Editor review: Blooms End tomato jam, Mini Potstickers bao

An editor's recent dining visits spotlight a tomato jam pinwheel from Blooms End, mini sheng jian bao from Mini Potstickers, and a breakfast banh mi from Banh Mi Ba Le. These dishes from Petaluma, San Francisco, and El Cerrito emphasize seasonal flavors and hyperlocal craftsmanship as summer winds down.

The editor's experience at the Tomato Days event at Blooms End, located at 5300 Red Hill Road in Petaluma, centered on a five-pack of tomato-themed pastries. The tomato jam and cream cheese pinwheel emerged as the group's favorite from the selection. Baker Mary Denham keeps up this annual tomato bake, which included a surprise pint of cherry tomatoes from Tenfold Farmstand. Sharing the box with friends at a meetup, the editor noted the impressive use of tomatoes across every item. The group was so taken with the experience they suggested it could become a new summer pastry tradition, should Blooms End continue the event.

Mini Potstickers’ sheng jian bao draws attention for its craftsmanship

At 2045 Irving St in San Francisco, Mini Potstickers offers a unique take on a dumpling classic. The editor praised the establishment's mini sheng jian bao, describing their elastic, leavened wrappers that burst to yield liquified pork stock. These dumplings are pan-griddled until crispy on the bottom. Folding sheng jian bao is a labor of love, especially when they are the size of a silver dollar. The editor stated that, as far as they know, this is the only place in San Francisco making the dumpling in this miniature form.

Banh Mi Ba Le’s breakfast banh mi defies morning meal norms

A cash-only Vietnamese spot in a tiny El Cerrito strip mall, Banh Mi Ba Le at 10174 San Pablo Ave offers an off-menu morning option. While the go-to order is the #1, a ham and head cheese banh mi, the editor highlighted the breakfast banh mi. It features soft scrambled egg, pate, pickled carrots and daikon, crisp cucumber, and jalapeño slices on a crunchy baguette. Dianne de Guzman said: "It is my ideal of a breakfast sandwich, because generally vegetables don’t figure into American breakfasts at all." The editor revisited the spot and scoured reviews before trying the egg and pate combination, also noting the shop's selection of bun cha, papaya salad, desserts, and drinks in its fridges.

The editor suggested the friend group might start a new summer pastry tradition if Blooms End continues the annual tomato bake.