Blum's Where Are You????

Every year the Muse is asked, in her other life, to predict restaurant trends 3 to 5 years from now. This always gets the Muse a little worked up because there is a wide gap between what she sees coming down the road and what she would like to see coming down the road.  The first trend I would like to see return, to San Francisco at least, is the return of the fountain, a la Blum's.  New York has Serendipity and we San Franciscans have, well, nothing.  Yes, bits and pieces exist here and there.  Fenton's in Oakland is the closest to what Blum's was - a good combination of savory sandwiches and over the top ice cream creations.  But Blum's had more to offer.  Blum's was a pink spun sugar fantasy come to life.  It had a gift shop.  It had shocking pink banquettes.  It had surly waitresses.  And it had cake.  Not those plastic looking, multi colored and tasteless layered cakes offered in cafes around Union Square.  No.  They had Blum's Famous Coffee Crunch cake. (This legendary cake is so memorable that Nancy Silverton has included a recipe for it in her latest cookbook.)

Blum's was partly a restaurant for the ladies who didn't work and spent their days going downtown to shop, meet friends and get home before the children came home from school.  It was also the highlight of a day spent in THE CITY for those who came from across the bay. 

So here is what the Muse would like to see in Union Square: a pink soda fountain with freshly baked layer cakes (NO CUPCAKES, PLEASE), a decent club sandwich made with thick bacon that does not declare its pedigree, and a tall, hot fudge sundae served with a pitcher of hot fudge on the side.  How hard could this be to realize? 

Comments

[Nan Evans]

As a child we always went to Blums for any specail occasion! All the other members of my family couldn't get enough of the coffee crunch ice cream sundae! My favorite was to buy a bag of their salt water taffy! It was the best i have ever had! Is there any way to find out where they got it and how I can purchase it today? Please let me know as it would make my 58th birthday a very special one indeed!Nan

[Martha Hara]

I am trying to find Blums Almondettes in the Pink Can, does anyone make them??? I worked in McInery in Honolulu and watched people come in and buy 6-10 cans at a time. I finally had one of those delicious pieces(originally from the Midwest and never heard of Blums) - it hooked me immediately. It just came to my mind about a week ago and my husband who was born here said, Blums was the top of everything here. Where or can I find them???? Thanks, Mahalo, M. A.

[RaeAnn Proost]

Three friends and I will celebrate our 65th birthdays in March. When we got our driver's licenses at sixteen, we frequented the Blum's in Beverly Hills. No drinking and smoking and partying for us! We were dining on almondette and coffiesta sundaes. Sweet memories.

[Linda]

I am so pleased to have found your website. It brings me back in time. My Mother Barbara worked at Blums, then Fantasia and finally retired while working at See's Candies. She was a candy maker (dipper) when everything was done by hand. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to have a personal tour in the late 1950's or early 1960's and one Easter I received a basket that was completely edible. The basket and all were molded of delicious chocolate! Thank you for the website and thank you Sandy Weil for your comment. Sweet choclate memories...yum!
Linda Ellington

[linda]

does anyone remember blums almondettes in the cool pink key can, would love to be able to find one, my dad's favorite candy.

linda

[Jill in Saratoga]

I was so excited when Blum's opened a branch at the Town & Country Shopping Center in San Jose that I could hardly wait to get there. As we were going in, someone was coming out and the heavy glass door caught my big toe and tore off the nail.
Didn't stop me from having my hot fudge sundae (with TWO jugs of sauce on the side) before the trip to the doctor.

[carole Boyajian]

Great website. Thank you!
Do you remember Townsend's across from Britex? We used to have cheese rarebit on toast points.

Do miss Blum's so loved your recollections and comments. My family is from Fresno CA and SF was our 'second city'. Then when I moved to LA for college, I found Blum's in Beverly Hills on South Beverly Drive. Not quite the same as our SF version but, still it was a Blum's.
Years later I heard Blum's was actually owned by Helados Bing in Mexico where I lived in the late 70's .........there was a strong similarity in atmosphere and design and certainly quality of ice cream (no lemon or coffee crunch cake however).

I also miss J. Magnin. It was the absolute best store ever.
Thanks for your documentation and memories.
Nicely done.

