By Susie Timm, Head Cheese
This past weekend I headed to the Old Town Farmers’ Market in Scottsdale (2nd St. and Brown) to visit several of my clients who exhibit there on Saturday mornings, (including the owner of the market itself) and I experienced a pastry encounter not soon to be forgotten.
I rounded the corner and witnessed a site I haven’t seen since FnB served fresh, hot doughnuts last season at the market. A gigantic line of pastry starved foodies clamoring for a delectable treat from Tucson’s Five Star Frogs Organic Bakery by Jean-Luc Labat.
Pastry starved residents
Um. Huh? Five Star Frogs? Tucson? French pastries from a French guy? This I had to see.
I pressed myself through the line posing as food “paparazzi” and was able to snap some shots of crusty baguette, apricot scones, sticky buns and oh-my-dear-sweet-Lord the largest crossiant family I have ever encountered. They were pretty much the crossaints that ate Scottsdale. Or maybe Scottsdale ate them? I digress.
Oy.
I circled back around the market and congratulated my client Dee Logan on her magnificent decision to invite Five Star Frogs into the market.
I ran into Tram Mai and her husband Steve from Press Coffee and they were traipsing through the market for sweet nothings from Five Star Frogs. I chatted up Elizabeth from Orange Table and she said,”Those pastries are ridiculous–in a good way.”
Evidently Tucson cranks out some seriously awe-inspiring baked goods. I stood in queue for my almond croissant, sticky bun and chocolate croissant and asked the very French workers if they had a card. No. Plans to come to Phoenix? Not yet. Lots and lots of outstanding and beautiful baked goods. Check.
Baguette that dreams are made of.
I went to Five Star Frogs website to gain a little more insight into the man, the myth and the baker who is Jean-Luc Labat. (For all I know he might be the bespectacled fellow who was slinging bread on Saturday, but I doubt it) Turns out he and his partner opened Five Star Frogs at Oracle and Ina in the Casa Adobes Plaza. They searched high and low for a location in Arizona and settled on Tucson. Jean-Luc is a master pastry chef and has made his rounds at some of the most renowned hotels in France.
At their bakery they serve soups, salads and sandwiches as well as a full range of pastries. More info by clicking here.
For now I will join in the throngs of Scottsdalians who have helped Frogs sell out each Saturday at OTFM for the past 6 weeks. Get there early or you will be sad and croissantless.
