A Pastry Case

by Kylla Przekop

Being the main focal point of Tatte Bakery and Cafe, this pastry case boasts an extensive array of various pastries and baked goods. The rectangular table spans nearly the entire length of Tatte’s countertop space with a small gap for registry and customer checkout. The display appears to have three staggered levels that allows for each food item to be clearly seen. The bottom level presents a thin, white platform that emphasizes the color of the food. It provides a minimalistic background so that the visual aesthetic of the pastries are emphasized, ultimately sueding customers to purchase based on looks alone. The first tier spans the entirety of the case and has very little white space showing. The second tier seems to be made of gray marble and only reaches halfway down the case. Visually, it prevents smaller pastries from being overshadowed by the larger ones. It also aids in the reduction of over visual-stimulation and having the customer miss out on smaller items. The upper level can be seen as a narrow wooden plank with cake platters resting on top. The higher tier gives height and depth to already shallow or lower-in-height cakes and baked goods.

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Tatte Bakery and Cafe. A photo by Joe Nagawa.

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Item wise, the pastry case acquires an interesting selection of goods. When a customer first approaches the case, they are met with eurocentric pastries such as croissants, tarts, and tiramisu. The first pastries, mostly being influenced by French culture, are croissants, pain-au-chocolat, brioches, and tarts. While walking down the case, one notices Israeli goods with ingredients such as halva, kouign-amann, and yuzu being displayed in larger abundances. Cakes and pies are seen most frequently on the upper levels, while scones, tarts, and breads are observed on the middle and bottom platforms. The pastry case also has four woven baskets that hold various types of bread. The pastries are seen being grouped in numbers of one to six and are stacked with their respective items. The croissants and breads appear to be stacked in a pyramidal shape while the cakes and tarts are simply lined up next to each other. Each category of pastry is not touching the other, but are close enough to where there is little space between each baked good. There are no pastries found underneath any higher level platforms and are, instead, placed in front of each high rise. One pastry from every grouping has a white name tag piercing the item.

Pertaining to color, the pastry case seems to hold tight neutral and earth-like tones. The brown from wood-appearing material and the blacks and grays from marble and metal, cohesively bring the colors of the pastries together. Primarily, the main color appears to be brown with various shades being utilized throughout the case. White is used for the pastry labels which are sticking out of each pastry with a thin, minimalistic black rod. The writing for the label is in black lettering with the individual letters being thin and delicately fonted. Many of the labels display the French titles of pastries. For example, chocolate bread is labeled as "Pain au chocolate." The case, spanning its entirety, has a clear glass wall that separates customers from physically touching each good. None of the pastries are enclosed in glass covers or cake tops.

Further observing the pastry case, one can note the use of various platters. The bottom level consists of multiple egg-shell white cutting boards that are placed next to each other. Towards the end of the bottom level, near the cash register, one can see a slightly raised plate instead of the white board. The middle tier is simply three, gray stone colored cake platters that are placed in an illusionary way. The upper level is the only level that uses a variety of heighted cake platters on top of an already elevated surface. These platters are not made of the same material seen on the middle tier, but are different in widths, heights, colors, and shapes. Despite the different shapes and sizes of platters, the pastries all seem to fall on a common horizon within their respected tier.

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Upon first assumption, one is led to believe Tatte Bakery is rooted in parision and western European influences. However, the restaurant was established to reflect the childhood cuisines and culture of the owner’s home in Israel. It is noteworthy that the owner decided to incorporate and highlight European and parisian color palettes, dishes, and decorative details rather than the vibrant blues, reds, and desert toned hues of Israel. I question the impact of European cooking and lifestyle on the remembrance of Israeli dishes and culinary atmosphere. Additionally, if one wanted to emulate Israeli culture, why would so much emphasis be placed specifically on French pastries like croissants and bread? Likewise why would pastries be labeled in French rather than in Hebrew? It is also interesting to point out the order of the displayed pastries as customers would view parisian goods first, then followed by middle eastern ones. Is this to lead a customer’s mind or to balance two equally influential heritages of the owner? Regardless, the pastry case attempts to blend two cultures together to create one experience for customers. Maybe French components such as the neutral colors or wooden baskets provide a secondary home to the focus of Israeli food? It may be symbolic to recognize the Israeli ingredients as the building blocks of comfort while the pastry case set up is merely French influence supporting another heritage. As discussed with terroir, the case may serve to combine different memories into an immersive experience for a customer. Likewise, maybe the relationship between home and comfort are more intricate than previously believed.