She’s famous for sticky buns
Paola Velez has the most playful palate
Team Cherry Bombe just wrapped a beautiful Jubilee weekend in NYC, so we’re posting this a few days late! Thank you to everyone who attended this year. We had an incredible time with you and will be sharing more from the day soon on our Instagram.
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Flashback to Martha’s OG lamb cake
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Plantain Appreciation Week
“I like to spank it,” said Paola Velez in a mischievous near-whisper. She was talking about her sticky bun dough, of course, what else could she possibly mean? We’re revisiting a delightful episode of She’s My Cherry Pie with the author of Bodega Bakes: Recipes for Sweets and Treats Inspired by My Corner Store. There’s no other cookbook like it. It’s a celebration of Latin American and Caribbean flavors and corner store classics with a modern baker’s ingenuity. Think Cosmic Brownie-inspired whoopie pies. Who doesn’t want that?
Paola—who spoke at this weekend’s Jubilee—grew up in the Bronx, near the Stella D’oro factory (now closed), a commercial bakery that occasionally opened to the public, selling still-warm rainbow cookies and ladyfingers. If that alone didn’t influence Paola’s path to the kitchen, the bodega Honey Buns she coveted after school might have helped, too. It’s impossible to listen to this episode on an empty stomach.
We were lucky to snag Paola’s recipe for Plantain Sticky Buns, which were inspired by an afternoon watching Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with her mother, who loooooves Guy Fieri and “his spiky hair,” laughed Paola. Her mother also loves sweet, caramelized plantains, which sparked the idea for this recipe. To serve, flip the baking dish over and watch the caramel ooze into the soft, squishy crevices. Just don’t burn yourself when you swoop in for a bite.
LISTEN TO SHE’S MY CHERRY PIE ON APPLE, SPOTIFY, OR YOUTUBE.
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Bodega Bakes was named one of the best cookbooks of 2024 by nearly every publication for a reason, so what are you waiting for?
Paola loves using a shorter dumpling rolling pin, like this one from Earlywood, because “it brings me closer to the dough”—can’t stop thinking about that
Give in to the call of the Honey Bun (or 48?)
Princess Cake in a candle
Wise words
“Buy what’s convenient for you. I don’t want to limit who can participate in this.” –Paola Velez when asked her favorite spice brand
Rabbit hole to chase
Did we watch the “Triple D” episode about sticky buns that Paola mentioned? Yes. Are there mashed potatoes in the dough? Also yes.
Tip of the week
Frozen plantains! Fresh plantains, like avocados, can take time to fully ripen. Frozen plantains are pre-fried, too, which is even better in this recipe.
Question for the class
Do you know what a Charlotte is? Paola loves them, and so do we. Let’s bring them back into fashion, stat.
Another one from the archives
The cherry on top
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