), and all-around witch-ay wonder.

This post is dedicated to my favorite Scotsmen, all shining examples of Nobility, Bravery, but probably not Austerity*- Ewan McGregor, Craig Ferguson, and Martin Millar.

Thistle Cookies
Availability: Octavia (the Ferry Building cookie will be featured next week!)
Price: $4

*The Language of Flowers is pretty addictive. You'll start looking at bouquets as little cocktail parties of floral personalities: "Who invited Lime Blossom? She is soooo inappropriate!")

Past & Future Perfect

2010-01-19T12:43:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Our darling Patisserie, in San Francisco's Ferry Building, is getting a little spruce. Some fresh paint, some sparkly new lights, new cupboards: nothing drastic, just a pretty pick-me-up. Speaking of which, a trip over to Shu Uemura on Fillmore would be nice....

The cakeshop will also be returning to its original hours:
Sunday - Friday 10am-6pm
Saturdays 8am-6pm

My suggestion for a lovely evening? Make your way to the Miettegirls before they close at 6, pick up some bread & cheese from the cute boys & girls at Acme Bread & Cowgirl Creamery, and then let the beautiful baristas at Blue Bottle make you a drink*. Sip your coffee as you stroll to the streetcar, and wonder how you got lucky enough to live in San Francisco.

*All these shops stay open until 7pm. And yes, the Ferry Building crew is a good-looking bunch. I don't work there so I'm allowed to say that!

Fluffy & Pink, like our souls

2010-01-17T17:47:00.000-08:00

From Miette

When your Ballerina Princess career plans are foiled, it's very important to move on & find fulfillment in fields that don't involve tiaras & people throwing flowers at you. (Note to Customers: please feel free to throw flowers.) But sometimes, just sometimes, you have to indulge your ballerina spirit. Wear tights as pants! Rock the super-tight bun! Wear a tutu to your 30th birthday party (any suggestions on where to buy an awesome tutu?)!

From Miette

Get yourself something beautiful & ballet-pink & fluffy, and breathe a sigh of relief.

From Miette

Of course, ballerinas aren't all about pink prettiness. When I studied ballet I much preferred the all-in-black, stern, Russian look. We don't have any candies like that right now.

From Miette

We do have our Rosettes, tiny rose meringues infused with Eatwell Farms Organic Rose Geranium Oil, in a new handy-dandy tube. Throw them in your dance bag & you're all set for another day at the office.

Rosettes (Rose Geranium Meringues)
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia
Price: $5
Notes: Dairy-Free
(Also Pictured: Champagne Bubbles, Malt Balls, Fancy French Marshmallows)

They come from Denmark!

2010-01-14T11:46:00.001-08:00

From Miette

When I taught preschool, my favorite little boy would introduce himself to people by saying, "I come from Denmark!". It was true. Obviously, there must be something good going on in Denmark because he was rad.

From Miette

When we were looking for an alternative to Holland Mints (mints coated in milk chocolate in a candy shell, which often come from California, not Holland!), we came across Denmark Mints. Not only are they from Denmark, they're dark chocolate, vegan, and perfection. They also have the ultimate candy shell-to-chocolate center ratio, which doesn't happen everyday! Please buy them so I don't eat that whole jar you see in the first photo.

Denmark Mints/Dark Chocolate Mint Lentils*

Availability: Just Octavia for now, but perhaps at the Ferry Building soon!

Price: $10/lb, $3/gift bag

*That's right! They're made by the same lentil-geniuses who created our beloved Dark Chocolate Licorice Lentils!

No Time for Pretty Pictures!

2010-01-06T21:33:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Your loyal candygirls have been far too busy scrubbing, painting, organizing, recycling, and restocking! Tomorrow, Thursday January 7th 2010, is the grand & great re-opening of Miette Confiserie.

From Miette

Maybe y'all won't even notice anything has changed.. but we'll know in our hearts that the tippy-top of the way-up-high moulding that nobody will ever, ever see is sparkling clean. So satisfying.

And that's not all! Free Organic Lemon Verbena Cotton Candy on Thursday! We'll be spinning it as long as the sugar holds out. We'll be sticky but jazzed to be here!

From Miette

For the last week we've had our windows covered with pink paper, and the effect has been totally dreamy. This is the how it looked from inside the shop. So pink!

A New Year

2009-12-30T09:57:00.000-08:00

From Miette

A short while ago, we received some sad news: after nearly 3 wonderful years, our beloved Confiserie would be closing. We were the saddest candygirls in town. We stopped ordering candy (but we love ordering candy!), looked into Unemployment (wasting valuable Cakewrecks time!), and invested in waterproof mascara (there were some tears shed). We sold through our candy, and prepared to step into new roles at Miette, or elsewhere.

Tomorrow was to be our last day, but we have some surprising, amazing news! Thanks to some last-minute re-negotiations, we are keeping our darling candy shop! Instead of a day of sad good-byes, it will be a day of festive yays!

We will be taking this opportunity to close (just for a few days!) for a makeover montage, Miette-style. There will be some cleaning, some painting, some 80s Cooperation Music, and a mad dash to get as much candy back in the shop as we can! We're not doing anything crazy like changing the wallpaper (can you imagine?!), just a nice spruce & refresh as we move into our new year.

Thank you to everyone who's been so kind, and concerned, and just grand these past few weeks, and these past few years! We hope to see you soon, and for a long time to come!

Confiserie Hours
December 31st: 11am-3pm
January 1st-6th: CLOSED
January 7th & Beyond: 11am-7pm Everyday

Miette Advent Calendar Day 24: All together now- "And a Partridge in a Pear..."

2009-12-24T08:49:00.001-08:00

From Miette

...let's go with "And a partridge & a pear!"

It's Christmas eve, but your loyal Miette elves have kept our little shops fully decked with all kinds of festive treats. Somehow our bakers were able to finish one last batch of decorated cookies, we don't know how they do it. This year we're making Penguins, Trees, Gingerbread Folk, and the lovely Partridge & Pear you see above. Pop into the shops while they last!

!!All Miette shops close at 3pm today, and will be closed all day tomorrow! We have trees to trim and nog to spike and mistletoe to hang!!

December 24th: Decorated Cookies
Availability: Very limited quantities at each shop!
Price: $10/each

Miette Advent Calendar Day 23: These are 3 times as cute as they look in the photo.

2009-12-23T09:44:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Diane of Maison Bouche has outdone herself this year! She's created an entire line of wintery, woodlandy, faux-boisy wonders. Fleur de Sel Chocolate Clogs! Lavender Logs! Milk & Dark Chocolate Acorns! Caramel Praline Logs! We're sold out of most of those (d'oh!), but we have lots of gorgeous Marzipan Pinecones, because we saved those for last!

