Bakery Review: Papa Ganache (Keyport, NJ)

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Bakery Review: Papa Ganache (Keyport, NJ)

I’m in heaven!

Last weekend on my way to the meetup at Good Karma Café, I stopped off in Keyport to try the Papa Ganache Bakery (25 Church Street, Keyport, NJ 07735). I had had them on my list of bakeries for some time but the fact that they are ‘down the shore’ (coupled with my not having any idea where Keyport even was) kept me from trying them until now.

Gluten Free / Vegan Chipwich at Papa Ganache in Keyport, NJ

You know how when you go out to eat there are usually dozens of gluten and dairy free dessert options? No, you neither, just jello or sorbet if you’re lucky? Well, not at Papa Ganache! First, the entire bakery is vegan so no asking about what contains dairy or what contains eggs (btw – this didn’t stop me from putting my foot in my mouth and asking if what I had selected was dairy free!).

The entire top shelf of their display cabinet is gluten free (always a good strategy so gluten containing crumbs don’t fall on anything). They state their gluten free items are “wheat free” which can cause a bit of confusion. While they take every reasonable step to prevent cross contamination, they do share a kitchen and equipment with gluten containing foods and therefore they don’t want to claim anything is gluten free. Usually wheat free means an item contains barley but not in this case.

Gluten Free / Vegan Cupcakes and Some-moa Cookie
from Papa Ganache in Keyport, NJ

So what kinds of goodies do they have? Cream filled Chipwiches, various cupcakes (chocolate, vanilla, lemon, and carrot cake, actual carrot cake, crumb cake muffins, chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies, brownies, and Samoa cookies (spelled Some-moa on the menu). There were a couple of other items on the menu that weren’t out that day and the menu also notes that with advanced notice most menu items can be made gluten free (again, menu says wheat free).

The bakery itself is a storefront with a good sized seating area (although there are only two tables). The baked goods themselves were amazing. The chipwich was so sweet I couldn’t finish it in one sitting. The photo I posted to facebook while I was there was so tempting one of my friends drove down with her husband the very next day!

The cupcakes were quite good and properly portioned (not the oversized monstrosities Americans appear to be consuming). And finally, I had a Samoa (Some-moa) that reminded me quite a bit of the girl scout cookies. (Keep in mind I haven’t had a girl scout cookie in over a decade due to dairy and now gluten intolerance.)

Overall, this isn’t an area a frequently find myself in but due to Papa Ganache that may just change!