I'm curious. When I shop at Whole Foods or any quality market, I usually read the labels to see if a product is made/sweetened with or without sugar. It's not that I never eat sugar, but I prefer products which are just not overly sweet. Not only do I eliminate that sugar rush/sugar crash when I have foods sweetened with an alternative sweetner, but I actually prefer the more complex flavors. Am I that unusual? Or do others feel the same way?
And what about whole wheat flour instead of white or bleached flours? I find the consistency of whole grains more satisfying. Maybe it's because I feel I'm getting real nutrition. Just wondering what you think. That's why I like to eat here, I love to hear what you think about:
- Alternative sweeteners
- Whole wheat flours and whole grains
I think some people prefer more traditional bakery items their flavors and textures. So let us know your favorite things.... I'll give you a cookie, just ask for Larry.
I, too, have a sweet tooth and am an ingredients reader. Personally I cannot find much at whole foods. My daughter, 6, eats whole grain sweets sweetened with maple syrup or fruit juice. Those are actually too sweet for me, now. I would like to see more things sweetened with brown rice syrup or barley malt!
We don't live very close to the bakery either but when we drive by we purchase a box of goodies! We especially like the almond shortbread (does it also have unbleached flour in it?!) and the peanut butter and choco chip cookies!
It is difficult to appease a crowd with texture and taste. I know from trying to bake with whole grains/sweeteners (and vegan) and having friends/family taste it. To those who are not used to whole grains at all "it tastes like cardboard". Mani's does seem to hit that 'middle road'!
Posted by: dawn | August 25, 2005 at 08:16 AM
Heaven knows, it's more than easy enough to find sugar-laced "anything, anywhere". A real and rare treat to find a place where one can indulge their occasional craving for sweets without getting into trouble. You're NOT "just another bakery". Please don't change a thing!
Posted by: Judi | August 17, 2005 at 06:33 PM
Hi Larry. I'm an ingredients' label reader too. I try to find cookies and other baked goods without refined sugar. Me and my family LOVE Mani's fruit juice-sweetened desserts! The Black Bottom Tart is HEAVENLY plus the Gingerbread Cookies and Peanut Butter Chocolate-Dipped Cookies are wonderful! We never feel like we are missing out as far as the taste goes. They are just so yummy! Also, whole grain flours are the best although we sometimes indulge in "lighter" flours when we bake ourselves using Fruit Sweet. I have a 5-year-old and I've seen the difference in her behavior when she eats fruit juice-sweetened desserts versus sugar-sweetened desserts, which I try to avoid. (My daughter gets hyper and cranky with sugar. It's terrible! I, too, feel the difference and don't like eating sugar.) However, it can be difficult to find fruit juice-sweetened goods outside of Mani's. Unfortunately, we don't live that close to Mani's so we don't get to go there as often as we'd like. The only brand of fruit juice-sweetened desserts that I can find at my local Wild Oats is Fabe's and they're not nearly as good as Mani's. I hope you guys can sell your goods at Wild Oats one day soon! By the way, I'm glad to see that you will mix and match the frosting and filling of your cakes. My family prefers the lighter whipped cream frostings for our cakes. (Mmmm! I can't stop thinking about the Raspberry Mousse Cake that you sell for Valentine's Day. I wish you'd sell that cake all the time but getting the Raspberry Rhapsody Cake with whipped cream frosting is almost like it. Yum!)
Posted by: Blythe | August 05, 2005 at 08:26 AM
my grandmother and father are diabetic, and they love to be able to eat some of the delicious items at mani's that have no sugar! i also think it tastes better with whole wheat than white.
Posted by: Katy | July 28, 2005 at 03:39 PM
I've also struggled with various allergies and always prefer baked goods with as little artificial ingredients as possible. I love my sweets and have quite a sweet tooth, but I dont like my food too sweet. I as well like to taste the subtle tastes in food and I think when something is too sweet/sugary you miss out on that.
Posted by: Lizette | July 27, 2005 at 09:48 PM
Somewhere in my 20's I developed a sugar allergy. Doctors thought that it may be a pre-diabetic condition. Since then I have come to appreciate baked goods that are fruit juice sweetened. Also, as a mom of two very young boys I love that they have an alternative to sugar sweetened goodies. They have enough energy as it is! I love the textures, subtle sweetness and amazing flavors of the desserts that are fruit juice sweetened. They are not loaded down with refined sugars or artificial sweeteners that come with many side effects.
Posted by: Jenny | July 27, 2005 at 03:06 PM
Personally, I have a sweet tooth, but my main interest is in the taste. I especially like less sugar in chocolate so I get more of the cocoa flavors. I think many "traditional" bakeries use too much sugar so all you get is the cloying sweetness of sugar and not the other ingredients.
Posted by: Denise Wakeman | July 27, 2005 at 10:58 AM