I cannot get enough marzipan, but unfortunately lots of the marzipan in the world is super-cute! & super-gross! like paste! Don't worry, we don't sell any of those. I happily go for the cute-but-good style, but Diane went all-out: subtle, creamy, sophisticated marzipan surrounded by snappy dark chocolate. Even fancier, the marzipan comes in classic almond, bergamot, and rose. You know our customers are bergamot & floral crazy. Maybe you don't know that- they totally are.

December 23rd: Maison Bouche Marzipan Pinecones
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $14 for set of 6, in the cute box you see above
Notes: Contains nuts, of course! Handmade in Oakland!

{Wholesome Holiday Activity of the Day: Go for a lovely outdoor swim at Mission Pool. You'll feel like you're in Sweden, with the steam rising magically from the water and the moon overhead (if you go at night). $5, in the beautifully mural-ed building on 19th (not 18th!) between Valencia & Guerrero}

Miette Advent Calenday Day 21: Ah, from the mouths of babes

2009-12-21T23:38:00.000-08:00

From Miette

This year, we've been very proud to offer, for the very first time, Adorable Milk Chocolate Mrs. Claus! Finally! We're not entirely sure what Mrs. Claus' role is in the North Pole pantheon, but we're sure she contributes quite a bit, and deserves to be commemorated in delicious chocolate form. She's rosy of cheek, pleasantly plump, and sporting a holly tiara that we all really, really need. Hey, you have to work Christmas eve, you might as wear a fabulous holly tiara.

One young customer was not very impressed, however. When his mom suggested Mrs. Claus as his treat, he retorted, "I'm not going to eat an old lady!". That's the kind of quote that gets us through the day!

December 21st: Mrs. Claus
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $2

P.S. Yes, I finally missed an advent calendar day yesterday. What finally did me in? The 1-2-3-4 punch of:
1.Tiny surprise birthday party before work for our fantastic assistant manager
2.glorious Chrislamikkah celebrations
3. Gingerbread house building competition- I mean party!
4. Miette stocking-stuffer holiday candy extravaganza at Jack London Square

To make up for my lapse, here's a new holiday feature: Wholesome Holiday Activity of the Day!
{Today's Wholesome Holiday Activity}: Watch "Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas" It is the most darling, simple, and sweet of all the Muppet movies, and you'll really feel like you're in the snowy countryside. They nailed it, right down to that particular winter light. Get cozy, and enjoy.

Totes!

2009-12-20T09:36:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Get yourself to the brand-new, not-quite-finished, but still nice-&-pink Miette in Jack London Square, and get yourself a free Miette tote! With Purchase! Today, 10-2!

From Miette

We've got the cutest stocking-stuffers in town: little milk chocolate Mrs. Claus, traditional (& hilarious) Christmas crackers, peppermint meringue Snowflakes, marzipan snowpeople, and tiny penguin truffles. Yes, penguins!

From Miette

It may be foggy, but it's easy to feel holiday-cozy surrounded by all these lovely-smelling trees and twinkly lights!

Sunday 12.20.09

10am-2pm, during the Farmers' Market!

Jack London Square

Miette Advent Calendar Day 19: Two of our favorite things, together at last

2009-12-19T11:05:00.001-08:00

From Miette

Ribbon Candy! It's so ribbony! People ask for this year round, but we like to wait for the winter holidays and go all-out.

From Miette

We have two favorite types of ribbon candy. The first is hot pink & chartreuse & we sold out before I could take a photo! The second, that you see above & below, is lovingly handmade by Hammond's of Colorado. Each peice is unique, and the colors are so christmassy classic.

From Miette

Of course, some of them would also make a great gift for your favorite Italian.

December 19th: Hammond's Ribbon Candy

Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

Price: $7

Miette Advent Calendar Day 18: I finally learned to spell "poinsettia"

2009-12-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Live poinsettias are so fun in their over-the-top leafy splendor (I especially love the salmon-pink ones!), but sometimes one can't get one's act together enough during the holidays to care for a new, slightly high-maintenance plant. There's wine to mull & ribbons to curl! Six-inch ribbon curls!

But a chocolate poinsettia...dessert & decoration in one...now that's holiday efficiency.

December 18th: Poinsettia Bombonierre Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut Price: $10 Notes: Made in Italy; Each petal is a candy-coated chocolate hand-wrapped in cellophane

Miette Advent Calendar Day 17: Modular Holiday Fun

2009-12-17T20:33:00.000-08:00

From Miette

These gingerbread house kits are so awesome & Ikeaesque! Whip yourself up some simple icing/mortar, connect Panel A to Wall 3, and then you're ready for the fun part. Decorating with candy. We can all be the wicked, architectural genius witch from Hansel & Gretel (played by Lady GaGa in the current Vogue)! Maybe a bit less wicked.

December 17th: Gingerbread House Kit
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $8
Notes: Made in Sweden

Miette Advent Calendar Day 16: So, the list has been checked...

2009-12-16T23:44:00.000-08:00

From Miette

...and apparently, y'all have been quite naughty this year, because the candy coal is flying off the shelf. It helps that the coal is handmade, a delightful cinnamon flavor (we detect hints of tea-tree & other lovely herbs...), and your classic coal-miner font. Miners are all about the serif.

December 16th: Hammond's Candy Coal
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $4/bag (or $15/lb, at Octavia only)
Notes: I almost forgot the best part! The coal turns the deserving recipient's mouth blue! Don't tell!

Miette Advent Calendar Day 15: Tasteful, & Not-So

2009-12-15T21:27:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Hammond's handmade candy canes have become a winter tradition here at Miette! Just look at how simple & tasteful & quintessentially candy-caney they are! Everything you could hope for in a candy cane, in seasonal flavors such as peppermint, cinnamon, apple pie, cranberry, and more!

December 15th : Hammond's Candy Canes
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $4
Notes: These are large! Approximately 10 inches!

From Miette

On a more personal note, the Candyshop girls would like to thank the dollar-stores of San Francisco, especially the one on 16th between Valencia & Mission, for stocking such awesome holiday decorations. We had our winter-holiday party last night, and there was hot-pink & gold tinsel galore. As much as we love double-satin ribbon, and hand-wrapped artisan chocolate bars, come quittin' time sometimes a girl just needs some glitter, some gaudy, and some Dolly.

Miette Advent Calendar Day 14: Super-Festive!

2009-12-14T15:53:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Ah, the things that photographs reveal! This was supposed to be a picture of the holiday party favorite, Papillotes! They are shiny, pretty, come in all different flavors (chocolate-orange, marzipan, pate du fruit), and have really terrible French jokes inside the wrapper. The perfect candy to break the ice at a cocktail party!

I thought you might also like to see the beautiful Italian Bombonierres: candy-coated chocolates, painstakingly wrapped to mimic flowers! They look lovely tied to the top of a package, or in a little vase on your holiday table.

