Ravelin Bakery, Denton, TX

AS EASY AS PIE!
Take One Home for Thanksgiving

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

Have I got pies for you! Ravelin Bakery is baking pies, sweet pastries and other doughy delights to order for the holidays. With Thanksgiving less than a week away, make haste while the batter's hot. You'll be sure to impress the family with a crust that's flakier than Grandma's. But don't wait until the last minute to decide; it gets pretty busy in the Ravelin kitchen this time of year. Orders are available for pick-up through Wednesday, November 25 (except Monday when the store is closed).

Here's the Thanksgiving Menu:

9" Bread Pudding ~ $32.00
9" Old-fashioned Chocolate Cake ~ $40.95
Pecan Pie ~ $20.50
Chocolate Pecan Pie ~ $21.50
Pumpkin Pie ~ $13.75
Sweet Potato Pie ~ $13.75
Buttermilk Pie ~ $16.50
Key Lime Pie ~ $16.00
Apple Pie ~ $18.50
Cherry Pie ~ $23.00
Apple Almond Tart ~ $23.00
Cherry Almond Tart ~ $23.00
Cherry Struedel ~ $16.00
Apple Struedel ~ $16.00
Pumpkin Bread ~ $4.95
Mini Croissants (1 dozen) ~ $11.00

Cranberry Pecan Bread will also be available on the day before Thanksgiving in addition to Ravelin's fresh artisan breads, made with their own starter. Breads available daily include country sourdough, hearty five-grain, three seed, Bavarian rye, French loaf and baguettes.

Be on the lookout after Thanksgiving for Ravelin's holiday table, which will include baked goodies you can give as presents, such as packaged breads and cookies, fruitcake and traditional German Stollen.

Even if you don't need help with your holiday meals, stop by Ravelin's sometime for a sumptious breakfast pastry, cookie or coffee cake, and pour yourself a cup of coffee to go with. Ravelin also bakes cakes in a variety of sizes to order with one or two day's notice. While you're there, don't forget to pick up a loaf of one of the specialty breads--the list changes daily.

Ravelin Bakery is a not-so-secret secret. Owners Eric and Pamela Helland don't have to advertise, nor do they have a website. Nonetheless, the word is out. Since they opened their doors to Denton eight years ago, they built their success on providing quality baked goods made with whole, all natural ingredients, 100% from scratch. What more need I say?

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Ravelin Bakery
416 S. Elm Street, Denton, Texas
(940) 382-8561

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday ~ 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Sunday ~ 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Closed Monday

Thanksgiving Hours:
Closed Thursday & Friday, November 26 & 27
Open regular hours on Saturday & Sunday, November 28 & 29

Smashburger, Addison, Texas

SMASHBURGER IS A HIT!

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

Attention hamburger hounds! There's a new quick bite in town. Smashburger just opened its first Dallas location in the north suburb of Addison on Belt Line Road. With so many places to choose from along restaurant row, it might be tough for yet another to succeed. So what makes Smashburger special?

In fact, what the heck is a Smashburger?

It starts with a ball of fresh--not-frozen--100% certified Angus beef that's literally smashed on a buttered grill for ten seconds with a cookie-cutter-style press. This searing process locks in the juices, and then the meat patty is seasoned with Smashburger's garlic and herb mix. Put it on a soft Artisan-style bun and add the extras to order. The end result? A five-napkin burger that tastes as good or better than homemade--ready to eat in about six minutes. How can you beat that?

There's several variations on the Smashburger theme: the Classic, the All American, the Lonestar (developed especially for Dallas taste buds), the BBQ Bacon and Cheese, the Spicy Baja and the Mushroom Swiss. Or make your own from a combination of the menu-item ingredients.The best part? All of the ingredients are fresh, not frozen. The meat is delivered daily. The veggies aren't pre-packaged; they're cut on site. The seasonings and sauces are Smashburger's proprietary recipes. This is high-quality, cooked-to-order fast food.

What's a burger without fries? Smashfries are of the retro, shoestring style. They're deep-fat fried in tallow and oil, mixed with rosemary, extra virgin olive oil and garlic. The Sweet Potato Smashfries are made the same way, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. There's also the Chili, Cheese or combination Chili-Cheese Fries. Veggie Frites is a yummy, albiet greasy, fries substitute: a slightly-crunchy combination of flash-fried asparagus, carrot sticks and green beans. Another notable side is the tasty fried dill pickles served with a creamy buttermilk ranch dressing.

And what's a burger and fries without a shake? Take your pick of a vanilla, chocolate or strawberry shake or malt with the consistency of soft-serve, blended with whole milk and Haagen-Daz ice cream. The tangy fresh lime shake was not-too-sweet, and the classic root beer float could double for dessert.

Smashburger doesn't only serve up hamburgers. The Smashburger concept works for chicken as well. Unfortunately, most chicken sandwiches take a while to cook and are often dry as a result. Smashburger solves both problems by pounding the chicken breast thin first before searing. You could mistake the Smashchicken for a healthy option, but only if you ignore the butter. Hot dog lovers have three to choose from: Classic, Chili Cheese or DFW Dog, split and made to order, dolled up how you like it and served on a toasted poppy seed bun. If you don't eat meat, order one of three salads, but have 'em hold the bacon. Here too you can have it your way.

No Smashburgers near you? No worries. The two-year-old Denver-based chain is just getting started. Within the Dallas and Fort Worth metroplex, there's another thirty franchises on their way, and nationwide, there's hundreds more to come. Smashburger hasn't sold billions and billions of hamburgers--yet. But just wait. Smashburger is well on its way. 

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Smashburger
Belt Line Road & Dallas Parkway
4980 Belt Line Road, Addison, Texas 75254
www.smashburger.com (Order online through the Smashburger website)
(214) 884-1124
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily