Throughout the year, Blackbird Café offers unique variations of homemade sweets and meal creations, the perfect complements to their themed specialty drinks. This Fall season they are featuring pumpkin and pecan pie.The bakers will soon be decorating cookies and cupcakes for the Halloween season and offer Punkaboo Marshmallow, the October drink special of the month.
Blackbird receives their tea and coffee from the Coffee and Tea Exchange in Chicago, where they ship a plethora of new items for customers every two weeks.
Almost all of the treats at Blackbird are homemade; bakers prepare goods in shop from 4am onward.
“All of our pastries are homemade, everything you see in the bakers case. No mixes,” Christina Reyes, employee at Blackbird said.
Let’s take a look some of the array of options that are sure to fulfill anyone’s taste buds. From vegan and vegetarian options, to specialty teas, Blackbird has got you covered.
Vegan Morning Glory Muffin
This vegan muffin tastes just like carrot cake, but slightly sweeter. The muffin includes apples, bananas, carrots, craisins, and a dusting of sugar on top. The vegan batter is egg-free and is just as soft as any other muffin they sell.
“Honesty, when you eat it you would have no idea that it was vegan,” Reyes said.
Cinnamon Scones
Blackbird's famous cinnamon scones are perfect for the fall season. The super gooey cinnamon infused scone is among the most popular. How does a scone achieve such greatness? The base biscuit batter is shaped into a triangle and then cut in half. Baked with layers of powdered cinnamon in the middle, the scone is topped off with a light drizzled glaze.
Quiche
Blackbird serves quiche every day with a variation of meat and vegetarian options for everyone. Quiche comes with a side of fruits in the morning and a salad in the afternoon; however, both sides are interchangeable. The make-up is simple; egg and heavy whip baked inside a homemade crust. The ingredients can vary to suit anyone’s taste buds.
“If someone is vegetarian, they might not want to have a cheese and egg only sandwich, so we give them more options with this,” Reyes said.
Apple Square
This Apple Square treat is specifically for those with a rich sweet tooth. The top is generously coated with a soft creamy icing on top of cooked apples doused in apple pie filling gel. This sensational sweet sits inside the crunch of a homemade crust. Together, the bite checks off all textures. From the softness of the apples and icing compared to the crunch of the crust, the sweetness of this treat is sure to make anyone smile from ear to ear.
Green Eggs and Ham
This breakfast sandwich brings a ton of taste to the table. The Dr. Seuss reference stands true as the eggs are pesto- infused, creating the green egg effect. Provolone cheese, avocados, and spinach are all stacked within a toasted english muffin that make up this drool-worthy bite. The ham can also be interchanged with bacon to bring a crunch texture to the plate. YUM-MY!
Magic of Roses Tea
With a pleasant softness, this floral tea offers a gentle taste that is soothing to the taste buds and mind. Magic of Roses can be the drink that offers a refreshing feeling when served chilled. The drink is light with a unique flavor that can brighten anyone’s day.
Affogato
This Italian dessert is a coffee delite that you must try! With one scoop of vanilla ice cream drowned in two espresso shots, this dessert brings along the same caffeine jolt as a cup of coffee. The ice cream acts as creamer with the strong espresso shots, making the treat as equally bitter as it is sweet.
Ham and Apple Panini
This hot sandwich incorporates a vast array of unique tastes, blending black forest ham, apples, smoked gouda and drizzled honey mustard inside a french square. Every sandwich comes with a choice of side salad, fruit salad, or chips. All sandwiches can be made vegan or vegetarian, with options such as upgrading to a veggie burger, substituting mayo, marinated tofu, or bread.
“This is my go-to. I love the sweet and savory blend of flavors. The apples add a surprising touch that unexpectedly works so well,” fellow Lifer Kayla Belec said.
Our taste buds are tingling! Head on over to Blackbird downtown Valparaiso, or check out their menu and order online at https://www.blackbirdcafevalparaiso.com/.