But when I look at this photo, all I see is the dust on the cash register! Yesterday we were open at our new Jack London Square location for the very first time, so we had to dig out the ol' cash register from way back in our Berkeley Farmers' Market days! Dusty!

December 14th: Papillotes!
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: 75cents
Notes: The flavor is a surprise!

December 14th Bonus Candy: Bombonierres
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut (types vary by shop!)
Price: $5-$10, depending on type

Miette Advent Calendar Day 13: Candelabras & Butterflies

2009-12-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Happy 1st full day of Hanukkah! We think these coins are some of the prettiest chocolates we've ever seen! Gorgeous!

December 13th: Milk Chocolate Hanukkah Coins
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia (we were sold out but we got more!), Chestnut
Price: 50cents
Notes: Kosher, of course!

Miette Advent Calendar Day 12, Oakland Edition: Eye-candy counts, right?

2009-12-12T22:06:00.001-08:00

From Miette

Guess what! We are so excited. Tomorrow, Sunday, December 13th, the Miettegirls are going to be kickin' it old-school, farmers' market-style at JLS. That's cool slang for Jack London Square.

Our new shop there in Oakland is not quite ready: we're still working on a few essential shop components, such as....a pastry case, but we just couldn't wait any longer! Think of it as a sneak-preview, or a tiny holiday candy bazaar. We've got lots of icicles, gnomes, gelt, the cutest marzipan snowpeople you ever did see, and so many darling & delicious stocking-stuffers.

We won't be serving our cakes & cupcakes & such, but you should totally come anyway. It will be super-fun, I promise. I mean, gnomes! And we have four Christmas trees. Four! Just for you, and your wintery, sugarplum, holiday pleasure.

So, in conclusion...
Miette Sneak-Peek
Sunday December 13th
10am-2pm, during the JLS Farmers' Market
Broadway & Embarcadero, Oakland

December 12th: That gorgeous table you see above. If that table goes missing, all of us, but especially Crystal & I, are suspect.

Miette Advent Calendar Day 11: In which the author realizes she may have bitten off more than she can chew

2009-12-11T12:18:00.000-08:00

From Miette

These are super-cute! You should come buy them! That's all I got.

December 11th: Chocolate Mice Ornaments
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $12/box of 6

Miette Advent Calendar Day 10: What Vogue Says, Goes

2009-12-10T16:36:00.001-08:00

From Miette

In a fascinating article about the art of stocking-stuffers, the Susie Boyt recommends giving some thought to the scent of the contents. So thorough! One of her suggestions is a clove-pierced orange, but our favorite notion was traditional crackers, for their subtle "gunpowdery smell"! It's just not Christmas without citrus, piney-ness, and explosives!

{Hi again, Santa. You know that white dress on page 213 of December's Vogue? The Yves Saint Laurent one? Thanks!}

December 10th: Crackers!

Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $3
Notes: Made in the UK

Field Trip to a Christmas Cake Farm!

2009-12-10T16:26:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Very soon, we will have our fancy-pants super-official holiday menus, complete with professionally photographed cakes in all their holiday splendor! In the meantime, here are a few shots I was able to get of the cakes in their natural habitat!

Above, you see the elusive Snowball! It is a wintery cousin to our Princess cake, and is delicate & lovely. The Snowball is 6-inches, and serves approximately 6 people. $35

From Miette

And there's a darling woodland Buche de Noel, adorned with handmade meringue mushrooms, holly leaves, & chocolate pinecones! We suspect this yule log might be home to a gnome!

The smaller logs are 4-inches, and serve 4 people, for $20. The large logs are 10-inches, serve 10-12 people, and are $65.

Call any of our shops to place an order! Please allow 3 days notice.

Miette Advent Calendar Day 9th: And that's when things got festive.

2009-12-09T20:16:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Miette is drunk with pride & honor. The geniuses at St. George Spirits have created a custom spirit just for us. A whole jug of it. We are the proud possessors of an entire gallon of beautiful, potent Cherry Eau de Vie. It's amazing! This Eau de Vie was designed for our Holiday Chocolate Almond Bonbons, but if one was to drink it, an eyedropper would be appropriate. It is delicious, sparklingly clean & clear, and perfectly balanced but its alcohol content is sky-high.

From Miette

It's not like I wanted to taste it, of course. Just part of the job.

{Dear Santa,
I've been quite good this year, I think. I'm sure whatever you'd like to bring me will be lovely, but if you're looking for suggestions, St. George Single Malt Whiskey &/or Pear Aqua Perfect would be greatly appreciated. And if there's an extra bottle of their Absinthe in your bag, it would be most welcome on a foggy winter's night. Thank you.}

December 9th: Chocolate Almond Bonbons coming soon!

Miette Advent Calendar Day 8: 11pm! Just in the St. Nick of Time!

2009-12-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

From Miette

11pm is way past my bed-time, so all I have to say is, did you know Michel Cluizel just opened their first U.S. shop? It's in New York, and it's open 'till midnight! Midnight at a chocolate shop! If you go, I want to hear all about it.

December 8th: Michel Cluizel's Pere de Noel
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $15
Notes: Made in France, Milk Chocolate with White & Dark Chocolate Details

Miette Advent Calendar Day 7: Yul Brenner Really Had Something There

2009-12-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Pinecones are totally edible. When they're milk chocolate.

December 7th: Chocolate Pinecone Ornaments
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $1
Notes: Made in Germany

MIette Advent Calendar Day 6: St. Nicholas in all his Sartorial Splendor

2009-12-06T09:44:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Neither the Miette shops nor the Miette blog have any religious affiliation, but when we come across the best-dressed Santa variation we've ever seen, how can we resist? Along with the shamans of far-far-north Europe, St. Nicholas was the inspiration for our Santa Claus. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, and anonymous gifts to the poor, and was sometimes known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. The Wonderworker! You couldn't really hope for a better nickname. Even though we love secret gift-giving, helping the less-fortunate, and anyone who protects children & students (especially now during finals!), the real reason we fell for St. Nicholas is his amazing outfit. Who else would dare to dress in pink? Just look at the little scallops, and the fuzzy mittens! We suspect St. Nick may also be the patron saint of Miettegirls.

December 6th: Milk Chocolate St. Nicholas
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $5
Notes: Made in Germany

Miette Advent Calendar Day 5: Sweet Relish of Cookie!

2009-12-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Thank you, candy-makers, for making our job so fun. Just look at that cute packaging! An amazing swirly font, tiny dots, little gingerbread cottages with smoke coming from the chimney! And inside the perfect little box you'll find tiny gingerbread-flavored pastilles. But the best part is that they don't really taste like gingerbread: they taste exactly like animal crackers! A little lemon, a little vanilla, some subtle warm spices, totally animal crackers! I couldn't tell you why that's our favorite part, I guess we're just contrary.

