Photo by Malissa Winkowski
Nate Meads is some kind of a pastry wizard. Before he and his partners Elaine Heaney (also his lovely wife) and Jared Nance opened Fritz Pastry I was a die-hard American bakery fan. Brioche? Gateau Breton? Stick it in your ear, Frenchy. I’ll have a big slice of chocolate cake with plenty of buttercream.
My problem wasn’t so much with the buttery breads and subtle flavors I’d come to associate with European pastry – it was the snoozefests I’d suffered at the hands of these foods. Mmm, tastes like… plain.
Yes, Nate is well known to be a technician, executing even the lowly muffin with the precision of a surgeon. But he’s no croissant-producing robot. He’s a young guy, a dare I say it… cool guy. And he’s managed, at least in my opinion, to breathe some new life into what I used to believe were stodgy old pastries.
I am not alone in this opinion. In fact, Nate was recently named one of the “Twelve Most Important Chefs Right Now” (alongside a couple of zeros named Rick Bayless and Rick Tramonto). He is also responsible for a vegan blueberry muffin that brought tears to The Urban Housewife‘s eyes, and he once made me a salad so scrumptious I completely forgot I was eating salad.
It doesn’t hurt Nate’s case in my book that his wife and business partner Elaine happens to be my peeps (a Joliet native) who may or may not have had a high school job in the Louis Joliet Mall with me. She also has a charming way of working Descendants lyrics into casual conversation. But don’t let the fact that she and I have shared Auntie Annie’s pretzels while wearing Mexican wrestling masks cloud your judgement, just take a gander at the press they’ve received in their single year in business and you’ll see that this charming little sweets shop is no joke.
In order to properly introduce you to a shop that I find cool on so many different levels, I asked Elaine (and Jared and Nate) few questions – ok, a shitload of questions – so hang onto your macarons because things are about to get freakin’ sweet. (Read all the way through and you’ll be rewarded with a chance to win something I know you’re going to want!)
Elaine, where and when did you meet Nate?
Nate and I met back in 1996 through a mutual friend, Bob Lanham, when we were attending junior college and Nate was in the culinary arts program.
I have a very vague memory of being told that Elaine had a boyfriend who worked at a doughnut shop. Is that true, and was it Nate?
Vegan treats shot by The Urban Housewife
It IS true. He baked at this doughnut shop in Bourbonnais and he smelled like doughnuts and sugar ALL of the time. My friends knew how much I liked eating and also that I did not know how to cook, so when they found out that he was a baker, they all told me that we were going to get married.
So when you guys first started spending a lot of time together, what were you both up to?
I was really focused on school for teaching children with disabilities. Nate was taking culinary classes for a little while, baking at the doughnut shop, cooking at this Mediterranean restaurant and, of course, playing in a band…skateboarding.
You guys just celebrated your 10 year anniversary – I’m dying to know if you ate anything/anywhere particularly fancy or exciting for that.
That’s super funny because we always make such a big deal about our marriage anniversary. We either host a nice party or go out to a really fantastic dinner with a ton of friends, but this year we’ve just been so devoted to the shop and we really spend so much time here. Well, when the big 10 year anniversary came around we worked open til close…so we just decided to grab Chinese from this hole-in-the-wall joint on Ashland, made our own little table in the back of the shop and the two of us had an awesome celebratory dinner.
Can we get a Wikipedia version of Nate’s culinary career so far?
Sitting on the counter watching his mom bake, fast forward–>>> baker at Donut Time in Bourbonnais–>>> pastries at Brasserie Jo–>>> pastries at The Everest Room –>>> pastries at TRU –>>> executive pastry chef at Blue Water Grill Chicago –>>> Fritz Pastry!
I really love the balance you guys have struck at Fritz of high-quality, impeccably crafted food, in a casual-but-elegant environment and then like – bam, the prices are totally reasonable. What kind of decisions did you have to make about the menu, the ambiance and the pricing before you opened? What was your philosophy while making those decisions?
