Everyone knows that our cookies are the hottest treats in town, but now Levain is getting even cooler. That’s right friends- Levain Bakery will soon officially be air conditioned! Amazingly enough, we have been operating out of our Upper West Side location sans AC since 1995…that’s fifteen Manhattan summers, for the record!… and with those ovens constantly opening and closing to deliver the freshest and most delicious cookies in the world- well, let’s just say it hasn’t quite been sugar and spice and everything nice with temperatures upwards of 90 degrees. Even though we like to think of ourselves as tough cookies around here…you know what they say, if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen!… I can safely tell you that we’re all nothing short of ecstatic to welcome the new addition to the bakery. 

 

Installation’s going to take some time, but with any luck, we should be beating the heat by the time the solstice rolls around. Stop in soon, and you may even catch the staff doing a little happy dance as they pack away the fans and bid farewell to mountains of melting cookie dough. And don’t worry- even though it’ll be a bit cooler in here, those cookies are still going to be warm out of the oven!

So come and chill out with us all summer long…what could be sweeter?

Peace/love

Tallulah is ready to bake!

One of favorite customers is looking for a job.  She’s hired!  Thanks Marc for for sharing T’s love with us everyday.  Tallulah is one of the girls, always up for a cookie.

you@levainbakery.com

We appreciate and love how many people share their experiences and photos of their bakery visits online, on their blogs.  It is great and always fun to read them.  If you would like to share them with us directly you can send them to us at you@levainbakery.com. 

Emily, who calls herself “a big fan from Washington DC” recently sent us a link to her blog http://www.wildandcrazypearl.com/2009/06/livin-la-vida-levain.html as well as inviting us to share some of her photos from Flickr which we will are doing now!

Thank you Emily!

Barcelona

As many of you know we, at Levain Bakery, are animal lovers in a big way!  In addition to loving meeting all of your favorite animals and giving them treats (when allowed) we  all (almost) have pets of our own. 

 

One of our best friends, Dr. Jennifer Katz, is a fabulous vet who, lucky for us, happened to move out in the Hamptons, shortly after we opened our Wainscott location.  Along with Dr. Katz’ help we have started to try to trap and spay/neuter some of the many feral cats around the Wainscott Bakery.  For the past two years we have accidently ended up with the kittens of some of these cats (long story) who the Veterinary Clinic of East Hampton (www.vetcliniceh.com) has been kind enough to take, care for, and get adopted.  Colin, from the Seafood Shop, says he sees tons of these cats around his shop as well. 

 

Our Vet Clinic in the city, Manhattan Cat Specialists (www.manhattancats.com) , also sometimes has beautiful cats and kitties who need homes if you would like to adopt.

 

So, I guess the point of this is a plea to make sure that everyone you know gets their animals spayed and neutered, as well as adopting from shelters rather then breeders.  There are so many amazing animals who need loving homes.  If you would like to make a donation, please consider the Veterinary Clinic of East Hampton, to help them with this enormous project of trying to care for all the animals out East who need help and, for one reason or another, have no funding.

Al Bertram

Our beloved Bertram is finally home after being away for the past couple of months.  Bertram and his sweet dog Cody serve as our greeters, answering all bakery inquiries out front, in the evenings, after we are closed.  

Since the day we opened Betram has been a good friend and great fun.   And, we are not the only ones who think so!  Our block is an amazing community of people and friends.  We truly have an amazing neighborhood and have fulfilled our dreams of being a neighborhood bakery. 

We have been able to get to meet new babies and watch them grow up into teenagers, we meet people who then move on to new apartments (as we all do in NYC) but they stay in touch and come back to visit and then we have all of our other wonderful visitors from around the city, the country and the world!  It is truly wonderful to meet so many amazing people. 

And now, thank goodness, Bertram is back, as the pillar of our block!

Fresh bread and a picnic

 

With the kick off of Memorial Day, summer is officially here. Well, somewhat. We have still had some chilly days but we have had some real beautiful ones- and one of my favorite things to do on a beautiful day is have a picnic.

We are so blessed to live in a city with so many great parks around, one of my favorite being Fort Tryon Park in Washington Heights. How great it is to pack a blanket, grab some friends and head over to any of the great parks this city has to offer and just relax! One of the most important elements of a great picnic is the food and one of the most important things to have is a loaf of fresh bread.