December 5th: Leone Gingerbread Pastilles
Availability: Octavia only SOLD OUT!
Price: $4
Notes: Made in Italy, Vegan

Miette Advent Calendar Day 4: The Danger Zone

2009-12-04T08:17:00.000-08:00

From Miette

I have to admit, we like candy with a little bit of mystery. See the silvery little confection above? We're not sure if it's supposed to be a charming snow umbrella, or a deadly icicle all set to plummet from your tree. You know, icicles are so beautiful. I haven't seen any for so long. It's not their fault if people stand under them on unseasonably warm winter days. Let the icicles be free! They are the ephemeral stalactites of winter!

The icicles we sell are just milk chocolate.

December 4th: Milk Chocolate Icicle/Umbrella
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $1
Notes: Made in Germany

The Fellow of the Snow

2009-12-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Really, we should just get all the Michel Cluizel wonders out of the way.

I'd like to introduce the "Bonhomme de Neige", seen around these parts for the very first time! I love that he looks as if he was outfitted by super-culinary French children: candied orange peel for the broom handle & scarf, gold-dusted milk chocolate dragees for antique buttons, and dark milk chocolate for all other details. Yes, gold-dusted! French children do not scrimp when it comes to their snowmen.

December 3rd: White Chocolate Snowman
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $15
Notes: Made in France

Only Day 2, and I barely made it

2009-12-02T19:15:00.001-08:00

From Miette

Eeeee!

From Miette

Seriously, eeee!

From Miette

December 2nd: Tiny Retro Milk Chocolate Ornaments
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia SOLD OUT, Chestnut
Price: 50cents each
Note: Made in Germany

Miette~Your Very Own Advent Calendar

2009-12-01T19:23:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Miette has a very strict/completely unofficial holiday policy: we don't put holiday seasonal candy out until the appropriate month. This takes considerable restraint, especially this time of year when everything is so freaking sparkly, but we need a chance to catch our breath after Thanksgiving. Don't you?

But we have a lot of sparkly, twinkly, wintry, wondry candy to pack into December. So! I just decided this very instant to show off a new candy everyday. Anyone want to guess how long before I get distracted by the hustle & the bustle & the carol of the bells, and miss a day? Let's just assume it's going to be awesome, all month long. A winter candy wonderland, just for you, cozy at home. Of course, if you live in San Francisco, please brave the sun/fog/cold/perfect weather to come see us!

December 1st: Milk Chocolate Gnome by Michel Cluizel
I don't even want to think about a winter at Miette without this woodland gentleman. His wavy beard! His hands in his pockets! His...intense eyes! Glorious.
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $12

It's the Final Countdown! {Thanksgiving Edition}

2009-11-23T10:25:00.000-08:00

From Miette

The clock's a'tickin'- please place all Thanksgiving special orders today!
We will be taking orders until our shops close tonight:
Ferry Building closes at 7pm
Octavia closes at 7pm
Chestnut closes at 8pm!

If you don't get your order in, don't despair, we will be super-stocked with amazing cakes & confections on Tuesday & Wednesday!

Notes: All orders are for pick-up on Wednesday 11/25.
All Miette shops will be closed on Thanksgiving!
Back to normal hours on Friday 11/27.

2009-11-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

From Miette

Did you know? Everyday, approximately 92 people walk into a Miette shop & request our Fleur de Sel Caramels. And everyday since January, the shopgirls have had to say, "No, I'm afraid we stopped making those. We loved them, but they were simply too labor intensive for our little band of bakers". And everyday, 92 hearts get broken.

From Miette

But not today. Today our caramels are back in all their glory. Buttery, firm, and delightful, with those perfectly place chunks of sea salt on top. There even a bit larger than they used to be, which is always nice.

And before I forget, or anyone panics, the chocolate caramels are back, too!

Miette Fleur de Sel & Chocolate Fleur de Sel Caramels

Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

Price: $1.50

If you get your heart broken by a shopgirl anyway, that's between you & her.

We won't judge if you order one of each

2009-11-17T07:57:00.000-08:00

From Miette

It's time to present this year's contenders for Your Thanksgiving Dessert!

Let's start with the show-stopper: The Pumpkin Princess! For a very short time every year, our classic, sweet, & delicate Princess cake is transformed into the lovely pumpkin you see above. Gosh, it's so pretty, maybe we should make it all year. The Debutante, Princess, & Tomboy could be joined by the Fairy-Tale Princess.
Pumpkin Princess
6-inch: $35, serves 6-8 people
Note: Needs to be refrigerated

From Miette

Oh, hey there, cheesecake. I had Miette cheesecake for my birthday cake two years in a row, and if I was lucky enough to be born in November, I would definitely get the Pumpkin Cheesecake. (Of course, then I probably wouldn't have been able to have all those January sledding birthday parties. Native Californians, I'll explain later.) The natural sweetness of the heirloom pumpkin is perfectly balanced by the rich & tart creme fraiche topping. I know I shouldn't play favorites, but I have to tell you that the shopgirls polished off the Pumpkin Cheesecake mere moments after this photo was taken.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
6-inch: $35, serves 6-8
Notes: Needs to be refrigerated

From Miette

Old-Fashioned Pumpkin, could you be any cuter? A dark-chocolate cake wearing a jaunty pumpkin beret, with a twisting handmade stem & fluffy, tinted Italian meringue.
Old-Fashioned Pumpkin
6-inch: $24, serves 6-8 people
8-inch: $35, serves 10-12 people
Note: Serve at room temperature

From Miette

The Pecan Tart may be dainty it's intense! It delivers the maximum rich, gooey, citrusy, nutty goodness per square-inch, and goes perfectly with a civilized after-dinner cup of strong coffee. Or with slighly less civilized coffee the next morning, when you find the leftovers from the photo-shoot on your bedside table. Score!
Pecan Tart
6-inch: $24, serves 4-6

Call any of our shops to place your votes-I mean orders!- by Monday November 23rd, for pick-up on Wednesday November 25th! All of our year-round cakes will also be available, of course!
Ferry Building 415.837.0300
Octavia 415.626.6221
Chestnut 415.359.0628

The Miette Blog: Now in Glorious Technicolor Turkeyvision

2009-11-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

From Miette

That's right! We're sparing no expense this holiday season, and have invested in a state-of-the-art Turkeyscope for your festive blog-reading pleasure. Festive & a little bit trippy.

From Miette

I've seen some turkeys in my day....they're usually pretty scraggly, you could even say ugly, though wild turkeys do have a certain mysterious elegance. But I've never seen colors like this...

From Miette

Teal, hot-pink, gold, purple: this kind of sartorial daring is what earned these the title of Official Chocolate Turkey of Miette. I fall for them harder every year.

