You must eat only one (or you will be very sorry!)

With apologies to one of my favorite Disney movies, The Three Caballeros:

Have you been to Beard Papa, Donald? No? Well, let's go!

A few years ago, a friend called me. "Linda - YOU live on the Upper West Side! Please please PLEASE go to Beard Papa on Broadway and get me some cream puffs!"

(Point of fact, I lived in Morningside Heights. While it is both 'upper' and 'west', don't have visions of me living in ridiculously expensive neighborhoods.)

Beard Papa is a Korean cream puff chain. Their logo looks like a smiling Santa with a yellow hat. They have also got their cream puff DOWN. As you order them, they fill the giant puffs with a creamy custard that lacks the stickiness of a pastry cream but isn't as fluffy as a whipped cream filling. I describe it to friends as a really soft soft-serve ice cream texture. If you're lucky, they won't be out of the special flavors of the day, like Green Tea or Red Bean. These cream puffs are fresher than fresh and even come with a cautionary label that advises you to eat them within hours of purchasing for peak deliciousness.

As for the warning in the post title, well - lived and learned. You will want to eat more than one, they are that delicious and oh-so-easy going down. The light and airy texture of both the puff and the cream belie the richness of the treat. More than one at a sitting will result in unpleasant tummy feelings. If you MUST have more sweet Beard Papa treats after a puff, try one of their Mango Cheesecake Fingers (thin slices of cheesecake on puff pastry with a thin layer of mango puree). My husband LOVES the cheesecake fingers even more than the puffs!

Up until recently, I either had to visit Beard Papa in NYC or Boston (they also exist in California and Hawaii) or wait for friends to bring boxes of cheesecake fingers back from visits East (Bless you, S & M!). I just found out that there are TWO BPs in Seattle now - only a hop, skip and a jump away!

Now, if only I can tease my friends into stopping by Safeco on our way to Marysville this weekend....