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Floriole Cafe & Bakery

We’ve got Tricks and Treats Galore Please stop by and show us your costume on Thursday. All kids in costume will get a special spooky treat! Thanksgiving Thanksgiving ordering is live! Be sure to place your order sooner than later. We are making a limited number of each item and will sell out before Thanksgiving. Click on the button below to view the menu and place an order. As always, our menu items are made with organic flour from Janie’s Mill and Lonesome Stone Mill, organic sugar, Kilgus Farmstead dairy, Ellis Family Farm apples, potatoes and winter squash from Green Acres, cage-free vegetarian fed eggs and lots of love. If you have any questions about ingredient sourcing please email us. ORDER FOR THANKSGIVING Baker & Author Daniel Leader in Conversation with Halee and John Wepking of Meadowlark Organics November 17th 3pm-5pm at Floriole Daniel Leader is a pioneer of artisanal bread baking in the United States and one of its most beloved icons. The founder of Bread Alone, a bakery in Woodstock, New York, that has sourced organic flour from day one of operation. Leader has been a passionate advocate for quality made baked goods, traditional methods, sustainable sourcing and environmental stewardship. He’ll join farmers and AGC Partner Members, Halee and John Wepking of Meadowlark Organics, to discuss his new cookbook, LIVING BREAD: Tradition and Innovation in Artisan Bread Making. Leader’s extensive research for LIVING BREAD took him to farms, mills, laboratories, and bakeries in France, Italy, and Germany, where he met with experts, discussed current practices (wheat farming, advances in milling, sourdough starters, mechanics of mixing dough), and baked alongside them. The result is a cookbook filled with the latest and most relevant information when it comes to making today’s best artisan bread so that home bakers may achieve professional results at home. Floriole will provide bread samples. City Lit will have books available to purchase and Leader will sign them after the discussion. Not able to attend the event? Purchase the book here. PURCHASE TICKET FOR DANIEL LEADER EVENT Goodbye Politan Row Come visit our West Loop pop-up location at  Politan Row before we pack and leave. November 10th will be our last day behind the stall. After that, you will be able to get our pastries when you get your coffee at the Passion House stall or you can come to our store at 1220 W Webster in Lincoln Park. A Mostly Veggie Affair November 7th The best foodie event of the season, A (Mostly) Veggie Affair, is calling your name on November 7th. Join us and The Green City Market to taste veggie-inspired dishes from over 25 Chicago chefs, plus beverages from the city’s best bartenders, brewers and mixologists – all featuring ingredients from Green City Market vendors. All proceeds go towards Green City Market’s mission of cultivating a sustainable food system through farmers markets, edible education and food access initiatives. PURCHASE TICKETS   Thanksgiving Cooking Class Reserve your spot today for a popular Thanksgiving-focused class, taught by Rachel Bernier-Green and Sandra Holl! Learn how to make cornbread (gluten-free), corn stuffing, sweet potato pie with a combo rye and wheat pie crust, and grain pilaf with butternut squash (vegetarian)—all with regionally-produced artisan grains. Farmer Andy Hazzard of Hazzard Free Farm will talk about growing these small grains, connecting the farm to the items that you’ll make and take home with you. Each instructor has an impressive background and extensive experience to share. Bernier-Green is the owner of Laine’s Bake Shop in both the Morgan Park neighborhood of Chicago and the newly-opened One Eleven Food Hall in the Pullman neighborhood. She counts Whole Foods Market among her clients and has a robust following of customers who are very passionate about her peach cobbler and rye brownies. Sandra Holl is the owner of Floriole, a beloved cafe and bakery in Lincoln Park specializing in French inspired recipes made with Midwestern ingredients. In 2016 Holl was named Pastry Chef of the Year at Chicago’s Jean Banchet Awards. Reserve your spot today!

Thanksgiving Ordering is Officially Live!

