Ice cream has long been my love. I remember childhood summer days doling out strawberries (one for the bucket, one for me) as my mom and dad created strawberry ice cream magic in a frozen silver cylinder. Since then, ice cream and I have been committed partners. That is why it came as such a surprise when I tasted the homemade pastries at Copenhagen Pastry and my heart quivered — had I stumbled upon a new love?

Copenhagen Pastry is the brain child of Kate Hansen who has opened two stores: one in Culver City and one in Pasadena, CA. With her formative years spent in the land of beautiful people and renowned pastries, Ms. Hansen desired to bring her native sweets to the masses via her pastry shops. All ingredients are of the highest quality and made fresh daily, sometimes two or three times daily depending on demand. They even give samples to help customers make decisions. Since I am not good with snap decisions (even with said samples), I took quite a few home.

Feeling conflicted by this new love, I offered them to my friend visiting from Finland. However, she only ate one claiming, “I just came from lunch” — ah! This left me with SEVERAL and Spaceman would not be home for hours. Maybe I should have just one more? Is this how affairs start? But ice cream has been so good to me, and I do love it so…

I gobbled up one more as I debated if I should be eating it or not. When Spaceman got home, I told him of my dirty little affair as we ate the remaining pastries (a la Roald Dahl’s, Lamb to the Slaughter, no?). I had, in one day, eaten four pastries from Copenhagen Pastry — and I could have eaten more if available! Ice cream wasn’t even tempting me. What was going on? I felt so cheap and ashamed…but not willing to stop.

Visit Copenhagen Pastry if you dare. Their pastries should come with a warning, “eat one and you’re hooked”.