Deux

Although I have always been a bike rider, I had not committed to riding every day or to using my bike instead of a car to run errands. Instead, I rode my bike to the beach in nice weather, to the farm stand at the end of my street when I realized mid-recipe that I was missing an ingredient, and I rode with good friends when we visited them up north. 

Everything changed when I purchased an e-bike in March for my birthday. Now that I have a bit of power on my bike, I feel like I can ride for hours, and any hill en route is no longer a deterrent to riding. My first big ride was to Deux Bakery on Reddick Street in downtown Santa Barbara. Was it worth riding eight and a half miles for a pastry? Definitely!

I started from my house in Goleta, heading on Modoc downtown. Once I zig-zagged my way to Guittierez, then Nopal, and finally, left on Reddick, I parked my bike in front of Deux Bakery and removed my helmet. 

Upon entering, I asked the cashier in this tiny establishment if she was the one I had spoken to earlier about the scones. Let me repeat how tiny it is: perhaps 100 square feet with a 200 square foot kitchen in the back. She asked if I were Lori, and when I answered yes, she handed the bag of 4 fresh scones to me. Why did I feel the need to tell her over the phone earlier that morning that I would like any remaining scones? Was I planning on sharing them with my friends and neighbors? No. I just knew that they would be exceptional, and that I might as well try the different flavors of the day. 

So, bag in hand, I handed over my money and left. Not really! I stood in the shop, gazing at the case of pastries, jam, and sliced bread with all the seriousness of contemplating a chess move. In the end, I asked for a pain aux raisins (raisin snail roll) and an almond croissant before leaving. My basket could barely contain all the baked goods, but I biked happily to the beach, found a lifeguard tower, and decided to picnic there. From the top step of the tower stairs, I ate a divinely light strawberry scone while gazing at the gorgeous ocean. Then I took small bites of the current and maple scones which were also very good. 

Everything I have tried at Deux has been outstanding–from the levain loaf, to the croissant, to the coffee cake. If you go, try a croissant, cinnamon roll, or a loaf of sourdough bread. You will not be disappointed. 

P.S. Deux Bakery supplies the baked goods for Scarlet Begonia cafe in downtown Santa Barbara and its bakery case is impressive.