THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 23, 1997 TAG: 9702210042
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F6 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Morsels
SOURCE: Ruth Fantasia
LENGTH: 69 lines
CHEAP MASCARPONE cheese and healthful chocolate truffles. What more could a girl ask for on Valentine's Day? I'd been wandering the streets of Norfolk, checking out new sweet shops I'd heard about.
The first stop was Zazou, a chocolatier and patisserie on 20th Street at the other end of the shopping center from First Colony Coffee. The display cases in this brightly lit little shop were filled with pasteries of all kinds. There were exotic-fruit topped tarts, filled croissants, three-layer mousses and even chocolate truffles in chocolate boxes.
After a half hour of trying to make up my mind, I decided not to decide. I selected five of the most chocolatey confections, including chocolate filled and Bavarian cream eclairs (a bargain at $1.75 each), Gran Marnier petit fours, something called Mocha Success and another named Opera (the most expensive at $4.25).
Later that night, I discovered all were delicious, but my favorite was the Opera. A layered concoction of chocolate and coffee buttercream between thin cake flavored with espresso. The top is covered with chocolate ganache. The Mocha Success, a mousse-like cylinder covered in slivered almonds was sweet and light, just not as sinful as the Opera. All the confections are available in larger sizes to serve six to eight of your best friends.
I tucked my box of goodies under the truck's back seat and went on.
Baby Huber's was the next stop. A dark red storefront next to the pea green Bobbywood restaurant at Wards Corner. Both businesses are owned by the relentless chef Bobby Huber. (Now that he's opened this second venture, he's sleepless as well.)
Having recently opened, Baby Huber's was still in somewhat of a disarray that afternoon, but manager Melissa Webb was helpful, showing me some of the better wines available. Crates of wine to be stacked on the wooden shelves decorated the floor. A refrigerated case in the back of the store was filled with desserts and dairy goods.
It seemed like an odd combination in that case, a tiramisu next to pounds of butter and quarts of half-and-half. Then I saw the sign:
``European-style Dairy Products
Half-and-half $3
Heavy cream $5
Butter $2.50
Cream cheese $7.50 (that's a 3-pound box)
Mascarpone cheese $8.''
Back up the turnip truck. A pound of mascarpone for $8? Huber must really be sleep deprived. I'm used to paying $13 to $15 for 12 ounces of the Italian cream cheese to make tiramisu.
``Melissa,'' I asked, ``Is this price on the mascarpone correct?''
``Yes. Would you like some?''
I declined, but only because I knew I couldn't use the highly perishable cheese in the next few days. Instead I opted for a pound of butter, a bottle of Horton viognier ($21) and a few of Bobby's chocolate truffle cups as a Valentine for my daughter.
A hard day's work finished, I picked up my daughter from school and gave her the candies.
``These are good but what's this stuff?'' she asked eating the crust off the top of one of Bobby's truffle cups.
``The lady at the store said it was like toasted oatmeal,'' I replied, remembering what Webb had said.
``Oatmeal? Then they're healthy too.''
Sometimes anything can pass for nutrition. MEMO: Zazou is at 2000 Colonial Ave., Suite 11, Norfolk. 623-3935; Baby
Huber's is 7505 Granby St., Norfolk. 440-9463.