the Sweet Pea :: bakery and catering


		"Phoenix: A Foodie's Playground" az magazine Volume 2, Issue 9, November 2008 "Knockout Valley eateries are grabbing national attention ... Once it happens - and it has been happening with some regularity in Phoenix - life is never the same ... Sweet Pea Bakery & Catering, which was featured in the September issue of Bon Appetit magazine ... Recently it seems that Phoenix-area restaurants can't stay out of the national spotlight. Maybe it speaks to the fact there seems to be so many food and travel magazines and cable shows these days. Or maybe it's because this city has a lot of great restaurants."

		"best of the bake shops" bon appétit magazine Volume 53, Number 9, September 2008 "Warm, delictable treats from the best neighborhood bakeries around ... Brownie-Chunk Cookies: Two favorite American desserts—cookies and brownies—join forces in this whimsical dessert. Owner Danielle Librera was inspired by similar cookies at Small World Coffee in Princeton, New Jersey." (Brownie-Chunk recipe reprinted with permission)

		"the sweet pea" eat.shop phoenix eat.shop guides 2008 "There is a rebirth of downtown Phoenix happening right now, and The Sweet Pea and neighboring Royal Coffee Bar are a big part of it. It’s no small task to try to reign in the sprawl and re-center a city at its core—but if it works, it could be like giving the Tin Man a heart. I think it’s possible that The Sweet Pea could have the power, single-handedly, to draw the masses in. If these sweets can’t attract, what can? So spread the word that downtown is happening, and The Pea is where those with a sweet-tooth will want to aim."

		"Artisan Bakeries" Java Magazine Phoenix, December 2007 "Holidays are the season for giving and for sharing. But I'm not sure I would share anything from Sweet Pea Bakery... Their rosemary shortbread cookie is a triumph of flavor-savory, sweet, buttery. Shocking maybe? In theory, but in practice, it's a winner... So is their French macaroon, which appears to defy physics. Solid and crispy, until the first bite when it melts into its rich chocolate center, which in turn melts into a warm, rich river of pure sweetness. And as Martha would say, it's a good thing."

		"Best Bakery" Phoenix New Times, Best Of Phoenix 2007 Phoenix, October 2007 "We confess. We cheated this year. A lot. It's hard to stay on the dietary straight and narrow when there's so much goodness to be had at Sweet Pea Bakery. From the signature rosemary shortbread cookie to the margarita tart with lime curd to the brownie chunk cookie and the chocolate brownie cupcake with white chocolate ganache, these people know how to get it baked. Thankfully, Sweet Pea recently introduced a lunch menu, including healthy, seasonal salads (no matter what they're fixing, the owners make it fresh and natural) so we won't feel so guilty about that flourless chocolate cake for dessert. One s'mores tart and we promise, we're heading back to the gym."

		"Best of the Valley: Sweetest Things of All" Phoenix Magazine Phoenix, August 2007 Best Cookie: PB&J Sandwich Cookie "We love Downtown's Sweet Pea Bakery for a lot of reasons, but it's the simple PB&J Sandwich cookie that takes the cake here. Imagine the best peanut butter cookie you've ever had - soft, not too nutty - and fill it with the freshest preserves - in this case, a dreamy strawberry-lavender mix made at the local Terra Verde Organic Farms - and you have Sweet Pea's heavenly concoction. Even chocolate-chip loyalists will tout these bits of pure joy, which evoke childhood - and a serious craving for a tall, cold glass of milk - with every bite."

		"Eat Beat, Side Dishes: The Sweet Pea Bakery & Catering" Phoenix Magazine Phoenix, June 2007 "'Fresh' and 'simple' are her (Danielle's) bywords, as is evident from a lovely salad of greens, orange slices, feta cheese and pistachios, dressed with house-made balsamic vinaigrette. An antipasto plate of sliced turkey, roasted beets, Brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes, cheese and dates makes delicious sense, while Tuscan white bean and artichoke spread, served with veggies, is equally yummy as a schmear for the bread. Eat a healthy lunch like this and you won't feel guilty about the inevitable trip to the pastry case for chewy apricot-walnut-oatmeal cookies, lime-tinged mojito cookies, rosemary shortbread or maybe a bright yellow sliver of Danielle's Tart (a pine nut crust filled with lemon curd, its top strewn with fresh raspberries). If you're a healthy eater, you should go. And if you're a sweet freak, you should go, too. Danielle works both sides of the fence."

		The Sweet Pea Bakery has been featured in the following programs and publications. Channel 12, Arizona Midday Channel 3, AZ Family, Good Morning Arizona, "Nikki's Restaurant Reviews: Crazy for Cupcakes" Arizona Republic, YES Magazine, Spring 2007 Arizona Republic "Creamy, Dreamy Cupcakes" "We're Sweet On These 4 Divine Pastry Shops" "Leave Holiday Baking To The Experts This Year" "Vanilla-bean cuisine takes on chocolate for Valentine's Day"

		"Confection Encounters of the Sweet Kind" Ignite Magazine Phoenix, December 2006 "One of newest independent bakeries on the scene The Sweet Pea opened last March in the heart of downtown Phoenix’s warehouse district and is already worthy of top-tier baking recognition. Housed in a converted industrial space below Campaige Place Apts. at 2nd Ave and Jackson, Sweet Pea is hard at work creating especially tasty and equally innovative desserts and other confections on-site from scratch. If the adorable space itself doesn’t persuade patrons to indulge, tasting any one of their custom recipes is likely to move you full throttle. ... Creativity obviously doesn’t run low at this highly ‘sweet’ spot. Like other bakeries in town, Sweet Pea will also be offering a few special holiday-themed baked goods to help overload our needy taste buds. Among them, peppermint dark chocolate truffles, gingerbread cupcakes with lemon-scented icing and a special chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling topped with a white butter cream icing, coconut shavings and white sugar crystals intended to resemble wintertime snow. And as always, order ahead. Such delicious offerings usually require extra time and care."