Carole
Burbank, CA

[Diane]

Hi! As a native San Franciscan with a major sweet tooth, I hit Blum's on Polk st and Blum's on Geary AND Blum's in the Fairmont. Although I enjoyed the petit fours, it was their ice cream and their sauces that killed! It was the first time I'd ever heard of a "cold" fudge sundae and once tasted, never had it hot. They also did a mean caramel. I've tried duplicating it over the years, but never achieved their chewy quality. Tried it with white, brown, and dark brown sugars and also tried it with both light and dark corn syrups. Their sundae sauces used to be available for sale in jars long after Blum's had departed. Isn't there a relative who inherited the recipe who would like to make a small fortune by bringing Blum's best back? I live in hope!

[Karletta]

Jan, I know exactly what you want. Try this. After the first time I made it I thought "wow, just like Blum's"!
1/2 c cream
3 T unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
pinch salt
1/2 cup unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder, strained.
Place cream and butter in a sauce pan. Heat until butter is melted and cream starts to boil slightly. Add both sugars. Lower heat and stir until sugar is completely melted. Add salt and cocoa powder. Stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat. Use immediately or refrigerate. I reheat it in the microwave.
Good luck and let me know how you like it.

[Jan Burstein]

Hello, I can't find a really chewy hot fudge sauce like I remember loving at Blums. Does anyone have a recommendation or a recipe for it? I remember those hot fudge sundaes after shopping with my grandmother....Thanks, Jan

[Trish Faticoni]

Blum's had an eclair to die for! It was served chilled with chocolate custurd like filling. I have been looking for a replacement for years!

[Tim]

I remember the cakes only vaguely, but I really loved the little pastries called Beehives. They were a cake base with some sort of marshmallow cream on top (to look like the bee hive) all covered with chocolate. We used to get these at the Blum's at Stanford shopping center, then for a time at Stickney's in Town & Country (I guess the baker moved). Does any one have any idea how those were made? It wasn't really marshmallow cream, since that is too sticky and flows if piled up.

[Donna]

Does anyone have the recipe for Blum's Double Chocolate Cake? I've searched everywhere for it.

[culinary muse]

Diane, You can find the recipe in Mr. Weil's cookbook 'Love to Bake' which you can buy on-line at http://lovetobakecookbook.com/

Hurry as they only have a few copies next and do not plan to do a second printing.

Good luck!

[diane casey]

can someone tell me where I can buy the coffee crunch that was on the coffiesta sundae?? it was to die for. went to Blum's Beverly Hills after cotillion or for lunch with my mother and grandmother....fond memories!!!
D. Casey

[culinary muse]

Sorry, Fantasia Bakery no longer exists. Check out www.lovetobakecookbook.com which is the direct link to Mr. Weil, founder of Fantasia.

[Catherine Martin]

I am a librarian. A patron just called saying that she heard someone had bought Fantasia Bakery and was still running the business. Does anybody know the name of the new store? Is it still around?

[Janie & Betty]

We are looking for the chocolate-covered licorice, as well - we used to buy it at Bullock's in Sherman Oaks! It was to die for! Someone, please, bring it back!

[abelkin]

Does anyone have the reciepe for the fiddle faddle. if so please e-amil me. thanks

[Georgia]

I have a recipe of Blum's Coffe Toffee Pie, that my mom got from her friend who after eating it asked for the recipe.

Blums’ Coffee --Toffee Pie

PASTRY SHELL
½ pkg pie crist mix 1 T water
¼ cup Lt brown sugar, firm 1 t vanilla
¾ C Fine chopped walnuts
1 square unsweetend chocolate grated
FILLING
½ C soft butter or margarine ¾ C granulated sugar 2 t instant coffee
2 eggs
1 square unsweetened chocolate -- melted/cooled
TOPPING
(use ½ recipe)
2 C heavy cream
2 T instant coffee
½ C powdered sugar
Chocolate curls
METHOD Preheat oven to 375 degrees f.
Make pastry shell
In medium bowl combine 1st 4 ingredients. Add water and vanilla.
Using fork, mix until well blended
Turn into well greased 9” pie plate -- Press firmly against bottom and sides of pie plate.
Bake 15 min. Cool shell in pie plate on wire rack
---Meanwhile, make filling---
In small bowl w/ electric mixer at medium speed beat butter til creamy.
Gradually add granulated sugar, beating til light.
Blend in cool melted chocolate and 2t instant coffee
Add egg; Beat 5 minutes; Add remaining egg, beat 5 minutes longer.
Turn filling into baked pie shell.
Refrigerate the pie, covered, over night.

