Burque Bakehouse – Albuquerque, New Mexico

In 2023 Psychology Today profiled an Albuquerque baker who knows the mind-body connection very well.  Pratt Morales, long-time co-owner (with his son Chris) of the Golden Crown Panaderia believes he’ll live to be 130 years young.  You’ll believe it, too, after reading the profile.  Mr. Morales is an 85-year-old going on 22 who’s as spry and fit mentally as he is physically.  At an age when our couch potato lifestyles will mean an early grave for many of us, he can perform one or two hand cartwheels.  The secret of his longevity, he says is a focus on flexibility exercises and watching his diet.

Chinese philosopher Confucius  is credited with an idiom that defines Mr. Morales: ““Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”   It’s not a job many of us would–and can–do.  It’s a job that takes a physical, mental and emotional toll on body and mind.   It’s a job that starts each day long before sunrise and ends after most of us have gone home.   Day in and day out, bakers are on their feet under extreme heat: bending, lifting, kneading, calculating and pushing on under the weight of a task list that doesn’t tolerate mistakes.  Aching muscles, burns and scars are their daily reward, confirmation that they have fed their customers and made them happy.

For most bakers, the job is reward enough.  It’s a job that allows them to be creative, to strive for perfection on a daily basis.  It’s a profession for which gratitude and thanks far exceed tangible expressions of appreciation.   When I arrived at Burque Bakehouse at 7:45 to get a good place in line, the crew had already been there for hours–preparing fresh breads and pastries for the day.  Considering how fresh and cheerful the crew was, it’s hard to believe they had been there for hours.  Of course, when hungry throngs are clamoring to enjoy the fruits of your labors, you’d be happy too.

A number of equally cheerful morning people, some of whom braved Albuquerque’s grouchy drivers were already in line.   On some days–especially in summer–lines stretch like at a Taylor Swift concert. Behind me in line was a veritable menagerie of wagging tails–two goats named Dave and John and a dog named Daisy.     How could you not be a morning person around dog and goat breath?  Their human best friend apprised me that goats are even smarter than dogs and they bond just as well.  Naturally I now want a couple goats though The Dude, our debonair dachshund might not be happy if he’s not the single focus of our attention.

When you arrive at the window where you place your order you’ll be greeted by a smiling staffer.  Though your focus will be on the wondrous pastries and breads on display, take a gander inside the diminutive bakery where you’ll espy a happy crew hard at work.   It’s obvious they enjoy what they’re doing and delight in serving customers (and not just the four-legged kind).  So as not to risk the ire of two gregarious goats and other hungry guests, I didn’t ask to meet Sarah Ciccotello, founder and co-owner (with Chris McQuary) to congratulate her on the Burque Bakehouse being a semifinalist in 2024 for the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Baker” award.  in April, 2024, the Burque Bakehouse was selected as a Finalist for the national award.

James Beard Awards are among the nation’s most prestigious honors recognizing leaders in the culinary and food media industries, and those in the broader food systems.  They’re considered the Academy Awards of the food and beverage industry.  Being named a semifinalist is a significant accomplishment, signifying Burque Bakehouse’s prominence in the pantheon of America’s very best bakeries.  Winning “Outstanding Baker” would be the culmination of a tremendous amount of work coupled with uncommon vision and talent.

In a challenging market where bakers themselves lament the challenges of baking at high altitude and the high alkaline content of Albuquerque’s water, Sarah Ciccotello has the credentials, pedigree and drive to succeed.   She attended Central New Mexico Community College’s culinary program, and studied bread and pastry at the San Francisco Baking Institute. She also worked the ovens at Los Poblanos, The Compound, and Slate Street Cafe.  Her vision and that of her business partner Chris McQuary isn’t to serve the most or the biggest.  Their goal was to develop a successful neighborhood business at the South Broadway community.

Long-time Duke City residents might remember a small, long-time vacant Dairy Queen restaurant on the southeast corner of Broadway and Hazeldine.  That’s now the home of Burque Bakehouse.  Few (if any) vestiges of Dairy Queen remain.   As explained on the website for Mullen Heller, the architect responsible for that Dairy Queen’s startling transformation: “As a French-Influenced, Burque-made, small-batch bakery, the aesthetics of the renovated building needed to reflect the caliber of goods being served. Respecting the simple, midcentury lines of the existing building, a large corner storefront service window anchors the front facade along with new, hand-made subway tile, aluminum soffits emphasizing the characteristically deep overhangs, and new gooseneck light fixtures define the outdoor seating areas.”

The Burque Bakehouse has been serving Albuquerque since 2015.  In 2022, the bakery earned a Local Heroes award from Edible New Mexico.  An edible Local Hero is “an exceptional individual, business, or organization making a positive impact on New Mexico’s food systems. These honorees nurture our communities through food, service, and socially and environmentally sustainable business practices. Edible New Mexico readers nominate and vote for their favorite local chefs, growers, artisans, advocates, and other food professionals in two dozen categories.”   In other words, it’s a people’s choice award.

