Starbucks La Boulange line of Bakery Items in the MK yet?

[steve2wdw]

Our local Starbucks is getting ready to make the switch to the new line of pastries that has been tested in the Northwest....has the new La Boulange bakery items made it to the MK yet, or are they still the same items that debuted in the spring?

 

[oovwee]

I know it is a slow rollout. I manage a Starbucks in OKC and our La Boulange launch is currently slated for May 1st.

 

[StageFrenzy]

are they better, worse or neutral?

 

[oovwee]

Everyone I have talked to who has tasted says they are better. The process is being standardized (no fresh versus Frozen store) the pastries are flash frozen right after coming out of the oven then heated on-site to bring it back to that fresh out of the oven flavor. (How exactly close it is I am slightly weary of but reading about flash freezing sounds like it will be darn close). I have heard nothing but good things and the pastries are beautiful compared to the current offerings (loaf breads are adorable individual loaves instead of sliced and seasonal offering will be much more intricate)

 

[ford91exploder]

Everyone I have talked to who has tasted says they are better. The process is being standardized (no fresh versus Frozen store) the pastries are flash frozen right after coming out of the oven then heated on-site to bring it back to that fresh out of the oven flavor. (How exactly close it is I am slightly weary of but reading about flash freezing sounds like it will be darn close). I have heard nothing but good things and the pastries are beautiful compared to the current offerings (loaf breads are adorable individual loaves instead of sliced and seasonal offering will be much more intricate)

Joy, Flash Frozen just like the 'new' Twinkies Think I will avoid these new items

 

[emcclay]

Joy, Flash Frozen just like the 'new' Twinkies Think I will avoid these new items

Twinkies and real pastries are on two totally different levels. The process of dough lamination is extremely laborious. There is really nothing wrong with buying in danish frozen- it is often cheaper and you don't have to worry about throwing out a whole batch because there was a mistake.

 

[ford91exploder]

Twinkies and real pastries are on two totally different levels. The process of dough lamination is extremely laborious. There is really nothing wrong with buying in danish frozen- it is often cheaper and you don't have to worry about throwing out a whole batch because there was a mistake.

"Often cheaper" I'd love to have Gordon Ramsay come in and make a few choice comments about using/selling prepackaged foods in your restaurant, Remind me not to eat there either.

I happen to like to cook, I buy frozen phyllo dough as they make it better than I do, However that's a uncooked product, If I want a pastry and I'm paying 5 bucks for it I want a FRESH one not one frozen and stored for 6 months and zapped in a microwave which purports to be 'Fresh'.

If I want a half stale pastry I can go down to 7-11 and buy one in a wrapper for .79 cents, Or buy a whole case at Sams Club for 12.99

 

[emcclay]

I happen to like to cook, I buy frozen phyllo dough as they make it better than I do, However that's a uncooked product, If I want a pastry and I'm paying 5 bucks for it I want a FRESH one not one frozen and stored for 6 months and zapped in a microwave which purports to be 'Fresh'.

If I want a half stale pastry I can go down to 7-11 and buy one in a wrapper for .79 cents, Or buy a whole case at Sams Club for 12.99

No one ever makes phyllo from scratch. You'd be surprised at how many places, including mom and pop, that buy frozen danishes and croissants. If an establishment knows how to order correctly for the volume of business they do, the frozen pastries won't sit in the freezer for anywhere near 6 months. I am sorry you feel so strongly about this.

 

[wogwog]

"Often cheaper" I'd love to have Gordon Ramsay come in and make a few choice comments about using/selling prepackaged foods in your restaurant, Remind me not to eat there either.

I happen to like to cook, I buy frozen phyllo dough as they make it better than I do, However that's a uncooked product, If I want a pastry and I'm paying 5 bucks for it I want a FRESH one not one frozen and stored for 6 months and zapped in a microwave which purports to be 'Fresh'.

If I want a half stale pastry I can go down to 7-11 and buy one in a wrapper for .79 cents, Or buy a whole case at Sams Club for 12.99

How about serving nice fresh baked cinamon rolls hot out of the oven...oh wait, never mind, Starbucks had the ovens removed from the Main St. Bakery previously at that location.

 

[ford91exploder]

No one ever makes phyllo from scratch. You'd be surprised at how many places, including mom and pop, that buy frozen danishes and croissants. If an establishment knows how to order correctly for the volume of business they do, the frozen pastries won't sit in the freezer for anywhere near 6 months. I am sorry you feel so strongly about this.

No I would not be, you can TELL they were frozen by the mushy consistency of the pastry and the grainy feel of the filling, I pity your customers,

The 6 months is a reference to how long they sit in the freezer at 'Discount Pastries Inc, Your low cost supplier for Restaurant and Institutional customers,

When I am paying premium prices for food I want premium preparation and FRESH ingredients.

