Visiting the Poached Pair

Summer, 10 am in Santa Clarita doesn't lend to longings of hot beverages. But after15 years of trying American pastries I have found that an unadulterated hot beverage is the perfect weapon to combat the sweetness that dominates the scones, cup-cakes, biscotties and all that morning fare. So, I ordered a hot coffee at The Poached Pair this morning, no cream or sugar. After that, I ordered one each of their cranberry orange and maple oatmeal scones. I got a bacon-cheddar-chive one to go as well. Marcie rang my order on her I-pad and with a touch of the screen a drawer opened underneath the impecable grey marble countertop and she gave me a receipt and change. I put some change in a tin cup labeled "tips" and noticed a perfecty woven basket holding some yellow and green summer squash onsale for 50 cent each.
I sat close to the bay window overlooking Lyons Avenue Memories of early dates at the old Java and Jazz in the Victoria Plaza flooded my brain, and I reached for the comfort of the cranberry scone. I tasted the crispy airy crumb of the scone and tangy bits of cranberry wrapped in the orange-sugary glaze. The mouth was happy to taste all things at once and sweetness was only part it.  It wasn't super sweet. My coffee weapon was not needed. I was disarmed.  I tried the maple oatmeal scone too. That was another level of comfort. The type you need on a cold day. The rich maple and chewy oatmeal made this scone taste almost like a cookie. Marcie the owner, had come close by and asked me what I thought. We talked about their pastries the other part of the pair. Her daughter who had graduated culinary school one year ago. She said her daughter had gone to Costco to get the butter they forgot to order from their normal vendor Altadena. She said Fridays are service days; sure enough in addition to the other customers, the place was busy with the mail-person, gas-person, icemaker-service person and so on. 

A lady from Camarrilo walked in with her daughter. She said they had dropped the boys at Magic Mountain and had come to taste the cupcakes they followed through the shop's facebook page. We all talked about the process of making the frosting. Marcie mentioned that for the strawberry cupcakes she has to make a swiss cream and then add a few extra steps once adding the strawberries. It is labor intensive and time-consuming so she and her daughter have resisted opening the venue at night or have  live music like Java 'n Jazz once had.  They have chosen to focus on their craft. I found that admirable.  I learned that they had opened on a Friday nine weeks ago and have celebrated the opening every week. I hope they continue to do so. Next week I plan to go and try their biscotti.