Our bread, here at Levain, is baked fresh everyday. They are all delicious …..My favorites for a picnic are the baguettes or a crusty ciabatta… Pair that up with some great salumi (my favorite- mortadella from Salumeria Rossi) and some cheese and I’m a very happy person. Of course, we cannot forget an ice coffee and a chocolate chip walnut cookie to end the meal. Soooooo good!!!!!!

So make sure to stop by next time you are preparing for next picnic-grab some bread and don’t forget to grab some sweets and you will be all set! Have fun!

Tom

 

 

Tom has just started working at the bakery in the last month or so. He has adapted very quickly and has become one of the gang in no time. Tom is an aspiring comic and loves films. We are all looking forward to knowing more about Tom as he spends more time at the bakery. This questionnaire helped us all know a little more about him too!

 

 

Name:  Tom Levin

 

What’s your sign?  Libra

 

Where did you grow up?   Highland Park, IL (just outside of Chicago)

 

How long have you lived in New York City?  Just over a year

 

How long have you been working at Levain Bakery?  2 weeks!

 

What’s your favorite color?  Blue

 

What’s your favorite thing at the bakery?  The bread. Ciabatta is probably my favorite

 

Cat or Dog?   Cat for sure. I love dogs too though

 

If you could be a cookie package, where would you want to be shipped?  Sweet home Chicago

 

What smells the best when it’s in the oven? The scones smell pretty amazing. I haven’t been around yet when they take the bread out in the morning. I highly suspect that would also be lovely.

 

Chocolate Chip Walnut or Chocolate Chocolate Chip?   I can’t do it. It’s like Sophie’s Choice

 

What’s your favorite song played at the baker? So far, White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes

 

 What’s your least favorite song played at the bakery? I’m pretty sure I heard the Goo Goo Dolls the other day. Ugh.

 

.If you could be one thing in the bakery, what would you be and why?  I’d turn into a cookie to know how they feel. Then I would eat myself.

 

Make a statement that best defines you: I don’t know if it defines me, but here’s a quote I love:” Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter.” Oscar Wilde

Thoughts of Summer…….

It isn’t summer yet but today was even better here in the city!  Spectacular and sunny, not too hot.  The perfect day for an iced coffee and cookie!  The perfect type of weather to wander around the city.

 

And, judging by this photo, which I just received via email, it is also the perfect time to take a road trip to the East End of Long Island.  The summer crowds are not around yet but everything is open and you can enjoy what I think are the most beautiful beaches in the world.  The ocean side or the sound side of the Island, both are gorgeous.  As a Long Island girl I know I am a bit biased, but I have seen some other parts of this country, and the world, and I still think where I grew up is the most beautiful place in the world!  Nothing else compares.  If you have some time check it out.  We have almost all the same delicious goodies in Wainscott plus some others!

Aurelio

 

 

Aurelio works out in our Hamptons location during the spring-summer season. I really don’t have the pleasure of working with him that often only when I make the occasional visit out there. He is always very cheerful and ready to make us the BEST lunches!! Aurelio is an extremely talented artist when he is not at the bakery and has painted some beautiful portraits of the beauty surrounding the Wainscott location.  (www.AurelioTorresart.com)

 

 

Name:  Aurelio (aka -the bug)

 

What’s your sign?  Sagittarius

 

Where did you grow up?   Uruguay and NYC (SOHO)

 

How long have you lived in New York City?   Live in Wainscott/NW Woods

 

How long have you been working at Levain Bakery?  Working?

 

What’s your favorite color?  Purple

 

What’s your favorite thing at the bakery?  Iced Cap

 

Cat or Dog?   Dog!

 

If you could be a cookie package, where would you want to be shipped? Sardegna

 

What smells the best when it’s in the oven?  Sour cream coffee cake

 

Chocolate Chip Walnut or Chocolate Chocolate Chip?   CCW (protein)

 

What’s your favorite song played at the bakery?   TKO!

 

 What’s your least favorite song played at the bakery? One of those girl bands

 

Make a statement that best defines you:  Nothing is a sure thing until it is history.

Laura and Tina

“Hi Folks- We traveled all the way from Dutchess County to enjoy your wonderful baked goods. And of course took plenty of chocolate chip cookies home. Thanks for the goodies. Laura and Tina”

Thank you for sharing your visit with us!