NVM Review

Best of the US II: Boston Cream Pie - Top Notch

By Warren Rojas

Though their seasonal fruit offerings remain the biggest draw, a Mom’s manager says Boston cream pies are year-round favorites. “We actually have those seven days a week,” she notes.

Shell: golden cake (terrific sponginess)

Filling: homemade egg custard brings the sweet

Bonus: chilled chocolate ganache is, quite literally, the icing on the cake

By Warren Rojas

This family-owned and operated, local bakery chain is as American as, well, mom and apple pie. The Leesburg outpost looks like little more than a humble shack fighting for attention from the historic downtown area. But inside awaits a world of thoroughly modern goodies with just a pinch of nostalgia thrown in for good measure.

The shelves are stocked with loaves of artisan breads, including signature offerings like an alluring sunflower crunch loaf and a kitchen-sink creation known as the honey-whole wheat-raisin-apple loaf. Bakery standards like whole wheat (delivers a mouthful of fresh grains in every bite) are also present.

A nearby display case is overrun with items like designer cookies, assorted cobblers, specialty quiches (spinach, asparagus and Lorraine) and fresh strawberries, as well as individual slices of fresh rhubarb, sour apple and bourbon-walnut pies.

An oh-so-sweet whoopie pie clamps a pair of spongy chocolate cookies around a mass of sweet cream frosting (sticklers be warned: this is definitely not your run-of-the-mill whipped cream or marshmallow fluff filling). A saucer-sized black and white cookie comes shellacked in equal parts vanilla frosting and rich chocolate fudge. Or shake off the sugar high with either ham and cheese-or spinach and feta-filled croissants.