Spring News

No spring chicken! It has been 9 years since we opened the door at 1220 W Webster and a whopping 13 years since we set up our first tent and a table at the Green City Market. Over the years we have learned countless lessons, grown our business and challenged ourselves to be a little better every day. We still have a lot to learn, ideas to explore and we will continue to improve. Speaking of growth, we are opening a mini Floriole in early May! The new space is part of the Politan Row food hall located at 111 N. Aberdeen. We will offer some of Floriole’s greatest hits and a few new surprises. Stay tuned for the grand opening announcement! photo credit Rachel Brown Kulp Don’t get caught empty handed on Mother’s Day, place an order for a sweet treat. You can’t go wrong with take-and-bake cinnamon rolls or a raspberry rose cake. ORDER FOR MOTHER’S DAY We are making Biscuits & Gravy  for James Beard Eats Week APRIL 26 – MAY 6, 2019 Join Choose Chicago and the Illinois Restaurant Association in celebration of Chicago’s vibrant food scene during James Beard Eats Week. More than 100 Chicagoland restaurants will create customized dishes or menus inspired by the James Beard Foundation’s namesake chef, a pioneer of American dining. Now in its fifth year, James Beard Eats Week brings together the restaurant community and the public to celebrate the James Beard Awards weekend. Restaurants participating in Eats Week donate to the James Beard Foundation Scholarship Fund, which supports aspiring Chicago culinary students on a path to success in the hospitality industry. In 2018, Eats Week raised $13,900 for the scholarship program. Eat Your Veggies! We are so darn proud of our dear friend Abra Berens whose book, Ruffage – a practical guide to vegetables, hits the shelves this month. Abra worked with us in the early days at the farmers’ markets and later she developed the savory side of our cafe menu including the classic Parisian, spicy tomato soup and vegetable-based salads. Her book is absolutely fantastic and will make you want to eat your veggies. Copies are available in the cafe and we will be hosting an event with Abra on June 9th (more info to come). Additionally, Read it and Eat has a talk and demo with Abra on April 28th, tickets here. Wedding Cakes and Private Events at Floriole For more information about hosting a private event at Floriole, please fill out this form. For more information about wedding cakes, please fill out this form.

Late Winter News

Floriole Cafe & Bakery What’s New at Floriole The bakery is looking spiffy with fresh paint and updated menu boards. We are so happy with the results and hope you will enjoy the refreshed space. We will continue to update the space throughout the year. Keep your eyes peeled for more changes.   Some items on the menu have changed to reflect the produce of the season.  Just to name a few, there is a satisfying warm and hearty braised brisket tartine, avocado toast highlights bright winter citrus, and the roasted turkey sandwich includes butternut squash hummus and cranberry sauce. March will bring some fun additions to the pastry line up. Irish soda bread will make an appearance around St. Patrick’s Day and Boston brown bread will be on the menu all month. Quick Breads Class You asked for it! We are kicking of classes at Floriole with a quick bread baking class. In this small, hands-on class, we will tackle banana bread, Irish soda bread and biscuits. The class will be taught by Floriole bakers Lauren Ellis and Sandra Holl. All participants will leave with recipes and the items they bake in class. Please click on the link to register. Saturday, March 9th 3pm – 5pm. Learn to bake: quick breads $50.00 Brooklyn Viennoiserie Invasion Vienoiserie Takeover with Zachary Golper of Brooklyn’s Bien Cuit.  Sandra & Zachary have developed an exciting array of laminated pastries that will be available for one day only at Floriole. Zachary will be on site to sign copies of his book Bien Cuit: The Art of Bread 31 March From 8:00am to 5:00pm Brooklyn in Chicago – Viennoiserie Invasion with Bien Cuit 1220 W Webster Ave Chicago, IL 60614 Floral Design Class In early April we will host a class with No Vases. Participants will learn about color theory, flower types and balance before creating their own floral arrangement to take home. After working up an appetite, participants will be led on a guided cake tasting by a Floriole baker.  Saturday, April 6th 3pm-5pm Floral Design Class with No Vases $65.00 Collaborative Dinner at Le Reve There are a few open tables left for the Collaboration Dinner on Tuesday, February 26th at Le Reve. Call 414.778.3333 to make your reservation for this event! Wedding Open House – Spring $5.00 Getting married? Stop in for an opportunity to taste Floriole’s wedding offerings and view our space. We will offer tastes and samples of many of our standard cake flavors and sweets table offerings. Floriole is a beautiful location for a small wedding. We can host a wedding/reception with 40 guests seated or up to 99 guests for an informal reception with passed and buffet style food.

