Meet Butterbang
This Providence croissanterie serves swoonworthy French pastries . By Jamie Coelho
Butterbang croissants are making big noise across Providence , mostly in the form of a collective “ Mmm .” Owner and lone baker Brian Leosz took some time out of his busy schedule to answer questions about his croissant baking business .
What made you want to start a croissant bakery ? I ’ m a self-taught baker who fell in love with the croissant more than a decade ago on my first trip to France . I started Butterbang in 2019 because I wanted to bring the transformative , simple pleasure of eating a flaky , buttery croissant to others . I first launched Butterbang as a bike cart . Once COVID hit , I adapted to selling from the front door of my bakery kitchen ( which I call “ the Croissant Window ”) because it was a safer way to continue serving my customers .
How long does it take to make a proper croissant ? Making a Butterbang croissant takes about three days , with a lot of resting time built in to help the dough develop flavor and recover between kneading , rolling and shaping . It is a labor-intensive process . I don ’ t take shortcuts , as there is always a trade-off to quality . Generally speaking , it is a full week ’ s work to prepare for one morning of order pickups at the Croissant Window . It ’ s no small effort to make croissants the authentic way , especially as a one-man operation . My life experience and soul go into this work .
Where can people try your croissants ? The best way to nab a croissant is to follow Butterbang on Instagram (@ butterbangcroissants ) or sign up for email notifications on the website . Butterbang hosts the Croissant Window one to two days a week at the Butterbang Kitchen in Olneyville at 11 Aleppo St ., Unit 7 , Providence . Currently , customers are required to pre-order their croissants online before arriving . There are no walk-up sales at this time .
What varieties do you make ? Butterbang has a core menu of croissants including : Classic , Choco ( fair-trade , organic chocolate ),
Almond , Choco Almond , the Dainty Pig ( prosciutto , gouda and rosemary ) and Yum Rolls ( a croissant cinnamon roll with vanilla glaze and salted caramel ). I also offer seasonal specials , often inspired by life experiences or places I ’ ve traveled to ( or want to travel to ).
How did you adapt when the pandemic hit ? Operating off my bike cart was no longer going to provide adequate safe distance between me and my customers . The bike cart brought a lot of whimsical joy to my customers , so it was a difficult decision to retire it in favor of selling directly from my production kitchen . My commercial kitchen doesn ’ t have enough interior space to set up a traditional retail counter , so I had to come up with an alternative way to continue serving my customers in a “ no-touch ” fashion . I shifted all sales online , so I wouldn ’ t have to handle credit cards on site . I fashioned a makeshift insulated pickup window that rolls into my front doorway . This puts a safe barrier between me and my customers , and prevents the wind from chilling the croissants inside . Beyond iterating on the pickup process for increased safety and speed , I ’ ve also switched from baking several days to just one or two “ megabakes ” each week to ensure I ’ m operating at maximum efficiency . This helps me conserve energy and resources during increasingly uncertain economic times . Thankfully , I have wonderful customers who have fully embraced each adaptation of the business . I ’ m not sure how this setup will adapt once life returns to normal , but I ’ m grateful it is working well at present for the business and my customers .
What ’ s the best way to eat a croissant ? The best way to eat a croissant is without guilt . Butter is good for you . Joy is , too . butterbang . com �
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l APRIL 2021 17