Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos blur the line between home bakers and bakery experts with their new pop-up French bakery. This wonderful bakery is located comfortably in their house at the end of a cul-de-sac in Parker, Colorado.
They face challenges such as finicky oven temperatures and minimal workspace. However, this micro-bakery called Ulster Street Pastry makes treats that could easily be found at an esteemed bakery in France rather than a school bake sale.
This husband and wife are fully committed to their baking, as they have spent years refining their craft to what it has become today. While Parker is their home now, their residency has spanned across the U.S and abroad. This travel has provided them with the expertise to build an artisan bakery.
Their notable start began in Las Vegas, working alongside Joel Robuchon, who was deemed the “Chef of the Century” in the early 90s. After spending time amongst the bright lights, they decided their next adventure would be touring through Europe and absorbing all there is to know about the art of making a pastry.
“We have been the recipients of priceless training by some of the best chefs of our time,” stated Nugent.
Nugent is nostalgic about her and Ramos’ work at restaurants like El Bulli and The Fat Duck. These previous roles laid the foundation for their later exploration, surrounding themselves with creativity from the top restaurants in the world.
Back in the United States, their knowledge continued to flourish as they led the two Michelin-starred pastry and bread-side of the L20 restaurant in Chicago. Then, they trained with chef Thomas Keller in Beverly Hills with his rebound Bouchon Bakery. The chefs continued to progress, making their way to San Francisco to cultivate fresh-milled flours and heritage grains.
All these experiences could have landed them in any number of Michelin-starred venues. But instead, they are breaking away from the work of others to formalize their own vision for baking.
Their micro-bakery opens every Sunday morning when their ordering site goes live. Arriving anytime later than the early morning to their pastry pop-up site can result in the dreaded “Out of Stock” sitting beside each item. In the early stages of their business, customers were able to see the unexpected bakery that lived inside their suburban home.
Some of their most prized desserts are their humble-looking doughnuts. “The Berliners” are a fresh take on a yeasted doughnut. This German-style doughnut lacks the iconic hole that gives this breakfast confection its looks. The sweet fried buns come with a light glaze or decadent filling, and they are covered in sugar. They offer two varieties, one for the chocoholics that has Nutella and a fruity option that has a vibrant jam and tastes like biting into berries straight from the vine. Each bite radiates with enough filling.
They upgrade the everyday cinnamon roll by making their version of a sticky bun. It forgoes creamy frosting for gooey salted caramel that drips into every swirl. The cinnamon comes through with dashes of salt added to the caramel. The final crunch comes from chopped pecans that a sticky bun cannot live without.
Nugent and Ramos enjoy straying from convention, much like their set-up calls for. Many pastry chefs struggle with achieving the perfect choux pastry. Complications with temperature and texture can lead the dough to be too runny to shape or soggy when baked.
Their cream puffs bake in thin shells strong enough to support mousseline––a pastry cream that has extra butter and whipped cream—and a layer of blended hazelnuts, almonds and caramel. A layer of sugar coats the top similar to a creme brûlée. This brings together elements of a traditional praline and cream puff, but it is executed unlike any other.
While sweets have a tender place in these chefs’ hearts, they explore the realm of floral and savory as well. Their speckled earl gray tea angel food cake retains a fluffy texture but has a more complex bite than the usual vanilla and almond. It contains spice from the mingling of chorizo and poblano chilies folded into the crust. Shreds of cheddar cheese melt and crisp up the bottom for a variety of textures.
Their menu remains limited as well as their quantities. They do not have an assembly line like other mass production shops. Recently, they have expanded to adding rotating specials and a secret pastry. They hope to find a better spot for their baking, but for now, the comfort of their home is a true reflection of the care that creates each of their pastries.
Orders can be placed here and pick-up time is between 9 to 10 a.m. MDT on Saturdays at Stanley Marketplace.