NEXT DAY
Make topping
In large bowl combine cream with 2T instant coffee and powdered sugar
Refrigerate mixture covered 1 hour
Beat cream until stiff
Decorate pie with topping
Using Pastry bag with # 6 decorating tip if desired
Garnish with chocolate curls.
Refrigerate the pie at least 2 hours
--Makes 8 servings-- Delicious

[Culinary Muse]

Pam, Thanks so much for your comments. I remember the chocolate as being very dark. I would not be surprised if it was a Ghirardhelli semi-sweet. But see comment below from Sandy. Perhaps the new cookbook will reveal all!

[Pam G]

I am so glad to find people thinking about Blum's. The cakes sound fantastic, but when I was a little girl it was all about the hot fudge sundaes in those huge footed goblets. I'd love to recreate Blum's hot fudge sauce. Does anyone have a recipe or idea what kind of chocolate they used? Thanks and yum!

[Sandy Weil]

Hello:
I came upon your website and the article about Blums and the Coffee Crunch Cake caught my eye. My father, Ernest Weil was the actually baker who created the Coffee Crunch Cake during World War II while he worked at Blum's. In 1948 he opened Fantasia Confections. Today he is completing a fantastic pastry cookbook called "Love To Bake" with all the Fantasia recipes including the Crunch Cake, Sacher Torte, Florentine Cookies and many other fabulous favorites. You can read the story about how the Coffee Crunch cake was created in the cookbook. The cookbook will be available late Spring 06. To be on our mailing list or if you have questions, we have an email address:
home@lovetobakecookbook.com . The website LoveToBakeCookbook.com is currently under developement. Glad we found your site.
Happy Baking,
Sandy Weil

[Diane]

My mother was a giftwrap designer for Blum's back in the 50s, so Blum's was something I grew up with. I am looking for the recipe for their lemon goddess pie, and I don't even like lemon pie!!! Does anyone remember their chocolate covered licorice candies? They were beyond anything I can describe.

[mike]

I have this vague memory of a Blum's product called "chocolate soup" which was like honeycomb candy all busted up. It was the perfect ice cream topping back when it was ok to eat ice cream. Through some detective work and several hours of my company's time I managed to hunt down the company that now owns the Blum's name. Info has been forwarded to the Muse for further research.

[Culinary Muse]

Dear F. Brock, These were cakes served at Blums? Could you describe them?

[F. Brock]

A trip to San Francisco as a child growing up in Pebble Beach was not complete without stopping at Blum's. But I'm looking for the recipes for the Chantilly Cake and Mocha cake. Can anyone help me? Thanks!!
F. Brock
now of Vermont

[Karletta]

Cathy, You were so lucky to live so close! Did it occupy that entire corner where that weird shopping complex is now?

Lynn,
I agree. A cookbook with Blum's recipes is long overdue.

[Cathy]

I lived a few blocks away from Blum's on Polk Street and we got all of our birthday cakes from there. My favorite was their carousel cake where they decorated a chocolate cake with white frosting and elaborate carousel decorations with horses, a big top, etc. Awesome! As a treat, my mom always allowed me to select a cookie or petit four. Those were the days...sigh.

[Lynn Alberti]

Blum's what a wonderful chilhood memory!!! Their chocoltae cake was THE best ever made with a gooy filing and frosting - would do about naything to have a piece of it again!! So hard to believe there has not been a cookbook made from the old bakers there!!!! If a cookbook was ever put together I would love to buy one and I am sure there are millions of other people who would too!- Lynn

[Karletta]

Amy, I thought that was just an urban myth about the Blum's coffee crunch cake being available in Japantown. Have you tried it? Any good? Or do we need the pink banquettes to complete the experience?
Yes, Fantasia was wonderful. The best SacherTorte in town.

Christine, From Paris???? How great! You should contact David Lebovitz and take one of his Paris Bakery and Chocolate Tours. See his website listed to the right under 'sites I like'. Tell him I sent you. My friend Nancy took his tour in June and fell in love!

xoxo
K

[Christine Hills]

My grandmother used to take me to Blum's out in Stonestown. Thanks for prompting such a great memory!
Writing to you from Paris. Glad you're posting again. I'll be home to the north coast soon.

[Amy]

Did you know you can get the cake by the slice if you like? It's available at a little grocery in Japantown. The baker used to work for Blum's or so I'm told. The recipe is on tantemarie.com and was demonstratd on Martha Stewart. But nothing replaces the real thing. I also miss Fantasia Bakery in Laurel Village. Remember that one?

[Karletta]

That was some cake, wasn't it?

Thanks, David, it is nice to be back.

K

[David]

I made one of those Blum's Cakes once. Yum! But it was so rich, I think it 'took care' of perhaps one too many of their customers. Welcome back.. ! xx