MBFT Insider: Favorite Recipes from Famous Monterey Kitchens
Monterey Bay Food Tours maintains an inside track to our amazing food partners, from the terrific stops on our food tour to the folks who hand make the goodies in our giftable totes.
For the most treasured digital souvenir around, read on to discover a treasured recipe straight from one of the best restaurants in Monterey.
Explore the Kitchen
Reviving the historic footprint of the Pioneer Bakery in the mid-19th century, Alta Bakery resides in the quaint collection of buildings that make up the Cooper Molera Adobe. We recommend grabbing the latte-of-the-month and a treat from the bakery case for a stroll through the adjoining gardens, landscaped to be authentic to the origins of Monterey.
Alta Bakery offers breakfast and lunch from its sunny location at the bustling corner of Alvarado street and Munras Ave; the top of the historic Old Monterey downtown district. Fresh and nourishing is the theme of the menu. Try a gluten-free quinoa bowl for either meal or try one of Alta’s creative pizzas, highlighting ingredients like delicata squash and pickled Fresno peppers.
The bakery crafts all of its sweet treats and other baked goods. Their “obligatory avocado toast” (often our treat of choice for tour guests!) features a masterpiece of produce and edible flowers all piled on Alta’s own fluffy-yet-crisp toasts.
Meet the Chef
A fixture in some of the best Monterey Peninsula kitchens, Ben Spungin now serves as chef and owner of the Alta Group. At Alta Bakery, Spungin infuses locally-grown, seasonal ingredients into his creations, paying special attention to the balance of savory and sweet.
Get the Recipe
Need dessert for a brunch or birthday party? Try this chef’s recipe from Alta Bakery’s Ben Spungin. Note: this makes enough for a crowd!
Doughnuts a’la Alta Bakery
Ingredients
4 ½ tsp dry yeast
2 c warm milk
10 ½ c flour
1 c sugar
2 tbsp salt
9 eggs
1 tsp orange blossom water
300 g room temp butter
Directions
Combine first 7 ingredients and mix for 4 minutes with a dough hook.
Mix butter in slowly for 2 minutes. Mix everything for another 2 minutes.
Wrap the dough and chill overnight.
Roll the dough to a thin layer and cut into doughnut shapes. Freeze or proof the dough and fry at 300 degrees.
Monterey Bay Food Tours keeps you connected to the kitchens, chefs, and creators behind your favorite Monterey restaurants. Whose recipes would you like to see next? Comment below!