I adore the combination of red berries and white chocolate chips. The sweet, tart tang of the raspberries in comparison to the super sweet white chocolate, the soft texture of the fruit is a perfect foil for the wonderful bite of the hard little white chocolate morsels. Yes, regardless of the medium, this is a winning combination. That being said, I admit to being partial to quick breads.
Today’s raspberry white chocolate chip scone at Fusion Bakery was a true work of art. It started out with a huge, and I’m talking monster-size piece of dough. Half would be more than enough for an indulgent breakfast or snack. The exterior? Perfection. It is generously covered with crystallized sugar, and baked to a crisp, so that it adopts a wonderfully exciting crunch, that melts into the soft, moist, dough.
Fusion is always generous with their fillings, and this number is no exception. Once cut open, the item transforms from baked good to modern sculpture, an abstractly shaped glob, with swirls of red climbing through a somewhat textured, off white background, and chunks of whiteness, dancing throughout the interior, sticking their little heads out, and giving you no doubt in the world of their presence. When you get a bite that includes the fruit, white chocolate, and sugar coated exterior, the results are ecstatic.
Art by Steve Pikos
Fusion has never failed me, but today, today they have gone about and beyond. I would highly recommend that you hurry down to get one of these divine creations before they’re all gone.
I have henceforth decided to make “An Ode to Quick Breads” a regular column on WesStuffed, where I will document the most delicious quick bread finds at and around Wesleyan.
For those of you who aren’t up to date, I have a serious addiction to quick breads, the word that encompasses pretty much all baked goods (other than bread itself) with dough like consistencies, cookies, scones, muffins, cakes, etc. I spend a great deal of time scoping middletown for muffins (raspberry and cranberry flavors put me in a state of unbelievable joy), searching for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie, and just trying, and utterly enjoying quick bread products. My latest find, which was a huge and amazing revelation, is the blueberry scone at Pi Cafe.
Here’s a sad fact. It’s almost impossible to find scones on this campus. Sometimes they have them at Usdan breakfast, but they’re never offered at the Usdan Cafe (while muffins are always available). Nor are they available at WeShop. That being said, Pi makes up for it. I tried their scones today, and now there’s no looking back.
First of all, let’s talk about what (jn my opinion) makes a good scone. Scones are a real hit or miss. Unless they’re made with the right proportions of ingredients, and cooked for the right amount of time, you may just end up with an unattractive glob of dry, crumbly dough, with the occasional blueberry thrown in. BUT… if you can make a good scone, it’s magical. Doughy, not overly sweet, with fresh bursts of flavor in the form of berries, chocolate chips, or even savory items, like cheese. A scone can be, if made correctly, a true work of art.
The blueberry scone at Pi starts off with an excellent base. The dough itself is delicious. It’s almost as if they took it out of the oven a tiny bit too early, leaving it incredibly doughy, soft, and moist. The berry to dough ratio is also superb. Don’t be deceived by the picture! One bite into the scone will reveal the very generous amount of berries interspersed throughout the dough. I’d say at least one per bite.
The size is excellent. It’s not overwhelmingly large, so that you take one look and promise yourself that you won’t finish it, and are horrified at yourself when you do, nor is it so small that you need to eat several to feel fulfilled. It’s a little over medium-sized. With some tea, it could make a wonderful, although somewhat indulgent breakfast. Another trick of the trade? Microwave it for twenty-seconds. When warm, the dough is even more soft and delicious. If you’re feeling particularly caloric, take it with a Salty Ivan (lightly salted hot chocolate). When the weather starts getting chilly, I’m pretty sure this will become a go-to for me.
As a person who considers herself a true scone connoisseur, I dub Pi’s creation, not only an excellent example of college food, or even exclusively within the realm of Middletown, but, by and large, one of the most satisfying scones I’ve ever had.
-Ari Rudess
Does anyone know if Pi’s scones are baked on campus or shipped in? Comment and let me know!
Here’s a recipe for success: Take a group of passionate, talented bakers, add a gorgeous, state-of-the-art space, mix it together with some hungry college students and local residents, and let sit—the results are sure to be fantastic.
Fusion Bakery and Patisserie has been in Middletown since Sept. 2007, but it hasn’t become quite the sensation that owner and baker Steve Pikos thinks it should be. And after taste-testing a ridiculous number of Fusion’s products and chatting with baking-veteran Pikos, we can say we agree with him. Main Street is home to a truly excellent bakery that more Wesleyan kids should visit. For those students who are missing their local bake shops or home-baked treats, look no further.
