By OMNI VORE
A strong wind blew us inside the Safron Bakery Café. To be sure, it was not a mistral, that fierce, cold, dry, Mediterranean wind of France. We were near Robinwood Medical Center on the east side of Hagerstown.
But I felt I was on location for the movie “Chocolat,” which narrated a story about a chocolate shop in a small French town. The aroma of fresh-baked bread, the allure of cakes and tarts, the blast of warmth, the sweet cup of a hot drink all let me know I was in a very sensual place.
My friend, Lora, who had lived abroad, grinned. “See. I told you,” she said. “This is a very special place. It’s like Paris. I love it.”
We had coffee first as we were chilled. The coffee was Tazmanian Peaberry, strong and luscious. Sufficiently warmed, I ordered a turkey panini made with shaved turkey, turkey bacon, provolone cheese, specialty lettuce and tomato. My teeth sunk into the luxury of this rich, chewy Italian sandwich. I vowed to return to this bountiful bakery.
Tax day was a good day for a treat, so the Professor and I headed for Safron Bakery Café in Rosewood Commons. The fragrance of freshly baked bread and simmering soup greeted us. A refrigerated display case of tasty-looking delicacies stood next to the rack of fresh bread: rye, pumpernickel, baguettes and challah.
And then, we saw platters of samples set forth: Baklava, chocolate-iced brownies and strawberry cream tarts. Such generosity. We became so engrossed with sampling that we did not notice that my friend, Lora, was here again — in a booth, eating a salad. “I love it here,” she said.
I went through the line and ordered what she had suggested: chicken salad on a croissant and a cup of soup. The Professor ordered a roast beef pesto sandwich on a French roll. We passed the baskets of croissants and plates of scones, bear claws and Danishes. The jars of biscotti subliminally suggested that we order a cafe latte or a cappuccino. I promised to return for dessert.
We sat by the plate glass window and waited for our food. Despite the grim day, rainy and blustery, the sensation inside was one of light and warmth. The walls were painted a saffron color, and lights shone from overhead in orange cafe lights and track lighting. A green wreath gave promise of spring. The smile of our host and manager, Alfred Elmerraj, lit the entire place. Here was a man who was busy and happy.
The lentil soup was really good, and served very hot. It was a simple soup, tomato based, with lentils, finely cut carrots and celery and served with fresh whole- wheat bread and salted butter. This hearty soup banished the rawness of a cold, wet, April day.
The chicken salad croissant came with potato chips. The chunks of chicken breast were dressed with a herbed mayonnaise-mustard sauce that had a touch of sweetness. Red-leaf lettuce, pale tomatoes and red onions completed the sandwich.
The music was from a local radio station, ads and all. I tried to hum a French tune but failed. French café music would have been welcome. Other than that, the buzz of conversation is always a pleasant sound in a café. People came in groups and the chatter created a happy undertone. Some students from Hagerstown Community College were working quietly on their laptops, but most patrons were engaged in the fascinating café activity of telling and listening to stories. This place felt alive and happy, bubbly, like yeast.
The Professor was content with his roast beef — rare, just the way he liked it — and topped with provolone cheese, red Bermuda onion, lettuce and tomato. He was even happier with the generous dollop of pesto sauce, made with pine nuts, the real stuff.
The bread was tasty, freshly baked on the premises by our host, Elmerraj, who said he began baking in the early hours of the morning.
Lora joined us, carrying her salad to our table. She liked the balsamic vinegar dressing. Her salad was composed of chicken strips, soft feta cheese, red leaf lettuce and tomatoes.
The magic time had come, the time to choose a dessert. I gazed at all the choice sweets in the case and asked Elmarraj which was his favorite. “But they are all my children,” he cried. He described each of the desserts lovingly: tiramasu with a strong coffee base and no alcohol; chocolate mousse cake with chocolate icing; creamy eclairs and napoleans; cream puffs with whipped heavy cream; macaroon cookies; baklava; and cheesecakes.
“It’s a cheesecake kind of day,” called Lora from our nearby seat. But Elmerraj had told me that the small, fruit tarts were most likely to be found in a French café. So I chose the apricot tart and the Professor chose the flaky, layered napolean. Meanwhile, Lora changed her mind and ordered the baklava, crispy filo dough filled with honey and nuts. Oh, we were a happy group, sitting in the window, staring at the raindrops, eating our sweet desserts. “This is the best bakery in the area,” I said, sighing with pleasure.
Elmerraj joined us for a moment, and we discovered he’s from Casablanca in Morocco. That made us so happy, we hummed “As Time Goes By” from the classic movie “Casablanca,” starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.
“Look,” said my friend Lora and she pointed to the artwork. A framed copy of “Fumée d’Ambre Gris — Smoke of Ambergris” (1880) by John Singer Sargent — of a woman from Morocco.was next to the door. Filled with secrets and delights, we laughed and agreed, this was a very good place to be on a wet and rainy day in Western Maryland.
Restaurant review
Safron Bakery Café
(out of 5)
Food: 5 stars
Service: 5 stars
Ambiance: 4 stars
Value: 5 stars
Address: 11205 John Kennedy Dr., No. 101, Hagerstown
Hours: Open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Style: French café and bakery
Phone: 240-329-0220
