Pie and Coffee Movement Spotlight: Pastiche Fine Desserts (Providence RI)



Autumn weekends in New England. Pie Season.

Pastiche "you so Fine I can't keep my hands off you" Deserts is a local favorite, located on Spruce St in the Federal Hill section of Providence. Near Caserta Pizzeria, which is another kind of fine pie dining.  And coincidentally, only a couple hundred yards away from where I got nailed by a hit-and-run car on my bike one October evening in 1986.  Not to elicit sympathy 33 years later, but you know...I'll take it.

Pastiche Fine Deserts has what people call "old world charm" which is what they say when they really don't know how to describe it. Think of the average chain store... and then completely reorient yourself by thinking the exact opposite. Busy, crowded, electric and dripping with people who are there for the goods. Pastiche labels themselves a "cozy, lively European-style nook serving house-made fruit tarts, cakes, chocolates & pastries."  I'll buy that. Better than old world charm.

Amongst all that old-world charm, I suspect you can’t get away with crappy delivery. Maybe you can coast for a while on ambiance, but these customers are here for something special. You need to uphold that type of expectation. Phonies die an ugly death. Pastiche delivers.
I sampled the Dutch Apple Pie. It was fresh, generous with an excellent crust structure. A thoroughly enjoyable pie. They also offered Key Lime and Southern Pecan Pie, as well as a Cranberry/Raspberry Tart (by the way, why does Raspberry have a “P” in it?) and a Pumpkin/Praline Tart.   





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