EAT This Week: Tahoe House Bakery’s Nussgipfel
To try and decide each week where and what to eat in and around the basin can be a challenge – there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.
When a bakery has been in business for 56 years, and 48 of those by a couple who both came to Tahoe from Switzerland, you know you’re bound to get items on the menu at Tahoe House Bakery that are Swiss. Case in point (and this week’s feature): the Nussgipfel. Don’t worry if you can’t pronounce it – your belly doesn’t know the difference and once you taste it, you’re not going to care, anyway.
The literal English translation of this German word is “nut croissant.” To be more specific in this menu item’s case, almonds and hazelnuts are the ones making up the nut portion and it all starts with a ground up filling of those items along with a touch of egg to help bind everything together. The croissant dough is rolled out in similar fashion as cookie dough before being cut into triangles, the filling laid out, wrapped, and finally baked.
The exterior is reminiscent of an ultra-flaky puff pastry with hints of sweetness and nuttiness and when you get the ultimate bite that includes the filling, it becomes the perfect complement to a cup of coffee in the morning – or a cup of Swiss coffee if you’re at Tahoe House.
The hazelnut does most of the lifting in the flavor department and with its buttery, warm characteristics, it gives you all the feels of the holidays. While I’m not advocating to start putting up those Christmas trees just yet (we just got through Halloween, for Pete’s sake), if you wanted to get a head start on the holiday spirit, this item will definitely do the trick.
I’m told when Swiss visitors come to the bakery and order this from the menu, they say it reminds them of home. Not sure you can get a better compliment than that – which is all the more reason to give this item a taste.
Tahoe House Bakery & Gourmet is located at 625 W Lake Blvd in Tahoe City. For more information visit them online at tahoe-house.com or reach them by phone at 530-583-1377.
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