Thanksgiving 2018

Let’s Celebrate!

There is still some time left to place your Thanksgiving order. We have a great selection of items to enhance your holiday table. Click HERE to place an order.

A little break

Please know that the bakery will be closed November 22nd-23rd. The Floriole staff needs a break after making all your breads and pies. We will reopen on Saturday, November 24th.

Have a wonderful holiday!

8 years ago . . .

Party! Pizza Party!

We can’t believe that it has been 8 years since we first opened our doors at 122o W Webster. To mark the occasion we are having a pizza party with the help of Rachel Post, Floriole’s first employee and owner of Chicago’s best roving pizza business, Our House Pizza. If you remember the pizzetta we served from the pastry case or the pizza nights we used to host on Friday nights, then you have experienced some of Rachel’s handiwork. She will be making a red pie garnished with Underground Meats salami and a white pie with ramps and potatoes. Pizzetta will be available from 11am until they sell out on Tuesday April 24th.

What’s a party without cake?

Of course there will be birthday cake! We will have celebratory slices of birthday cake staring early in the morning on Tuesday, April 24th. We won’t judge if you opt for a birthday cake breakfast with your coffee. Come by to celebrate with us.

Opening Day

It truly feels like spring when the outdoor Green City Market opens for the season. Opening day is Saturday, May 5th form 7am – 1pm and the market will take place Wednesdays and Saturdays for the rest of the season. We can’t wait to see our favorite farmers and producers and get our hands on the best produce the region has to offer!

On Monday April 30th, Sandra will be cooking on NBC 5 during the 11am news to promote the Green City Market. Here is the recipe:

Roasted asparagus with salsa verde, whipped goat cheese and toasted sourdough

• 1 pound asparagus
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Wash and dry the asparagus. Snap off the fibrous ends and discard. Slice the spears into 2” pieces. Toss together with olive oil salt and pepper. Spread onto a parchment lined sheet on and roast in oven preheated to 450F for 15 minutes or until lightly charred. Set aside.

• 1/2 cup fresh goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon cream

Stir together until homogenous. Season with salt and pepper.

• Small bunch of parsley, washed, leaves plucked from stems
• 8 mint leaves
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend. Season with salt and pepper.

• Toasted sourdough bread

To assemble:

Smear goat cheese in plate

Top with asparagus

Drizzle with salsa verde

Serve with sourdough

Fête du Pain 2018

This event takes place far from Floriole but we are proud and excited that Sandra is joining a team of 24 bakers to represent the USA at the Fête du Pain in Paris. The team of bakers will bake with hundreds of other bakers in a 1,200 square-meter tent in front of Notre-Dame de Paris. More information here and check out our Instagram feed to see what happens behind the scenes.

(Almost) Spring 2018

It seems a little optimistic to say, but spring will be here before we know it! While we dream of rhubarb and strawberries, we are filling the case with tropical treats like the passion fruit tart and bright pink lemon hibiscus bars. Watch for new salads and menu additions as the savory team gets their hands on early spring spinach and asparagus.

In April Floriole will celebrate our 8th birthday at 1220 W Webster! Stay tuned for more information about fun festivities to mark the occasion.

Passover Menu

Be sure to place an order for your holiday table. Although we are not a kosher bakery, we have a nice selection of items made without wheat flour. Click here to place an order.

Easter Menu

We have your Ester holiday needs covered from breads and quiche to sweet endings. Place your order here.

February 2018

We have a new menu!

The BAD has returned, well sorta and there are other new and exciting menu choices. Please give Chef Hunter a high five. He has done a great job updating the menu.

Love (and chocolate) is in the air.

The bread team has created the most stunning and delectable babka filled with chocolate and raspberry. It will only be around until Valentine’s Day.

Everything has turned chocolate on the pastry side of the kitchen. We have chocolate canelé, chocolate kouign amann, chocolate dipped heart tarts . . . Other menu additions include heart linzer cookies and blood orange posset.

We are open on President’s Day and we would love to see you. Looking forward to longer days and the arrival of March.