		"SNACK: Lovin' from the Oven" Where Magazine Phoenix + Scottsdale, December 2006 "DOWNTOWN PHOENIX: On a rebounding block on downtown's south end, The Sweet Pea Bakery and Royal Coffee Bar seem to promise - with rosemary shortbread and steamy espressos - that this industrial zone has a gentrified future. Visitors can take plates and mugs from one shop to the other, and both places hang up-and-coming art."

		"Best Bakery" Phoenix New Times, Best Of Phoenix 2006 Phoenix, October 2006 "In most cities, you'll stumble on the best bakery in town just walking down the street. In Phoenix, you probably won't find it unless you've just gotten out of the nearby county jail — or gone to visit someone there. We're pretty sure the kind folks at the Sweet Pea won't bake a file into one of their dense chocolate cakes, but they will distract you from the troubles of your day with rosemary shortbread or mojito cookies. We really love the peanut butter and jelly cookie "sandwich" — in fact, we love it all, right down to the Pepto pink walls and the owner's collection of vintage cake plates. The Sweet Pea also caters, and there's a promise of lunch service in the future, as well as a coffee shop opening soon next door. Jackson Street might just be happenin' yet."

		"The Sweet Pea: Turning the Tables" Phoenix Downtown Magazine Phoenix, August 2006 "Cake is now chic. The humble staple of childhood birthday parties has taken a turn for the luxe, with designer-style offerings now gracing upscale bakery counters around the country. That's good news for Valley sugar-holics, who are sure to find something to love in downtown's newest hip-meets-home comfort bakery, The Sweet Pea. ... Librera's deft touch with sweet things is evident in the fanciful beauty of her custom-created cakes. Customers can page through a photo gallery of the bakery's offerings, or request an original design using a sketch or memento."

		"Ignition: What's New" Ignite Magazine Phoenix, July 2006 THE SWEET PEA "The search for uniqueness and quality in pastry is over after experiencing the haven that is the Sweet Pea ... Only seasonal and local ingredients are used, so menu items will change and requests limited at times. Rest assured, there will always be something extra special at the Sweet Pea. The Rosemay Shortbread, for example, is a treat like no other. Its distinct rosemary flavor is enhanced by the honey as it melts in your mouth. Another item is the Brownie Chunk Cookie, the Sweet Pea alternative to the ordinary chocolate chip cookie. Danielle's Oatmeal Cookie is a flavorful combo of apricots and walnuts. Her list is plentiful, yet Danielle will also do special-order items for any occasion"

		"Get Baked, Cure A Sweet Tooth At These Indie Downtown Bakeries" 944 Magazine Phoenix, July 2006 the sweet pea "Danielle Librera introduced a touch of the East Coast this past March when she opened her version of a New Jersey bakery. No loaves of bread here, though; The Sweet Pea deems itself a dessert bakery, serving only cookies, cakes and plenty of frosting. Take a look at Librera's beautiful wedding cake pictures and choose your ideal nuptial dessert or treat yourself to a brownie cupcake. But it's not just the sugar that makes The Sweet Pea so special - you won't find artificial flavors or corn syrup in any of Librera's goodies. Natural, fresh and often organic ingredients make indulgence like the peanut butter and jelly cookies seem not so sinful. The charming pink and green décor is enhanced by local art, giving the atmosphere a metropolitan yet still quaint feel."

		"Valley Bites" Edible Phoenix Phoenix, Summer 2006 "...I've always been a sucker for sweet and salty foods. As a child, I concocted my own special chocolate-chip cookie and potato chip combo for all of my friends. Now as an adult, I can share more sophisticated treats like the melt-in-your-mouth natural peanut butter and strawberry/lavender jelly sandwich cookies from the Sweet Pea Bakery ... Or for the ultimate sweet and salty experience, we'll indulge in Poco Dolce's grey-sea-salt-sprinkled, bittersweet chocolate tiles in four flavors. They're made in San Francisco, www.pocodolce.com, but also sold at Sweet Pea."

		"Couple donates goodies to unique shelter" North Central News Phoenix, May 2006 "...For one North Central couple, Sundays now include a special ritual that is more about doing for others than doing for themselves. Danielle Librera and husband Brian Coonce of the Sweet Pea Bakery & Catering spend part of their Sunday mornings delivering extra and leftover goods from their shop - cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and more - to the Area Agency on Aging's landmark DOVES transitional housing program. It's a moment the residents of the program have come to enjoy - one of the few pleasures they have in their lives right now."