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Category: Renato Poliafito

STILL THE BEST BROWNIE OF THEM ALL–“BAKED” BROWNIES

STILL THE BEST BROWNIE OF THEM ALL–“BAKED” BROWNIES

Renato Poliafito and Matt Lewis built their bakery “Baked” in Red Hook, Brooklyn on this brownie. Sumptuous, chocolate-rich, and slightly fudgy, the “Baked” Brownie is for purists.  Both “America’s Test Kitchen” and NBC’s Today Show crowned this brownie as Best Brownie. Now the world is…

THANKSGIVING 101: PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES

THANKSGIVING 101: PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES

Thanksgiving Desserts at our house From left to right: Caramel Apple Pie, Sables, Pear, and Honey Cake, Southern Pecan Pie, Chocolate Tart  Chewing the Fat gets regular read-outs of what people are looking at and searching for most.  It came as no great surprise that…

These Lemon-Almond Meringue Tarts made their Baker a Star

These Lemon-Almond Meringue Tarts made their Baker a Star

Their almond-flavored crust, lemon curd, and marshmallow meringue make a star turn every time you bake them. Matt Lewis was an adman who fell in love with baking. And he fell hard. With his partner Renato Poliafito, he turned their hobby into a bakery called…

Lemon Lemon Loaf Pound Cake and a reminiscence of Sara Lee.

Lemon Lemon Loaf Pound Cake and a reminiscence of Sara Lee.

This simple Lemon Lemon Loaf Pound Cake brings back memories of Sara Lee herself. The ‘crumb’ of this Lemon Lemon Loaf, a pound cake, gives it a richness and depth of flavor that’s unlike any other cake.  Infused with lemon flavor and enriched with sour…

The Winners of The Hampton Classic have been announced!  And one of them is these Rosemary Apricot Squares from Baked!

The Winners of The Hampton Classic have been announced! And one of them is these Rosemary Apricot Squares from Baked!

The annual Hampton Classic Horse Show is history.  This season-ending spectacle is the punctuation mark on our summer season. And we love it even if  it marks the end of a wonderful summer here.  Of course, the focus is on the horses and their riders. …

Where to find the Best Lobster Roll in the whole country, the best Baked Goods in New York City and how to get there for Free!

         Earlier this spring, Andrew and I set off on one of our city adventures.  We headed to Red Hook, Brooklyn, known to be a hipster haven and now, sadly, likely better known for having been flooded out by Hurricane Sandy.  The place took a…

Presenting "The Aunt Sassy", Pastachio Layer Cake from Baked Explorations

It’s been too long since we shared a terrific baking recipe with you. For that I apologize. But after our Christmas baking binge, our house baker has been taking a long rest.  In truth, all our baking is done out at the Beach.  And for…

Baked’s simply incredibly delicious Sweet and Salty Chocolate Cake

Baked’s simply incredibly delicious Sweet and Salty Chocolate Cake

There’s a new shop that just opened practically across the street from us.  Across town, on the East Side, it’s called “The Best Chocolate Cake in the World”.  Somehow, on the West Side, it’s morphed into “Choco Bolo” (2058 Broadway between 70th  and 71st  Streets). Perhaps the…

The Ultimate Hampton Classic Cookies

The Ultimate Hampton Classic Cookies

         As promised earlier this week, this Chewing the Fat is all about the phenomenal cookies Andrew baked for the Hampton Classic, our annual Horse Show that’s a fixture of our summer calendar.  People raved about them!  And small wonder.  Andrew went all out to…

New York-Style Crumb Cake from Baked Explorations

New York-Style Crumb Cake from Baked Explorations

Crumb Topping Actual Size    Those boys from Brooklyn, Renato Poliafito and Matt Lewis, are no strangers on Chewing the Fat.  We just can’t get enough of their spectacular baking recipes from not one, but two great cookbooks: “Baked” (Stewart, Tabori and Chang 2008) and “Baked Explorations” (Stewart,…

Whoopie Pies from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

         Politics has always fascinated me.  The wonderful things that our government concerns itself with leave me in awe. Take for instance the recent decision by the Maine State Legislature to declare the Whoopie Pie the state dessert.  This has led to…

Peanut Butter and Banana Cream Pie

        The boys at Baked, Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, were inspired to create this dessert by the King himself.   Elvis’s obsession with Peanut Butter is well known.  I first read about it when my friend Yvonne gave me “Are You Hungry Tonight?” by the…