When our two favourite (Outsider) tarts told us about their plans to tour Texas on a great baking tour, we were hooked. When they promised a bite-by-bite diary of their adventure, cake and all, we were sold.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be bringing you updates from their travels as they taste their way around Texas, from Houston to Amarillo, Laredo to Austin. But first find out how it all started from “the two Davids” of Outsider Tart, a bakery in Chiswick…
David Lesniak and David Muniz of Outsider Tart
We’re living the American Dream. Or should we say baking the American Dream. As expats, of course. The we in question is two Davids, one Lesniak, one Muniz, who emigrated to London in 2005. D Muniz had an opportunity to run a radio station and D Lesniak (your typist) managed to fall in love with him prior to departure.
After meeting in 2002 whilst living in New York City, we enjoyed a modicum of success in our chosen professions: DM was a successful serial entrepreneur in gay social media and I fretted over the design details of clients’ homes. Like many, ours was a food-centric courtship especially with all the Big Apple’s culinary delights, be it a local greasy spoon (read diner) to the best of the best, which we were fortunate enough to enjoy. An initial date was at a now-defunct restaurant called Harvest (actually it was called ‘Inside’ at the time, but why quibble. Did he mention I am much younger? – DM), owned and chef-ed by Anne Rosenzweig in the West Village. The waiter was a bit stunned when we ordered as we couldn’t decide and the only obvious solution was to order what we wanted which, as it happened, was enough for a double date only there was no double. It made perfect sense then and now: If it appeals, try it.
The famous Elvis sandwich
This particular mantra extended into the shared weekend activity of cooking. DM, henceforth referred to as Other David or OD as friends and family have come to tolerate, was a newbie in the kitchen. My first dinner was some elaborate affair, the result of intensive research, hunting for ingredients, slaving over the stove, sweating in front of the oven and exquisitely plating the dish. His first dinner was a grilled sandwich plopped on a plate. An Elvis, at that. Followed by grilled baloney and peanut butter. (I would like to add here that it was a peanut butter, jelly AND fried baloney sandwich, OD) Wowie, did I hit the jackpot?!? This guy was a keeper.
The peanut butter and baloney sandwich
To be fair, the Elvis (peanut butter, honey, bacon and banana grilled in a pan with butter) was delicious. The baloney thing, not so much. But OD admitted being a bit baffled by the more loosey-goosey side of cooking and having grown up in Mississippi, he knew a thing or two about sweets. I suggested he try baking since I thought it would appeal to his somewhat compulsive side not to mention his taste buds and I knew it would appeal to, how shall I say, me. Soon enough we were weekend warriors in the kitchen, baking and frosting and eating enough for a small army.
Mabel and Otis
OD’s radio career started before our two dogs, Mabel and Otis, were finished with UK quarantine protocol so for six months we busied ourselves independently baking on both sides of the Atlantic. At that time it was even possible to ship cakes abroad so, of course, we tried that, too. Our work colleagues quickly became taste testers and their thumbs up added fuel to our oven fire.
Come back Monday for the next instalment: Two (Outsider) Tarts in Texas: The Big Move…
Diva Month