From Miette

You know those early naturalistic illustrations? Like from the first time Europeans saw a drawing of a lion or a whale? And all the animals have human features? And you can tell that the person who actually saw the thought-to-be-mythical animal & the person who did the drawing were definitely not the same person?

From Miette

That's what these turkeys make me think of. Like, an explorer was describing a turkey, got overly-excited & started describing a peacock, threw in a lorikeet for good measure, and this is what the incredulous illustrator came up with. Or perhaps there is a technicolor turkey somewhere out there, and we'll just have to be satisfied with these little souvenirs until we get a chance to see it for ourselves.

Solid Chocolate Turkeys
Price: Large $10, Small $5, Tiny $0.50
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

Wanna come over after school?

2009-11-09T07:29:00.001-08:00

From Miette

Presenting, the ultimate after-school snack for adults: Ants on a Log truffle, from the moustachioed mastermind at Pink,White,Brown. When Dane told me about these I freaked out imagining how amazing they could be. And when he sent a sample, they were even better! That does not happen very often in the candy world! But Dane's a bit of a genius: milk & dark chocolate combined perfectly with peanut butter (again, very rare!), garnished with plump raisins, and elevated to genius with...celery salt! Celery salt, people! I can't get over it. And I can't stop eating them.

This truffle has come at the perfect time: after hating celery my whole life, I have become obsessed with it the last few years. I think it all began with the incredibly spring-fresh celery-infused cocktail at Nopa that I can't remember the name of, and that they hadn't made since. Maybe someday? Perhaps in exchange for some Ants on a Log?

And if anyone knows how to obtain Bitter Truth Celery Bitters without paying 11Euros +13Euros shipping (um, that comes to $35!), please let me know. Mmm, those Mole Bitters look good too...

Ants on a Log
Price: $2
Availability: Octavia Sold out!

Yay for enthusiasm!

2009-11-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

From Miette

When you see this much confetti, you know there's something exciting going on (though we hope to someday have an Everyday Confetti budget)! We Miettegirls are big fans of enthusiasm, so we made this pretty pretty honor badge for our most cupcake-enthusiastic customers. If you have pom-pons you should bring those in, too! (Man, now we need a Daily Pom-Pons Budget.) Come into any of our three shops (soon to be four! more about that later), and get your card punched, and before you know it, there will be a free cupcake coming your way.

From Miette

In these trying economic times, I rest easier knowing that I have a card good for 1 Free Espresso Drink at Stumptown Coffee in Portland, Oregon & I'd like all our customers to have the same kind of peace of mind. Start your Cupcake Retirement Plan today!

Cupcake Enthusiast Card
Buy 12 cupcakes, get 1 free!
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

You'll definitely be invited back

2009-11-04T08:47:00.000-08:00

It's party season!
Pumpkin painting parties, orphan Thanksgivings, tree trimming! Yes! I'd like to be the kind of organized, sophisticated adult who stocks up on cool host/hostess gifts, but...I'm not. But you can be! I'll live vicariously through you! I think the ideal gift is something the hostess would never buy herself (without being too expensive!). Your host might not splurge on organic honey-maple caramel sauce handmade by the lovely Anastasia, but he'll be soooooo glad you did.

From Miette

Plus, a spoonful of caramel sauce a day is an excellent plan. But I don't recommend you combine it with my two Mahalos a day system unless you are a trained & certified Miettegirl.

Sweet Revolution Caramel Sauce
Price: $18
Availability: Sold out!

How could I have forgotten to tell you?!

2009-11-03T07:31:00.001-08:00

From Miette

Glorious, glorious Go Max Go candy bars are now at our Chestnut location! Here's a little love letter I wrote to them. "Dear Candy Bars, I love you soooo much....."

Go Max Go Bars
Price: $3
Availability: Octavia, Chestnut
Notes: Vegan & Incredible!

Everything sounds more serious in Latin, even candy

2009-10-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

From Miette

Get your gorgous, haunting, decadent, so amazing you can't decide whether to eat them or varnish them & save them as decorations forever Valerie Confections Skulls, now only $17.50 at the Hayes Valley Confiserie & at our Chestnut shop, too! Pick your poison...

Scorched Caramel (Brown)~Organic cream & sugar cooked gently to the point of amber & beyond…

Bitter Brandied Cherry (White)~Darkest chocolate, Kirsch-rich ganache, boozy sour cherries, and the finest dusting of deathly white cocoa…

Curious Chili (Black)~Mysterious chilis and spices warm & perfume this deep dark chocolate…

Valerie "Mori Ex Cacao"
Price: $17.50 at Octavia & Chestnut!
Notes: These will be delicious through January 2010!

Radio Free Miette

2009-10-27T08:47:00.000-07:00

From Miette

An interview with the charming Brendan of Dinner Party Download, who has his doubts about candy's role in the modern democratic world. I attempt to win him over by having him taste our...oddest candy, which even I don't like, and you know I like some odd candy. I'm just going to assume it worked! *Listen Here*

Sweeter than a Sugar-Pie Pumpkin

2009-10-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

From Miette

This is as close to a pumpkin patch as us city girls are going to get this year! No hay-rides or baby goats, unfortunately, but at least there's no chance of accidentally putting your whole hand through a rotten pumpkin that looked perfect from one side. Eeew. Plus, look how cute & smiley they are!

Milk Chocolate Jack-o-Lantern
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $5

(In the background: Fruit Sours, Mellowcreme Pumpkins, & Orange Rock Candy, all available at Octavia)

From Miette

But not as cute & smiley as these baby pumpkins! Eeeee! Get yourself a whole patch-worth!

Crispy Milk Chocolate Pumpkins
Availability: Ferry Building, Chestnut, Sold out at Octavia!
Price: 10cents each, $2.50/gift bag

From Miette

Oh my gosh, that's some sugar right there, under the spooky tree. Handmade lollipops, licorice pastels, and new variations on candy corn. You don't even need to eat them to get a sugar fix. Ask us nice & we'll let you just smell them... Instant Halloween flashback, no harm to your teeth. Wait. I'm going to put myself out of business here.

Halloween Bulk Candy
Availability: Octavia
Price: $10/lb

Halloween Orange Cream Lollipops
Availability: Ferry Building, Sold out at Octavia & Chestnut

From Miette

Nothing pumpkin-related here, just our favorite malt balls in Halloween-y hues, and the Prettiest, Sparkliest, Milk Chocolate Balls Ever. We want to make them into a necklace. Fill a jar at your house & forbid anyone to eat them.

