Knead Patisserie & Local: Mission Eatery

I've been horribly remiss in not sharing my adoration of (er, obsession with) Local: Mission Eatery and Knead Patisserie. It's a little gem in the heart of the Mission bustle on 24th St near Folsom in SF. Yaron Milgom is the brainchild of the venture and the über-talented husband and wife team of Jake and Shauna Des Voignes make the perfect flavor team: Jake on savory and Shauna on sweet.


Both are classically trained, so everything's prepared with the utmost attention to detail and technique.


And their dedication to providing 'local, humane and housemade' eats is genuine. On their one day 'off' each week, Jake and Shauna head to their family farm in Lodi where they tend to an enormous garden that supplies produce for the restaurant.


Knead Patisserie is tucked away in the back of the space -- except when the cart is wheeled out front weekdays for early morning commuters to get their breakfast pastry fix.


In addition to her signature fleur de sel chocolate cookies, Shauna creates all kinds of temptations like chocolate pot de crême smores filling that comes in individual little jars alongside homemade graham crackers. Then there are the pommes d'amour tarts (puff pastry, pastry cream and caramel), almond twists, fruit preserves and all kinds of new surprises all the time.


And there are the lemony madeleines!


The menu changes with market availability and as of a couple months ago, dinner's now a regular affair. So now you can grab brunch, lunch and dinner.


And for those who have a cookbook obsession but don't have the space to store or inclination to purchase an entire library, can check out a broad collection by joining the cookbook lending library.


This roasted potato sandwich with garlic ricotta, pickled shallots and dandelion greens is the first thing I ever tasted at Local: Mission Eatery. It was to-die-for!


And the cream of corn soup seasoned with taragon and filled with hunks of dungeness crab is obsession-worthy (I order it any time I see it on the menu).


I love pickles but am particular (there's something new!) These farm-fresh, quick pickles were exceptional: crisp and the flavors shone through. The fennel was particularly memorable.


I've craved this masterpiece often: toasted Knead brioche topped with a slow-poached egg, creamed corn, tarragon and topped with thinly sliced, just-picked summer squash. Heaven!