Thank you for noticing that balance. The three of us (myself, Nate, and Jared) all wanted to create a space that we would want to patron ourselves. We envisioned serving the high-quality, made from-scratch food that you might get at Tartine in San Francisco, along with the small, but very important touches of service that you would get at the Payard that used to be on Lexington in New York. However, we would obviously prefer that our guests not have to pay inflated prices. Ultimately, we wanted to build a concept using quality and seasonal ingredients, and also an approachable, comfortable atmosphere that is affordable.
Before you were an owner, Elaine, you were a food blogger yourself. I remember reading your posts about traveling and eating. Do you keep up with your blogging anymore, or is Fritz a 24/7 operation?
True, I did blog about our destination eating! Sadly, we have not traveled for well over a year. Since the early planning stages of the pastry shop, we’ve been pretty devoted to staying close to Chicago and staying focused on the shop. However, we can look forward to reading Nate’s blog that he’s starting.
Of all the places you’ve traveled and eaten what’s your favorite food city? If you could instantly transport to any restaurant or pastry shop you’ve been to before, where would you go and what would you eat?
For Jared, its San Francisco. He really enjoys the northern California farmer’s market influence that is at every establishment. For Nate and myself, we absolutely are beyond stoked about New York and all of its food. Our favorite New York spots are ChikaLicious, John’s pizza by IFC on 6th, and Adour.
The chef and a wee fan snapped by Fritz Pastry
Where do Mr. and Mrs. Fritz Pastry dine most often in Chicago?
Nate could no doubt eat Coalfire pizza everyday and I could probably eat Ben Pao everyday….Ben Pao just has THE most flavorful vegetarian dishes.
From an outsider’s perspective, you guys have had a great first year. You’ve got a loyal clientele, lots of great press, you’ve got a great staff – looking back now how would you sum up your first year in business?
Well, 2009 was pretty awesome to say the least. The efforts and support from all of our friends and family really made this all happen. There was always a group of us here laboring away, staining tables and chairs, building shelving, knocking down tile… The warm response from the neighborhood and the media in Chicago is just overwhelmingly touching. Our staff is made up of all of our close friends, so that makes coming to “work” everyday more than enjoyable.
Nate – I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy both your sweet and savory creations; of the two, do you prefer to make one over the other? What is your general approach to your food?
I definitely enjoy making pastries much more than savory food. I think it has to do with the smell. The scent of a great savory sauce or dish can bring a certain amount of joy, but for me that moment when you can smell that a tart or a cake or a cookie is finished just by catching the aroma on the other side of the kitchen is magical. As for approach… I’d like to think that I aim for classic technique and time tested flavor combinations.
Tell me about FritzCakes – is that a traditional recipe or something you guys developed?
FritzCakes are Elaine’s recipes that have been adjusted here and there over the years. They’re just basically our style of cupcake that happen to be vegan…a little less sweet than other cupcakes with a touch of sweet/salty frosting.
Which of your items are you particularly proud of or a fan of? Is there something you could eat every day?
Jared’s favorite for sure is the blueberry muffin, in fact, he does have one every day. Nate is a big fan our croissants and springerle cookies. I would say my number one is the gateau breton, but because it is so intensely buttery I can only eat it once in awhile. The blueberry muffin is something I can definitely devour everyday.
Chicago has a lot of bakeries (thankfully) but not so many pastry shops – I think you guys filled a need for danish and croissants in Lakeview… have those been particularly popular?
Yes, its interesting because in so many cities there really are pastry shops EVERYWHERE and that is something we were really excited to contribute to Chicago. We
Lemon macaron by Fritz Pastry
definitely hope that our croissants and danish and brioche are quickly becoming neighborhood favorites. There is so much time and care that goes into each of those doughs. Nate and Sara spend hours and hours each day making sure that the doughs are perfect…and if they ever are not perfect, they get tossed.
Although you are not a “punk” pastry shop persay, I know you both from the 90’s Joliet/Chicago punk rock scene. In fact, I remember Elaine’s My Space profile picture from a few years back was a Black Flag cupcake you’d made. Other than always having a song I love playing in the shop, how do you think you’ve incorporated what you picked up from your punk rock roots into your business?
