rituals include food

from Boheme Fall 2020

by Weeklys

Marin’s ExtraFood

BAKED San Anselmo bakery M.H. Bread and Butter is lauded for its pastries.

Buttered UP

M.H. Bread and Butter maintains a Marin ritual

BY JEFFREY EDALATPOUR

The summer fruit tart at M.H. Bread and Butter is a yogurt parfait that’s been modified by the devil. A pastry crust— baked in the shape of a small bowl—holds a heavenly cloud of Bavarian cream. Last month a baker quartered apricots and lay them on top. Last week, bright red raspberries dotted the cream. The apricots and the raspberries weren’t drenched in honey, macerated or trapped in a sticky gelatin. They remained pure, unadulterated.

Among the many golden-hued pastries that fill the vitrine, those fruit tarts stand out and draw the eye. Hours after I’ve eaten one, I think of it again late at night, long after the cafe has shut down for the day. It’s the consistency of the cream that’s memorable, hovering precisely between a simple whip and a denser crème pâtissière. There’s a sweetness to it that’s faint, barely detectable. Each tart bite of fruit marries so agreeably together with the cream and flaky crust.

The chefs address the same amount of care and attention to the breakfast, lunch and brunch items. Lettuce is the star in salads—and not on sandwiches. Instead, they add satisfying combinations of avocado, radish, cabbage and red onion. But M.H.’s shining North Star is the bread. Co-owner Nathan Yanko perfected his bread-making craft at Tartine bakery before opening M.H. with his wife, Devon. You can mock the idea of ordering toast there and still indulge in their variations on the theme, with cashew butter or, yes, avocado.

Covid-19 has moderately altered the way the bakery does business. Patrons no longer wander in willy-nilly to gaze open-mouthed at the various croissants stacked side by side. Loaves of walnut, spelt or rye still crowd the shelves, resting just out of reach behind the counter. The staff is masked, attentive at the door and eager to expedite the orders. Like every other public exchange that takes place between strangers nowadays, there’s an underlying sense of mild panic and urgency accompanying every transaction. An unspoken, two-way signal courteously reads: “Let’s get this over with.”

Everyone lines up outside, politely, in a more orderly fashion than elementary school kids do. Adults scroll through their phones to mask any signs of impatience. When the sunlight hits the asphalt in a merciless way, the line snakes to the right under a canopy of merciful shade. All of the wooden tables out front, facing San Anselmo Avenue, are taped off, verboten. Now, people wait there, endeavoring to stand six feet away from each other. They squint into the darkened windows, hoping that the next hand-delivery will be theirs and only theirs.

Around the corner on Belle Avenue, open orange umbrellas stretch as far back as the parking lot. Tables there are spaced far enough apart so as to encourage al fresco dining. It’s a lovely illusion. For a few minutes, you can sip an iced tea, unpack a sandwich and a tart, and pretend that life is a sun-dappled picnic.

M.H. BREAD AND BUTTER www.mhbreadandbutter.com 101 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo 415.755.4575. Open every day, 8am to 3pm.

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