Fusion recently relocated from the Main Street Marketplace to the Riverview Center, right next to Cold Stone Creamery. Upon entering the new premises, we were impressed by its spacious, airy setting. Compared to the kiosk-sized space that used to house the bakery, the new location is a coliseum. The bakery counter is twice the size of the previous one, and it is complemented by a large seating area in front. Although larger now, Fusion is actually more charming than it was before; unlike its old site, which had only a few tables and chairs, this open space is much more inviting for customers to sit, eat, and relax.
The Seating Area at Fusion Bakery
Part of this cozy comfort is also due to the new decor, which reveals the wide range of Fusion’s delectable creations. As you enjoy your baked good of choice, and perhaps a cup of coffee, you can admire the photos of Fusion’s pastries that hang on the wall. The huge windows take up most of the storefront, allowing sunshine to stream in and making the space feel expansive and bright. Similarly, the kitchen is completely open, so clients can watch the staff busily prepare the day’s selections, baked fresh every day.
“We make our own fillings, our own buttercream, our own everything,” Pikos said. “We don’t use cake mix at all. We do everything ourselves.”
Pikos, who owns the bakery, has serious credentials. He was first exposed to the food business by his parents and their Greek-and-pizza restaurant. After going to school for finance, he made a career switch and attended culinary school to major in pastry arts. He opened Fusion Bakery soon after.
The bakery boasts a wide variety of products, including breakfast pastries like muffins, scones, and croissants; cakes and cupcakes; cookies; brownies; bars; éclairs; tarts; and at least three gluten-free offerings a day.
If you don’t see your favorite treat in the display case, don’t worry. The folks at Fusion accept suggestions, and odds are they’ll be able to whip up a batch of whatever it is that your taste buds are looking for. Not only that, but they’re also more than willing to create a custom dessert just for you. Whether it’s a birthday cake, cookie platter, or personalized care package, they always aim to please.
“If someone called in and asked for two lemon squares for Friday, we’d make them,” Pikos said.
However, Fusion does a great deal more than just sell baked goods out of its store. It also runs a thriving mass-order service, providing morning pastries for Klekolo World Coffee, desserts for Illiano’s Pizzeria, carrot cakes for multiple establishments, and a baked-good catering service.
It may be slightly tucked away from the hustle-and-bustle of Main Street, but the quality of its products is front-and-center. During our visit, we were able to try a variety of the desserts offered at the bakery.
They were all phenomenal, but some of our favorites included an incredibly moist Italian rainbow cookie cake. It had perfect proportions of raspberry jam, chocolate, and a delightful almond flavor. Fusion’s New York-style cheesecake was thick and perfectly tart but at the same time creamy and indulgent. For those looking to get into the Halloween spirit, the day’s specials included two fun Halloween-themed cookies, but its traditional chocolate chip and cranberry oatmeal cookies were equally delicious.
We were huge fans of the Italian rainbow cookie cake
And, of course, we tried the carrot cake, which is Fusion’s best-seller. Unlike other bakeries, who add raisins and other fruit to their carrot cake, Fusion keeps the taste classic with a mild spice. The moist, fluffy cake is perfectly complemented by the light cream cheese frosting.
From left to right- Cherry Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cupcake, Carrot Cake Cupcake
Despite the outlandish amount of food that we consumed, we were surprised to find that we did not experience the typical sick-to-your-stomach exhaustion that follows an onslaught of desserts. Pikos suggested that this might be because Fusion’s desserts are only made with the most wholesome ingredients.
“We’re not going to use anything here that you can’t pronounce,” Pikos remarked. “I can tell you every ingredient that’s in that kitchen.”
Fusion’s baked goods are also reasonably priced. Most cupcakes cost around $2.50, brownies are $2.25, and cookies are $1.25. On top of that, Wesleyan students always receive a 15 percent discount, and Fusion will be accepting Middletown Cash as a form of payment very soon.
Since all baked goods are served fresh everyday, they need to get rid of the leftovers by their 6:00 closing time, and these often go to the lucky customers who are still in the store. What could possibly be better than coming back to campus with a bag of free pastries?
Right now the bakery is busy ironing out a few last kinks, but they will celebrate their grand opening in their new home on November 2nd at 10:00. Keep an eye out for this event, as it is sure to feature an abundance of delicious sweets!
WesStuffed 