To all of us, music is totally special and inspiring. We play everything from Joey Cape to Cat Stevens to Smoking Popes…or pieces by Yann Tiersen to Joey Ramone to Miles Davis, yet all of the songs are so fitting to sipping on a cup of tea and eating a croissant in a European-inspired pastry shop. The punk subculture is essentially concerned with individual freedom and a non-conformist viewpoint…so here in the shop that could translate into creating what we want to create and serving what we want to serve. Trend and business-wise, it could seem wiser for us to open up a bakery filled with cupcakes and cookies, but we were more than comfortable with taking the risk of bringing lesser known pastries like pithivier to our Lakeview neighborhood because we really believe in what we do.
You carry loads of vegan pastries, most of which are “secretly vegan,” meaning that you don’t market them as such, and non-vegans buy them often. What are some of the vegan options in rotation and what made you decide to offer so many options? I know you blew Melisser’s mind when we stopped in, and she’s a tough one to impress! Has the tightly-knit Chicago vegan community picked up on your “secret” and started making regular purchases?
Well, Elaine was vegan for several years, and during that time we baked a lot and found that vegan sweets can be tasty if made well. We think it is a breath of fresh air for our neighborhood moms to be able to stop in and get a variety of affordable treats for their children who have egg or dairy allergies. The Chicago vegan community has been beyond supportive and do call and stop by regularly. Its great to be able to offer all of our vegan friends birthday cakes and doughnuts and muffins that they can really get excited about.
Before there was Fritz, I bought vegan cookies at a craft fair from you and our friend Malissa. How long were you two baking together?
Yes, Malissa, our good friend Missy and I started a company called the Invisible Wives several years ago. We ran it for about two years, mostly special order sales & selling our baked goods at hardcore shows. It was super fun, but because it wasn’t our main focus, we eventually became too busy with our “real-life” jobs to keep up with it.
You guys recently announced your mission to make 100 macaron flavors in one year. Where did this self-imposed challenge come from? I have to tell you, the editor-in-chief at Baking & Pastry North America told me that cupcakes are out, macarons are in. Do you think 2010 will be the year of the macaron? What flavors have you done so far and what are some interesting ones we can look forward to?
Every year should be the year of the macaron!! We were just looking at Twitter one evening and one of the feeds was from StarChefs.com asking what everyone’s New Year’s food resolution was …. and Nate just blurted out “to make 100 new flavors of macaron in the shop”. We decided that most of the flavors we do should come from our loyal guests’ requests. Immediately a long list of flavors collected: chocolate w/orange, rootbeer, and lemon poppyseed have been big hits. Pretty soon we’ll be seeing ginger and one made with Intelligentsia’s organic loose leaf masala chai.
You have a great tea menu, a rarity in Chicago pastry shops. I know you carry Intelligencia’s King Crimson tea – could you talk them into a custom King Diamond tea? Because that would be awesome. You could serve it with a danish because he’s the “great Dane.”
That’s a fantastic idea! We’ll pass that along with all of our fingers and toes crossed.
Photo by Martha Sarno
Elaine does a great job running your Twitter account – I love checking each morning to see what’s fresh out of the oven. Have you found it to be a valuable tool for gaining new customers as well as serving current customers?
Thumbs up to Twitter! So many people come over when they read the feed of what kind of danish is being served or what new soup we have for lunch. We really get excited about making things as convenient as possible for our guests…which is why we also added online ordering to our website. Event planners for offices can easily order breakfast pastries by the dozen for meetings…you can order birthday cakes online…someone in New York or California can order macarons to be shipped to their door! It is unbelievably convenient. Beyond that, soon we’ll be featuring some videos that illustrate from beginning to end on how to make croissants or macarons or whatever. At the end of the day, we want our guests to be as excited as we are to come back in the next morning.
And so you guys know, you can find out what’s hot out of the oven, and what the macaron flavor of the moment is by following Fritz on Twitter @fritzpastry.
Last question – this one is for all the aspiring pastry chefs reading – which cook books should every pastry chef have on his or her shelf?