Malt Balls
Varieties: Milk, Dark, & White Chocolate
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $10/lb, gift bags from $3-$7.50

Halloween Sparkly Balls
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia
Price: 10cents each, $2.50/gift bag

Black & White & Blood Red All Over

2009-10-20T07:33:00.001-07:00

From Miette

All the technicolor gore in the world will never be as haunting as a well-crafted black & white thriller. Without colorful distraction or mundane associations, images can linger for years. All it takes is a plaintive windstorm or footsteps behind you on a desolate street to bring back a scene in all its crisp, classic horror.

At least, that's what I imagine. I stay well away from scary movies of any sort.

The world is a scary enough place, with candy like this lurking around every corner:

From Miette

Shudder. And yet...who knew a skull could be...glamorous? The brilliant Valerie of Valerie Confections and Douglas of DL&Company crafted these gorgeous little deaths by chocolate, and have raised the bar for Halloween candy forever. I could never buy one because it would surely invade my dreams, but if you're of a sturdier constitution, please do.

Valerie Skulls
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Varieties: Brandied Cherry(white), Curious Chili(black), Scorched Caramel(brown)
Price: $25

From Miette

If you prefer devilishly handsome to devilish, a chocolate moustache might be the perfect Halloween accessory. They're elegant, handmade, and efficient: finally, a costume & candy in one!

Chocolate Moustache
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Varieties: Milk or Dark Chocolate
Price: $12

From Miette

Is that a cauldron of bones? Have the Miette girls finally lost their minds? Oh, it's only our beloved Schoolchalk licorice, with its lovely minty marrow. I mean, minty center.

Schoolchalk Licorice
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $12.50/lb

From Miette

Those must surely be frozen grapes, right? Crunchy eyeballs? Ug. Now I'll never be able to look into someone's eyes without thinking, "...crunchy".

Milk Chocolate Crunchy Eyeballs
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: 10cents each

From Miette

Ah, a classic. Still way too scary for me (I used to run out of the room whenever The Count appeared on Sesame Street), but I'm sure you would make an irresistible vampire. Do you think there's an edited version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with all the vampire parts cut out? That's what I'd like for Halloween, please. I've been very good this year.

Wax Fangs
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $1.50

I hope the prizes included tiaras for all the cows.

2009-10-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

From Miette

Oh, Straus Family Creamery! We love you so! Your beautiful bottles, your homeopathically-treated cows, your super-creamy cream & super-buttery butter. Your products are so delicious & happy & alive! As Sommer at our Ferry Building shop put it, "The difference between Straus & other butters is like the difference between me & a corpse."

We've always used Straus butter & cream in all our baked goods because we think they're the best, so we were sooooo proud of those darling cows & farmers when they recently swept the Los Angeles International Dairy Competition.* Out of 43 competitors, Straus won 4 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and a bronze.

From Miette

And that's why this cupcake looks so proud.

*My grandpa, uncle, and brother are all championship dairy judges. They can tell you what mood the cow was in & what direction the wind was blowing, just by smelling cream! Not so surprising, but still impressive, considering my grandpa & uncle live in rural Missouri. But my brother lives in Chicago! Nice work, city kid!

Nothing is More Fun Than a Caffeinated Tomboy

2009-10-04T22:45:00.001-07:00

From Miette

For serious. Tomboys are always fun: they're not afraid to get dirty, they laugh a lot, they have holes in their jeans & smudges on their faces. We love tomboys. Heck, we are tomboys! We may wear fluffy dresses* & spend a lot of time tying bows, but we fix the sinks, climb the ladders, and ride our bikes up & down the crazy hills of San Francisco. With cakes in tow!

From Miette

One of our classic cakes is named The Tomboy, three layers of dark chocolate cake, layered simply with vanilla buttercream. We make the Vanilla Tomboy all year, but always make a seasonal version as well, as you can see above. We have said good-bye to the Raspberry & Strawberry Tomboys of Summer, and have welcomed the Coffee Tomboy into our chilly, drowsy arms.

*"Running, jumping, climbing trees... putting on make-up when you're up there."
-Eddie Izzard, a tomboy who can rock a frock

Vanilla or Coffee Tomboys
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut.
Price: $30/6-inch cake, $50/8-inch cake (by special order only!)

Perhaps It Was Simply Too Hard To Spell

2009-09-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

From Miette

We're sad to say good-bye to one of our very favorite Dutch licorices: the sweet, molassesy, sugar-coated Heksenhijl Zoete*, fondly referred to as "the tubes" by all of us non-Dutch-speakers. They have been discontinued.

Local confectioners, drop your caramels & lollipops and get started on artisan licorice! Kisses & cupcakes to the first person to replicate our beloved tubes! Of course, the price for handmade licorice will probably be a bit (a lot) higher than $12.50/lb, but we'll make it work.

*On my orders, I regularly spelled this "Hehjksnhihjl" or "Hekzjhenhyzhl", basically cramming in as many h's & j's as possible, but John our darling Licorice-seller always knew exactly what I meant.

2009-09-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

From Miette

School!

It's been....let's just say several years since I've experienced Back-to-School time in all its terror & glory, but as soon as September hits I can feel it in the air. Back-to-school! New shoes! New books! New friends? Maybe!

Here at Miette we're celebrating this liminal time of year with apples, gingham, and primary colors. And candy, of course!

From Miette

Apple cinnamon lollipops! After a long day of teaching, sometimes an apple just doesn't cut it. But a spicy hand-made apple lolli? That's better. $5 each

From Miette

Milk chocolate sneakers! We'll buy them a size too big so they fit you all year. 75cents/each, $2/pair gift bag.

From Miette

ABC Gummies! It's hard to take a good photo of gummies. But trust me, these are adorable, edible versions of those magnetic letters we all love to play with when we're hanging out in someone's kitchen. Untie that bow & spell something hilarious! $3/bag

From Miette

Milk Chocolate Crayons! Let's face it, you're going to eat your crayons anyway, so why not make them non-toxic and delicious. $1/each, $5/box

From Miette

Milk chocolate globes! If globes (& atlases?) had come in chocolate form, perhaps I wouldn't be so hopeless at geography. Perhaps. 10cents/each

Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

Not a good enough reason to have a baby.... but almost.

2009-09-02T08:25:00.001-07:00

From Miette

The onesies are back. I knew we sold onesies a few years ago, and figured they were pretty cute, but...can you see a onesie & not squeal? I cannot. These are especially cute, and I will probably buy one for every sweet little crumb I know.

From Miette

Luckily, babies don't read blogs, so this won't spoil the surprise.

Onesies
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $20
Information: Size 12-18months

I'm a Charlotte

2009-08-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

From Miette

For a very short time each year, we make a very special, very dainty cake, the Charlotte. Look at her there, with her perfect ribbon. It takes a lot of work to look that pretty.

First, one of our lovely Ferry Building shopgirls scours the Farmers' Market for the most glorious nectarines, which our bakers puree and combine with Italian meringue & cream to create nectarine mousse. This delicate mousse is layered with fraimboise syrup-soaked cake & raspberry jam, with a floating cake layer in the center. Someday I hope to live in a floating cake layer. Mmmm.....