In a 2022 interview with edible, Sarah shared her joy at the way Albuquerque has embraced the Bakehouse’s small-batch bakery concept, adding that the bakery’s volume continues to grow.  She explained that “the idea behind the Bakehouse is a place where people can make food and bake for a living with humanity. We are committed to using local, organic, and sustainable ingredients when possible, while remaining accessible to most people. It is not convenience food. For something that can be eaten so quickly and appear so simple, a lot of time, thought, and care is behind it.”  That care is very much in evidence!

During my inaugural visit, I was tempted to purchase everything on the menu (and would have had I not been concerned about keeping everything fresh).  It’s a menu unlike any in Albuquerque with a unique variety of pastries heretofore unseen in the Duke City: raspberry hibiscus cruffins, grapefruit campari danish, kimchi and egg croissant toast, raspberry chocolate kouign amann and so much more.  Is it any wonder the Burque Bakehouse is a Local Heroes winner and semifinalist for the James Beard award for “Outstanding Bakery?”

For me, the biggest draw is the kouign amann, a superb pastry which originated in Brittany, a region in Western France.   In Breton, “kouign” means “cake” and “amann” means “butter” which might give you a clue as to the richness of this pastry.   Kouign-Amann is flaky in the fashion of layered puff pastries.  What sets it apart from similar pastries (such as the cronut), is that it’s delightful crunchy (thanks to the caramelization of sugar) and gooey at the same time with pronounced, heavenly notes of caramel.   The BBC calls the kouign amann  “the fattiest pastry in Europe.”    It may be the most delicious, too.  Until the Burque Bakehouse, we were able to find kouign amann only at  Le Madeline’s Patisserie in Salt Lake City.  With its closure in 2022, Salt Lake City residents are welcome to come to Albuquerque for their kouign amann fix.

While most store-bought bread has more preservatives than an Egyptian mummy, Burque Bakehouse’s staff of life is preservative free.  It’s the perfect canvas upon which to craft a sandwich at home.  It’s also fabulous for making toast.  The amicable gentledude at the counter apprised me that the naturally leavened country sourdough (with toasted pine nut, cracked black pepper, and both young and aged pecorino cheese) makes outstanding sandwiches and toast.  Indeed it does!   Few things in life are as good as the pairing of tangy, slightly sour flavor of sourdough and real, farm-fresh butter.  We enjoyed our morning toast so much that we didn’t even think about going out for lunch.

On Burque Bakehouse’s “Small Sweets” menu you’ll find such fabulous treats as banana walnut bread, scones (maple, pecan and blueberry), canelle ( a caramelized baked custard infused with rum, vanilla, blade mace and lemon) and cookies (Salty Cashew, Triple Ginger Chewy, Chocolate Chip & Sea Salt, and Cocoa Chewy (wheat-free).   The triple ginger chewy lives up to its name, both in terms of texture and in the generous amount of ginger.  It’s ginger snaps times five, one of the very best ginger-based cookies we’ve ever had.

Also exceptional are the Cocoa chewy cookies, alien craft-size orbs with a chocolatey sheen and light, delicate (buy still chewy) texture.  Punctuated with nuts which provide a savory counterbalance to the sweet richness of the cookies, these are crafted with “adult” chocolate.  They’re not overly sweet nor are they too chocolatey (if there can possibly be such a thing).  These are the type of cookies for those of us who don’t like cloying desserts.

In her interview with edible, Sarah touted her bakery’s classic butter croissant (classic all butter croissant with a crunchy flaky top and soft buttery layers inside). She explains it’s not as flashy or exciting as one of the bakery’s seasonal items, and as such  often gets overlooked.”  She defines a good croissant as  making  “a beautiful mess as flaky shards of outer layers reveal the soft, buttery honeycomb underneath. It should taste and smell of good butter. We start with great ingredients, and we take a lot of care in building flavor over time. Our croissant is handcrafted over three days, and I’m very proud to say it’s not plain at all.”   This is an outstanding croissant, an exemplar of Sarah’s vibrant description.

While my Kim enjoys buttery croissants more than she enjoys my company, I’m a devotee of the chocolate croissant (the Bakehouse take on a classic. A bi-color rye croissant dough with semi-sweet chocolate batons).  Burque Bakehouse’s version is in the top five (including several million in France) of all the chocolate croissants I’ve ever had.  It’s got a wonderful balance of sweet chocolate and delightful savory rye.  It’s flaky and buttery.  The chocolate is dark and bitter rather than sweet, and you can taste it in every bite without it being overwhelming.  In other words, this is a perfect chocolate croissant!

Whether or not the Burke Bakehouse celebrates a much deserved James Beard “Outstanding Bakery” award in June, 2024, Duke City diners are proud to celebrate its delicious pastries and breads every day.

Burque Bakehouse
640 Broadway Blvd. S.E.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
505-234-6294
Website | Facebook Page
LATEST VISIT: 16 February 2024
# OF VISITS: 1
RATING: N/R
COST: $$
BEST BET: Chocolate Croissants, Kouign Amann, Butter Croissants, Cocoa Chewy Cookies, Ginger Chewy Cookies, Sourdough Bread with toasted pine nut, cracked black pepper, and both young and aged pecorino cheese;
REVIEW #1381