There are a lot of really great books out there, but I would say Jacques Torres: Dessert Circus
Thanks so much to the folks at Fritz for letting me peek inside their kitchen! And now it’s your turn to be a fancy-shmancy pastry chef! Leave your suggestion for one of Nate’s 100 macaron flavors by 2/8/2010 and you’ll be entered to win a $50 gift certificate from Confectionery House! Choose from chocolate molds, top-quality baking ingredients, or even cute cupcake papers – $50 worth just for dreaming up a killer macaron. And as if that were not enough, Lucky Cupcakes Hairclips is also working on a Fritz-inspired hair bow for the special cowboy or cowgirl who wins the drawing! I’ll choose a winner at random next Monday.
(For some reason I blurted out that Fritz Pastry is in my neighborhood, Ravenswood when, in fact, they are in Lakeview. Wishful thinking.)
Thanks for playing everyone, the giveaway is closed! The (random) winner was Desiree with her suggestions: horchata, matcha and Hawaiian Punch! Enjoy your adorable Lucky Cupcake Hairclips bows and your $50 spending spree at Confectionery House!
great interview! i’m sad i have not yet had the time to check out fritz pastry, but i’m making it my goal to do so this month, hopefully within the next week.
i’m not sure which macaron flavors they’ve already concocted, but i would say a lemon-blueberry would be tasty, and i think a mexican hot chocolate macaron would be super delicious, giving it a weee bit of a kick.
and i agree with what you said on chicago tonight, i think it very well may be the year of the macaron. i see macarons popping up more and more, and last month at starbucks they were even selling pre-packaged macarons (not saying they’re good, but those macarons are really getting out there!)
I cannot wait to check out Fritz! My sister picked me up a few macarons and they were AWESOME! I hope to make it there myself in the next week or so..
I think a S’more flavor would be scrumptious!!!! =D
Loved the article!!!!
I’ve been following your site for a long time now. I just love what you do!!!! Keep it up!! <3
Fritz sounds scrumptious! I gotta get my butt out there. He has got to make a hibiscus (jamaica) flavored macaron. I tried once and failed. Gonna give it another try soon, but it would be nice if Fritz came up with one. Something that tastes like Tazo Passion tea would be divine! Yumm!
…and he can name it after me 😉
hows about something spicy like a mexican chocolate?
How about a vegan macaron?! I don’t know if it is even possible, given the reliance on egg whites, but a girl can dream, right?
Okay, so “vegan” isn’t a flavor. Maybe something with matcha and white chocolate, or something delicate and floral with jasmine and raspberry, or something boozy like bourbon pecan with dark chocolate, or maybe cherries and kirsch with dark chocolate and almonds, or something kitschy and American like a spin on PBJ . . .
I’m going to say anything vegan! Actually, if the Caramel Macarons I enjoyed in Paris could be replicated & be vegan, I would give just about anything.
Also, if anyone can do it, Nate can!
Ooh! Awesome interview & giveaway! So, I have this crazy obsession with Alfajores! It’s an Argentinian cookie sandwhich that consists of two buttery cookies that sandwhich a delicious layer of Dulce de Leche and then the whole thing is dipped in white chocolate! They’re ridiculously delectable! So I was thinkin’- how great would a macaron version of Alfajores be!?!?! I mean they’re practically related, being as they’re both from the cookie sandwhich family, yet they’re from totally different sides of the world! I say let’s make them one! 😉
I’ve been drooling over Fritz (Springerle is what first got my attention…I’m a good German girl) since their opening, but now my husband wants to go to so a visit in the near future is a must. I’m just sad we’ve already missed some great ones! Great interview!
My suggestions are: Honey/Lavender, Cherry/Coconut, Honeydew, and Nutella/Hazelnut.
I actually wrote my own blog post on this place and it was going to be my final blog for a while but then when I went to post it, it was gone. I suck at blog writing.
Anyways, this was awesome, I LOVE that place and wish I lived closer to them.
So, macaron flavors…pina colada: coconut on the outside, pineapple on the inside.
Strawberries and cream – it’d have to be vegan, of course. I’m yet to try making vegan macarons myself, as they’re the holy grail and I’ve no idea what a non-vegan one tastes like to be able to compare them if I did try making them… *sigh*
Oh, or Mountain Dew. I LOVE that stuff, and a Mtn Dew macaron would be such a weird combination of classy/trashy, French/American that I think it just might work!