From Miette

But we're not done yet! The cake is encircled with house-made ladyfinger cookies, and tied up all lady-like with a satin ribbon. Our stalwart shopgirl returns to the Farmers' Market for luminous raspberries, and places them atop the Charlotte, just so.

Whew! I barely manage to pull my hair into a ponytail in the morning!

Charlotte
Price: $30
Availability: Ferry Building (Chestnut & Octavia by special order only)
Notes: Needs to be Refrigerated, Contains Gelatin

Just a hint...

2009-08-21T19:17:00.003-07:00

From Miette

...we don't want to start a stampede.

From Miette

Fleur de Sel, Almonds & Sea Salt, Salt & Pepper, 70% Madagascar
Location: Octavia only, for now
Price: $12

Whew!

2009-08-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

From Miette

The nationwide Go Max Go shortage has ended!
At least here in our little corner of the nation.
And not a moment too soon.

Mahalo, Buccaneer, Jokerz, & Twilight
Price: $3
Availability: Just Octavia, for now

Jamstresses & Jim-Jams*

2009-08-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

From Miette

The talented jamstress Casey Havre of Loulou's Garden makes these precious little jars of jam for us, using seasonal fruit, very little sugar, and no pectin. The results are saucey & sassy, and there are soooo many amazing flavors beyond those you see here.

From Miette

The lists of ingredients are like my ultimate bedtime reading. Apricot-Sour Cherry Preserves: apricots, sour cherries, meyer lemon juice, sugar, cognac. Mmmmm. Does that come in a cocktail, too, perhaps?

From Miette

Plum Lavender Jam: Organic plums, sugar, lemon, garden lavender. Oh, to have a little garden with plum & lemon trees, & butterfly-filled lavender plants! My friend Mary once told me she hoped to someday have a little cottage, where "I would grow lavender, and wash my hair in a bowl". I've always loved that: it's so specific. I still dream of that for her, gorgeous & glamorous in her stone cottage.

Until then, there's jam.

LouLou's Garden Preserves
Price: $10/jar
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Notes: Flavors vary by shop & by day! But they're all great!

*A British term for pyjamas, perhaps the best ever. Any other contenders?

Hooker's Sweet Treats!

2009-08-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

From Miette

We've searched far & wide for the perfect chocolate-covered caramel, which sounds like an easy task but it was NOT! But now we've found it! Handmade in tiny batches by David, these perfect little bites are only available at Miette, the gorgeously spooky Perish Trust, and from the adorable boys at Sightglass Coffee. Oh, and you should go to both of those places because they're amazing! Tell them the Miettegirls sent you!

From Miette

Hooker's Sweet Treats
Price: $3.50/single, $10/box of 3
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

I wish raspberries were my birthstone....

2009-07-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

From Miette

The dainty, bejeweled raspberry tartlettes are here!
Delicate little pastry tart shells are filled with rose-geranium pastry cream, and topped with the freshest-possible raspberries from the Ferry Building Farmers' Markets!

Raspberry Tartlettes
Price: $5
Availability: Ferry Building only; available for pick-up at other locations by Special-Order
Notes: Must be refrigerated!

Pride & Buttercream

2009-07-19T09:33:00.001-07:00

From Miette

The Ferry Building shopgirls 'stached up in honor of San Francisco's LGBT Pride Celebration! Gorgeous, don't you think? You make us proud, girls!

Oh My Freaking Goodness.

2009-07-08T16:40:00.000-07:00

Here at Miette, we find candy very exciting. But this is almost too much. To express our enthusiasm, we'll need italics & pom pons & a whole new form of punctuation...

From Miette

...an exclamation point covered in sprinkles.

The Go-Max-Go bars have arrived! These are brilliant, delicious, all-natural, veganized versions of classic candy bars. Eeeeee!

The Twilight, above, contains caramel & nougat, covered in rice-milk chocolate. This was the first bar we were able to try, and we flipped out. But there was so much fun to follow...

From Miette

Jokerz! Chock-full of nougat, caramel, & peanuts, and covered in creamy rice-milk chocolate. We love the saltiness & roastiness of the peanuts, and how perfectly they contrast with the sweet elements. One (of a million) great thing about these bars is that they are nice & sweet like you want a candy bar to be, but not too sweet! The elusive perfect point of sweetness!

From Miette

None of us expected to fall for the Buccaneer. Nougat? Meh. In candy bars it's usually spongey & eggy & mysterious. But today we understand nougat. It's gooey & sweet & simply lovely.

From Miette

And oh, the Mahalo. I've been eating two a day. And a sensible dinner! Creamy, gorgeous coconut center topped with three roasted almonds, wrapped in rice-milk chocolate. I was eating a Mahalo while I took this photo. How can you resist that pretty pretty wrapper?

In conclusion! Be very, very excited. Our expert non-vegan testers verified that these are better than the traditional versions, and they are certainly better than the way I remember the candy bars of my youth! We love love love that they're vegan, but the fact that they don't contain any artificial ingredients!!!! Artificially-flavored treats always leave you feeling like, "Um, did I eat that? I think I tasted it, & maybe I enjoyed it...". But when you eat one of these bars, you feel like, "Yeah! I just ate a candy bar! Let's ride our bikes to the pool! Yay for fun!"

Go, Max, Go Vegan Candy Bars
Price: $3/each
Availability: Only at Octavia (for now!)

*Update 8.6.09 We are SOLD OUT of Go Max Go bars, but there are more on the way! We will let y'all know when we have more!

*Update 8.20.09 They are back in! (Um, except for the Mahalo which is already sold out!)

A Sweet, Sweet, Bride-To-Be

2009-06-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Last week Miette Confiserie hosted our first-ever Candy Tasting Party! It was awesome! Even though I was super-nervous & clumsy!

The party was created for a lovely bride-to-be and 6 of her delightful friends. They listened to me ramble about the history, chemistry, and all-around fun of candy for an hour: any excuse to talk about candy!
We started with sugar at it's purest with Grapefruit Cotton Candy, and explored other "sugary" candy options: Italian Fruit Fondants, French Violet Hard-candies, "Humbugs", and Fancy Lemon Marshmallows!
Now, if you caramelize that sugar, you get...caramels! A Miette staple! Salted butter caramels from France! Salted butter caramels from Oakland! Maple-honey caramels from San Francisco! Salted Carambars! The sugar is kickin in!
Then we took it down a notch for some serious licorice investigation. Even the licorice-non-enthusiasts loved the marshmallowy Griotten, but the ammonia-intense Riksen were universally NOT a hit. No argument here! Good thing there's minty Schoolchalk to cleanse the palate, and Dark-Chocolate Licorice Lentils to lead us on to....

