“It’s a rustic little pastry that is caramely and crunchy and not particularly pretty. They don’t seem to stand out in the case as much, but I want people to know how delicious they are, so I often give them away to people willing to try them. And I have converted a lot of people, but I can only give away so many of them a day,” Jeremy says with a chuckle. The Bakery Lorraine canelé shines as an example of why this bakery is so special. It showcases world-class pastry skills, investment in community (through local sourcing), and a generous connection to customers.
Although these days Jeremy and Anne rarely get to work together like they used to, they still love to pop out of the kitchen to greet customers and help staff during busy hours. Both have the quiet air of bakers who understand intense focus and dedication to the craft, and yet, they are at ease and at home in this space and want it to feel inclusive for everyone.
“This place is more than the sum total of us,” says Anne. “We give the staff the opportunity to create—something we didn’t have when we were coming up in the business—and the customers probably have the most input.” To that end, the staff bakers have created San Antonio Spurs-themed macarons for NBA playoff celebrations, and Jeremy and Anne have trained a passionate dishwasher who transformed her career and now holds a pastry position at a prominent restaurant. It’s all about creating a space for everyone.
“We were of course influenced heavily by Bouchon,” Jeremy says, discussing building the bakery of his dreams. “I don’t know anyone who worked there that was not influenced by Thomas Keller. All three of us love French pastry, so we are also influenced by the French. And I had a vision of [our bakery as] an elementary school classroom, warm and bright.”
The classroom sensibility goes beyond the bakery’s design of a space. For employees, it is a classroom in which to collaborate, and for guests, a place where they can teach their taste buds about the joys of perfect pain au chocolat—its buttery layers surrounding a chocolate center—or revel in bostock, a brioche soaked in orange blossom water and frangipani topped with toasted almonds. For others, the lesson might be about canelé—from the generously enthusiastic hand of one of the owners. Sweet schooling, indeed, in San Antonio.