Love Fritz Pastry! I’d like to try: lavender/chocolate, carrot, black sesame, durian or pecan macaroons.
What a great article, now I have to visit them. Before I started reading comments, I thought of a Mexican hot chocolate. I guess I’m not alone. I think the macaron itself should be cinnamon with a deep, dark chocolate filling. Mmmmmm. Thanks for the giveaway.
Oh maaaaan… macaroon flavour dreaming.. this early in the morning!? sweeeet.
1) Dr. Pepper… sweet with that perfect kick?! plus, it could be the colours of red velvet cake. rockin’ macaroon awesomeness
2) Cherry cheesecake.. cherry filling with cream-cheesy macaroon part
3) Lemon Cardamom.. just plain yum
4) Kiwi vanilla!
Cheers!
Fritz Pastry looks off the charts!!! Hope to get there someday and sample their delicious looking pastries! Kudos to you for bringing them to our attention. BTW, both you girls are so flippin’ cute! Loved seeing the video!
I seriously don’t think anyone is going to be able to top Mountain Dew. So awesome!
But aside from my already mentioned Mint/Chocolate, Thai Iced Tea would be pretty delicious. I love that stuff.
I had no idea what a macaron was until I read this post and decided you couldn’t possibly be spelling macaroon incorrectly ;-)I’ve never had one of these delights, but my flavor suggestion would be a kahlua-infused cake with coconut creme (a macaroon macaron, if you will): either drizzled with or dipped in dark chocolate.
Standard peanut butter and chocolate, or maybe banana peanut butter. Great interview!
Um…I think part of my tax return may be used to fly to Joliet and shack up at this place for a few days.
That was an awesome interview. I wish I was in Chicago. The first thing that came to me was tres leche or bacon/chocolate.
My vote goes for a horchata macaron. Fritz Bakery looks great, I need to find something in this crazy Los Angeles town just like it!
I love your blogs so much; they always make me smile. <3 I have yet to visit Fritz's, but I'm tempted to make the drive in and soon!!
I would love to try a dark chocolate and lavender macaron, i LOVE that flavor combination. Also maybe a lemon raspberry, or cherry almond.
Enjoy your day!!
~S.
i’m dying to try my hand at macarons since i saw bakerella’s post about them. i think a matcha/green tea one could be nice and tasty (and the green would be so pretty)
I am thinking almond with orange blossom!!!! lovely, delicate and fresh ~ after this long dreary winter I need something to wake up my taste buds 🙂
mmm cupcake flavored macaroon
hot chocolate macaroon
hot buttered rum macaroon 😀
P.S. i am sooo stopping by here on my next trip to chicago lol im only 100 miles away so close yet so far! lol
k my macaroon dream flavour is….. burnt marsmallows
After reading this, I want to visit Fritz Pastry more than words can say. I have now made it my sole mission in life. I wish to fill my face with all these tasty treats.
I’ll trade my sister for a peanut butter macaron, please.
Fritz Pastry sounds dreamy!
I think a Chocolate Macadamia Macaroon would kick butt.
Since Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper were already suggested, I’m gonna go with:
1. Heath Bar/Skor i.e., Dark Chocolate/Toffee
2. Butterscotch
3. Peanut butter/Banana
*FritzLOVE*
Great interview! And great flavor suggestions (love the hot chocolate, dr. pepper and mountain dew suggestions especially), but I would like to offer something a bit more old skool with the sugary sweet…how about strawberry colada? A strawberry cookie on one side (in pink), a yellow pineapple cookie on the other side with a bright white coconut flavored filling—YUM! Or, what about a cherry-limeade macaron? Pink (and sweet) cherry cookies with bright and tart lime green filling—YUM!
I’d love a mango lime flavored macaroon.
1. Horchata
2. Matcha
3. Hawaiian Punch
I’d like to see some: salted caramel/browned butter macaroons, pistachio and dark chocolate, or a twix inspired macaroon.