...Chocolate! But I forgot to take a photo before I hacked the bars to bits! Just trust that they were gorgeous & chocolatey & added a little caffeine to our sugar-fest.

The ladies performed some heroic feats of candy-eating. I was seriously impressed, and I eat candy for a living! Thank you, everybody! I hope you have recovered from the sugar crash!

Candy-Tasting Party!
Availability: Octavia
Please email for details: tess@miette.com

When in Doubt...

2009-06-26T09:43:00.001-07:00

From Miette

...just run a picture of a pretty girl with a chocolate moustache. A blogging tip from Miette to you!

Cakey Clouds, Italian Strawberries

2009-06-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

From Miette

Every summer, just in time for strawberry season, we make Lemon Cloud Cake. Like a cross between angel food cake & lemon custard, it goes perfectly with macerated strawberries & fresh whipped cream. Or, you can wear it like a bracelet & snack on it all day!

Price: $12
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut on Weekends

P.S. Those little strawberries are actually milk chocolate with creamy centers & bits of freeze-dried strawberry!
Price: 75cents
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

Miette Loves Dads, & Dads Love...

2009-06-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

...Non-Pareils! If you're taking a dad to the movies this Father's Day, sneak him in a bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Non-Pareils. They're made here in San Francisco by E.Guittard, and are the best combination of chocolate & sprinkles we've ever found.
Price $7.50 per bag
Available: Octavia, Chestnut
Notes: Vegan
...Licorice Pipes! They just make a man look dignified. Perfect along with a first-edition book, and perhaps some elbow patches.
Price: $1.50
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
...Poco Dolce Tiles! We love these little dark chocolate & sea salt squares for lots of reasons (their deliciousness, the awesomeness of the creator Kathy who hand-delivers our orders) but we especially love the elegant & somewhat masculine packaging.
Price: Single Tile $2, Box of 8 $18, Box of 16 $35
Availability: Octavia & Chestnut
Notes: Available flavors vary by day!
...Sardines! Dads love sardines, they just do. And if the dad in your life doesn't eat fish, don't worry! These silvery babies are milk & dark chocolate, and the dark sardines are vegan!
Price: $1.50
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
...Sardine Tins? Seriously, what could be better!
Price: $14 per tin
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Notes: Tin is milk chocolate only.

We have lots & lots more fun stuff for dad-types, including moustaches (see below)!

Who Wouldn't Make Passes at Girls with Moustaches?

2009-06-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

From Miette

Our delivery of handmade chocolate moustaches arrived from Portland yesterday, and the shopgirls have been looking particularly lovely ever since.

From Miette

So sweet & angelic, though we might need to commission a white-chocolate moustache for her.

From Miette

Dark chocolate moustaches & vintage dresses: what more could we ask for?

From Miette

Oh, yeah.

Price: $12
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Notes: Milk or Dark Chocolate, Made by Dane of Pink, White, Brown

It's Strawberry Season!

2009-06-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

We love strawberry season! However, with so many great fresh flavor options available to us here in the Bay Area, we just can't stick with any one for too long. Right now we're putting strawberries on everything we can think of, but in a couple weeks we'll be moving on to raspberries! Get these strawberry sweethearts while you can.

Strawberry Pannacotta is here, with all it's silky creaminess & cute tinyness. Eat it with the smallest spoon you can find, & feel that summer bliss.

Price: $4
Availability: Ferry Building & Chestnut
Notes: Contains gelatin

Strawberry Buttercream! We're piping it on our dark chocolate cupcakes & our sunny yellow cupcakes, and layering it with chocolate cake in our Strawberry Tomboy. Though the color is a delicate ballet-shoe pink, there's lots of vibrant strawberry freshness in there!

Price: Cupcakes $3, Tomboy 6-inch $30, Tomboy 8-inch(special order only) $50
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut

Strawberry Mousse Cake! First we make a beautiful & potent strawberry syrup by simmering strawberries with lemon juice & vanilla bean. This syrup is combined with a delicate vanilla chiffon cake, and layered with lightly-sweetened chantilly cream. Amazingly moist!

Price: $5/slice
Availability: Ferry Building, Chestnut

You can eat them, but would you?

2009-06-05T08:23:00.000-07:00

From Miette

Sweet little bombonieres bouquets, handmade in Sulmona, Italy. If you are quite dexterous & patient, you can unwrap the cellophane from each little petal to reveal candy-coated chocolate! Or you can just gaze at your little posy, & rest easy knowing you have emergency chocolate on hand.

Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut. Styles vary by shop!
Price: $3-$6.50

Don't get too excited...

2009-05-27T22:39:00.000-07:00

...it's just a wrapper. However! We have reason to believe that Mast Brothers bars will soon be making their way to us from Brooklyn. Oh, we've missed them so!
The bars, of course.
We are professionals.

Ms. Smith, we like you a lot.

2009-05-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

Whitney Smith makes cake plates so pretty you'll be compelled to bake diplay-worthy cakes. I'm more of a bread-baker than a cake-maker, but her gorgeous stands would pretty-up even my...let's say rustic loaves. Or keep the oven firmly turned to "Off" & get yourself a Whitney Smith Glasses & Lipgloss Plate, or a Whitney Smith Dish Soap & Sponge Stand!

Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $8-$150
Please Note: Styles vary by shop & by day!

The Miettegirl & the Sea

2009-05-27T21:40:00.001-07:00

Here at the Confiserie, we entertain ourselves by setting up little vignettes, dreaming up complicated surroundings & circumstances for our candy. Candy nerds we are, one & all.

Our favorite spot in the shop right now is nicknamed The Captain's Table. We imagine a taciturn, bearded Captain who's off at sea, but we're keeping his table just the way he left it for the day he returns.* It holds his salt water taffy, chocolate sardines, and gold bullion (has he a bit of pirating in his past, or does he just enjoy milk chocolate Gianduja?). Weather-worn maps, a sextant (whatever that is), an hour-glass, everything a captain could need. Still, it seems like something's missing....

Ah, of course: a licorice pipe. Much better.

*Does that make us Brand-ay?

Licorice Pipes
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $1-$1.50

Gianduja
Availability: Octavia
Price: $1

Salt Water Taffy
Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: 25cents/peice, $20/tin

Marshmallows, & Much, Much More

2009-05-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hi!
We're super-excited to be here, and even more excited that our handmade marshmallows are back! Our current flavors are Honey, Vanilla, & Lavender, and they are as soft & pillowy as any marshmallows could hope to be! On your way to a black-tie bonfire? Add our snappy graham crackers and some fine local chocolate (Maison Bouche, perhaps?), and you've got the poshest s'mores ever!

Availability: Ferry Building, Octavia, Chestnut
Price: $3.50/bag