 

[emcclay]

No I would not be, you can TELL they were frozen by the mushy consistency of the pastry and the grainy feel of the filling, I pity your customers,

The 6 months is a reference to how long they sit in the freezer at 'Discount Pastries Inc, Your low cost supplier for Restaurant and Institutional customers,

When I am paying premium prices for food I want premium preparation and FRESH ingredients.

You have to be realistic and take a step back when you bring the process of lamination into the picture. Honestly, the majority of people cannot tell the difference between frozen and handmade. Frozen pastries are going to look much better and be more consistent versus the handmade variety. It's all about consistency.

 

[ford91exploder]

Everyone I have talked to who has tasted says they are better. The process is being standardized (no fresh versus Frozen store) the pastries are flash frozen right after coming out of the oven then heated on-site to bring it back to that fresh out of the oven flavor. (How exactly close it is I am slightly weary of but reading about flash freezing sounds like it will be darn close). I have heard nothing but good things and the pastries are beautiful compared to the current offerings (loaf breads are adorable individual loaves instead of sliced and seasonal offering will be much more intricate)

Having eaten both, The 'flash frozen' stuff always has a mushy texture as the cold pastry attracts humidity and absorbs extra water before its heated and the heating process also changes texture. Its just physics and pastries by their very nature are hygroscopic (they absorb water)

That's why the pastries at your local bakery usually have better texture and taste than the grocery store ones, which are usually the 'flash frozen' variety,

Unless humidity is controlled during 'defrost/reheat' cycle which is not done as it is prohibitively expensive for food service the pastry will be mushy.

 

[jaklgreen]

No one ever makes phyllo from scratch. You'd be surprised at how many places, including mom and pop, that buy frozen danishes and croissants. If an establishment knows how to order correctly for the volume of business they do, the frozen pastries won't sit in the freezer for anywhere near 6 months. I am sorry you feel so strongly about this.

Exactly. Most places do not make their own because it is so labor intensive and you really need to know what you are doing. I bet 99.999% of the croissants people have eaten have come frozen and there is no way you would be able to tell. It freezes best in its raw state and then baked at the location.If it is a good quality product that handles freezing well then I have no problem with it being frozen(and I am a pastry snob). It is much better to get good stuff in frozen then to have a bunch of people who don't know what they are doing mess it up and have it come out like crap. Oh and I worked in a bakery for years starting at 15 years old. Pastry making and bread baking is an art and takes years to master.

 

[emcclay]

Having eaten both, The 'flash frozen' stuff always has a mushy texture as the cold pastry attracts humidity and absorbs extra water before its heated and the heating process also changes texture. Its just physics and pastries by their very nature are hygroscopic (they absorb water)

That's why the pastries at your local bakery usually have better texture and taste than the grocery store ones, which are usually the 'flash frozen' variety,

Unless humidity is controlled during 'defrost/reheat' cycle which is not done as it is prohibitively expensive for food service the pastry will be mushy.

I'm sorry. But, all laminated dough pastries go through a humidity stage known as proofing.

 

[emcclay]

Exactly. Most places do not make their own because it is so labor intensive and you really need to know what you are doing. I bet 99.999% of the croissants people have eaten have come frozen and there is no way you would be able to tell. It freezes best in its raw state and then baked at the location.If it is a good quality product that handles freezing well then I have no problem with it being frozen(and I am a pastry snob). It is much better to get good stuff in frozen then to have a bunch of people who don't know what they are doing mess it up and have it come out like crap. Oh and I worked in a bakery for years starting at 15 years old. Pastry making and bread baking is an art and takes years to master.

Thank you.

 

[dadddio]

I'm sorry. But, all laminated dough pastries go through a humidity stage known as proofing.

I think that the poster's point is that the items would attract humidity during the time that it is being warmed from it's post-baked flash-frozen state, not prior to the item being baked and then flash frozen.

 

[emcclay]

I think that the poster's point is that the items would attract humidity during the time that it is being warmed from it's post-baked flash-frozen state, not prior to the item being baked and then flash frozen.

This is Florida- humidity is inevitable. Humidity is also a required stage in the steps of laminated pastries. Frozen or fresh, all laminated pastries go through the proofing stage. If a bread item is not proofed, it will not have the proper rise when baked. This will yield an extremely dense product.

 

[tare]

Bring back the old bakery.

 

[ford91exploder]

I think that the poster's point is that the items would attract humidity during the time that it is being warmed from it's post-baked flash-frozen state, not prior to the item being baked and then flash frozen.

Correct, When I have time I bake my own bread so I am very familiar with the process of proofing, I'm also familiar with the concept of 'dew point' where atmospheric water vapor condenses on objects colder than dew point, Add to that hygroscopic things like starches and sugars and well... its just physics and i guess its ok to have a lower quality product because 'most people can't tell the difference'

But these will be MARKETED as 'Fresh' pastries, Not 'Pre-frozen' 6 months or so ago and reheated so I guess in the new Disney scheme of things that's ok.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

This is all irrelevant to WDW. The only thing that will change is that the MK Bakery is going to serve Starbucks coffee and...

...oh wait. That's right, a complete Starbucks did move in.