Balsamic Vinegar and Strawberry? or strawberry and mint (herbal though, not artficially minty)… Or maybe peaches and cream?
banana/chocolate chip…….. yummy down on this!
My favourite Laduree macaron flavour is passion fruit, but I think something of a kir royal (creme de cassis and champagn) flavour would be yummy
I want an oatmeal raisin sunflower seed coconut macaroon! And I want it now!
something with cardamom, maybe a cashew cardamom or lime cardamom. Mmmm…lavender berry sounds yummy. I didn’t come up with this one on my one–strawberry/rose–a bakery near me has it and it is DIVINE!
I have to say, I do miss living in Chicago and I’m due for a visit. Fritz will definitely be on the list of stops this next time!
Ooooo, how about a pineapple coconut with orange filling, kind of like a Bahama mama in macaroon form. Or something with booze, like a kahlua flavored one.I’d be down with that.
I would love to see a pomegranate macaroon (vegan for me, please!)!
I’d have to say either a neopolitan macaron (one side vanilla, one side strawberry, ganache filling) or my all time favorite of chocolate-peanutbutter.
fritz will definitely be included in my next chicago trip! can’t wait!
i would love to try blood orange with chocolate, curry, mexican hot chocolate, or grape with peanut or almond. vegan for me please! yum!
i can’t wait to try this amazing blueberry muffin….
OK, I am gonna go simple with this because I thats just how I roll…. I’ve always seen macarons with almonds in the batter so I wanted something that works with almons- so my thought is Pear and Caramel 🙂 Now I want one…..
Great post. I love the Q & A format. I’ll have to go out and do that! Fritz Pastry makes me so jealous, I want to start my pastry/sweet shop RIGHT now. lol (Still waiting for the MasterChef people to call me back. *fingers crossed*)
Hmmm, flavors, it’s all about the flavors…. Toasted marshmallow was a good one! My suggestion would be a pumpkin cookie with chili powder/cayenne ganache filling (do Macarons do ganache?). It sounds wonky, but it does well in a sweet bread-with-topping format. Or, for something more light and herbal, a lavender cookie with honey filling.
Man, I’ve been wanting to try my hand at macarons since we visited a local shop, Sucre on Magazine Street, maybe now I’ll have to!
I like the purple candy ribcage shirt…nice indeed
would love a simple strawberries and cream or banana cream pie Macaron.
I’ve never been to Fritz. I’ll have to check it out! I’m on a peanut butter kick, so I say peanut butter…or a slightly spicy chocolate chili pepper. 🙂
chocolate and peanut butter is a favorite combo or raspberry and chocolate!
Pina Colada! and or Lemon Coconut Creme
Darn- why must I live in DC, so far away! Now I have another place to add to my “next time I’m in Chicago” list.
I love coconut flan, so I think a coconut-caramel filling macaron would be sweet. Or maybe lemon with blueberry filling!
Plum? I love plum/prune filling in paczki…why not macroons?
Hello! I found your blog recently and I have been in awe of your fantastic pictures and baking ideas since. And I think a red bean macaroon would be sweet!
i think pomegranate would be an amazing macaron flavor.
garlic ranch! seriously on the long beach peninsula in washington they have a garlic festival where they sell garlic icecream and chocolate covered garlic so i think a garlic ranch or chocolate garlic would be super yummy!
Sweet Jesus, Fritz Pastry’s Flickr is my dream come true.
I’ve always wanted to try a kind of Creamsicle flavored French macaron. A light orange exterior and creamy vanilla goodness inside. That would be phenomenal.
How about strawberry dipped in dark chocolate. Yumm!
Anything with citrus. Maybe an orange or lime with a dark chocolate filling.
cuban grandma style rice pudding – yummmmmm
Oooh, good interview… and thank you for the cook book question!
How about a dark chocolate and pomegranate flavored one?
Great interview….sooo happy about the vegan treats! My son will be thrilled!
Have you made dulce la leche macaroons?
Lori
anything with a pineapple woule be so wonderful 🙂
Awesome interview!
Hmmm… Carmel macchiato flavor orrrrrr peach tea flavor!
I would love a chocolate chip flavor!