Ray's Patisserie and I used to have a good thing going. I was new to the area and needed something that could give me a pastry fix - sweet or savoury - within walking distance. Their fluffy sponge cakes, creamy donuts, and sugar-glazed tarts weren't the best I'd ever had, but were certainly a cut above what nearby franchises had to offer. Pies and sausage rolls have never been my favourite foods, but my housemates assured me that Ray's rich, crispy efforts were worth the two-minute trek.
Things changed when I discovered their pumpkin and ricotta triangles. Always a delicious flavour combination, but Ray's lightly-spiced filling, impressive serving size, and wonderfully flaky pastry had me hooked. I started stopping by in lieu of a proper lunch, and giving other patrons the side-eye whenever there was only one pumpkin treat left in the cabinet. I became convinced that these scrumptious shapes were laced with something addictive and likely illegal, since that was the only possible explanation for why I'd eaten three in as many days. If my hands hadn't been perpetually covered in pastry crumbs and pumpkin, I would have been writing an exposé.
Then came that fateful Sunday, where I'm traditionally too relaxed to venture any further than up the road for food. I ordered my triangle as usual, from a cheery staff member who had by now come to recognise me. Once home, I removed my three-cornered treat from its bag and tore it open... only to be greeted by the unmistakable smell of expired cheese. Instead of smooth filling, the pumpkin and rancid ricotta had formed unappetising lumps that resembled kindergarten glue. I nibbled hesitantly at one corner, only to find the taste was worse than the smell.
So sorry, Ray's. I'm sure this was only a one-off, and that maybe that particular Sunday your staff hadn't sampled the cheese. Indeed, I bought another pumpkin and ricotta triangle a couple of weeks later to see if I'd lost my taste for them. Sadly, it seems I have, even though this time the cheese was unmistakably fresh.
That smell just stays with you. read more