PASTRY
Rise and Shine with Springtime
Sweets Pastry chefs give a morning boost to their menus with innovative breakfast pastries. By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor
THERE’S A SPRING AWAKENING at the brunch table, where standard breakfast pastries are being enhanced with fresh flavors to reinvigorate taste buds. After a long winter and a challenging time in general, chefs are especially motivated to help members start their day with a satisfying breakfast. Here’s how some are redefining what makes the perfect companion to a cup of coffee or tea for the coming season.
FRESH AND FOCUSED At Midland (Mich.) Country Club (MCC), concentrating on old standards has proved beneficial for Pastry Chef Samantha Schuhmacher. After completing her culinary school externship at the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh, Pa., Schuhmacher has spent the last 10 years at Midland. Having been named 30
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Club + Resort Chef
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March 2022
Pastry Chef nearly two years ago, she has come to know members’ preferences. “I stick to MCC classics; that is what membership wants, looks for and expects,” she says of her roster of sticky buns, Danishes, muffins and quick breads. This spring, Schuhmacher is planning to enhance her lineup of Danishes, muffins and turnovers with a variety of seasonal fruits. “I love blueberries [because] they give pastries a beautiful pop of color,” she says. Combinations of raspberry/lemon and strawberry/rhubarb will round out other pastry selections. On the Easter brunch menu, MCC members can expect to see more of their favorites, including scones, muffins, cinnamon rolls
and quick breads. While MCC makes most of its pastry in-house, Danishes are currently outsourced—something that Schuhmacher is hoping to change in the coming months. Also on the agenda is an updated banquet pastry menu that includes nutritious choices. “I want to expand our healthier options, using more natural sugars like maple syrup and honey,” she says. A house-made granola bar, a current www.clubandresortchef.com
