Shortnin Bread has brought sweet treats and good smells to the East Village in Downtown Long Beach. Co-owners, Justina Fenton and Keith Russell – a niece uncle team – opened their small sweet shop last October after perfecting their recipes and building a reputation in famers markets around the area.
They call themselves an “artisan bakery” that specializes in organic and locally sourced ingredients. All of their baked goods and ice creams are made in house – and everything I have tasted is outstanding. They range from cookies and brownies to tarts and even ice cream sandwiches.
Of all of the things I’ve tried, the salted caramel ice cream sandwich made the most profound impact on me. Home-made salted caramel ice cream was sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies; it was something very special. The rich and creamy sweetness of the caramel was nicely balanced by the slightly salty finish.
Shortnin Bread really does try to make sure you use all of your taste buds by balancing out the richness and sweetness of sugar and butter with unexpected savory or salty flavors. Their shortbread cookies rival the best I’ve tasted from producers in Europe. Their cookies are bursting with rich and creamy butter and sugar flavors as you’d expect – but before that feels overpowering, those flavors are balanced by a slight salty crunch.
The rosemary-lime cookies are another great example. Here, though, the richness and sweetness is cut by the savory aroma of rosemary and a sour note from lime zest. The same is true with their peanut butter, nutter butter – composed of two peanut butter, oatmeal cookies cemented together with peanut butter.
They have a wide range of offerings including rich and dense brownies and blueberry squares with blueberries from the local farmers market in addition to those mentioned above.
The owners plan to expand their menu and hours shortly with savory tarts for breakfast so that you will soon be able to start and finish you day with something delicious from Shortnin Bread. I cannot wait to try their new offerings and encourage others to give them a try the next time you want to pick up a sweet treat.
Shortnin Bread is the exact kind of business that deserves your support – a family run place that is producing excellent food and doing so in ways that support and build community.
Shortnin Bread
401 E 3rd St
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 257-0016