The food event that I’ve been hoping for but fearing more than a little is coming this July, when a Beard Papa opens in Plaza Bonita. Who is Beard Papa? This pipe-smoking, bearded grandpa looks harmless enough, but he is a pastry-pusher and his cracktastic cream puffs are the devil’s dessert. When I last vacationed in a city with a Beard Papa outpost, I ate one every single day, to my delight and dismay. The puffs have an airy two-layer shell, the inner pastry is tender like eclair dough and the outer shell 
is as crisp and light as perfect pie crust. The custard filling is a just slightly thickened creme brulee, flecked with vanilla beans and not to sweet. There’s also coffee and green tea-flavored fillings. Sweet tooths, be warned.
