New Dessert Menu on Tuesday, March 23...

The days of winter-time comfort eating — intense chocolates and rich, buttery desserts — are behind us now. It’s time for a refreshing dessert menu. Pastry chef Teresa Heustis has created six all-new desserts, plus two updated versions of Pachamama’s classics (the molten brown sugar cake and almond-apple tart).

The menu goes into action on Tuesday, March 23, but here’s a sneak peek:

Strawberries ‘n’ Cream



The flavors of strawberries with cream instantly evoke sunshine. In the glass are layers of strawberry and cream panna cottas with basil tapioca on top. Garnishing the plate are grilled lemon pound cake and flash-fried basil leaves.

Lemon Cream-Blueberry-Rhubarb Napoleon


Traditionally, a Napoleon is a stack of alternating layers of pastry and cream. Teresa breaks the mold once again with her version: it’s layers of crisp almond tuile (very very thin cookies) and lemon cream, with a sweet-and-tart blueberry and rhubarb compote on top. To the side is a scoop of amazing ice cream: salted almond caramel.

Teresa Heustis attended the California Culinary Academy at age 17, specializing in baking and pastry. She has worked in a San Francisco bakery, a Portland chocolate shop, and Aqua, a restaurant in San Francisco. She has been Pachamama’s pastry chef since May 2008. For more about Teresa, click here.