Crisan: at last, art you can eat
Claudia and Iggy.
It's a bakery! No, it's an art gallery! Hey kids -- it's a bakery AND an art gallery. And the art is edible. Crisan, the long gestating bakery/art gallery on Lark Street finally opened its doors this morning.
Artist Ana Claudia Crisan Calabria and her husband, jazz musician Iggy Calabria, are offering gelato, beautiful pastries and edible jewelery. Wait... what?
Yep. Edible jewelry. No, not the ring pops and candy necklaces you sucked on as a kid. This is beautiful jewelry (like that broach made from sugar to the right) you can wear now and share later.
Growing up in Romania, Claudia's parents owned a bakery. When she came to the US to study art and jewelry design, she developed an interest in edible art and the interest intensified during grad school. Claudia is now an expert on the subject. She recently gave a lecture at The Smithsonian on the relationship between edible art, the wearer and the audience. And one of her pieces was featured last year in British Vogue.
"There's a whole movement of artists who work in edible art," she says. "The idea is that there's more to jewelry than having it as a precious object. You wear a piece of jewelry, people admire it, there's a connection."
When the jewelry is edible, she says the experience changes. "When you can eat a piece of the art off of the person, it becomes fun or erotic.
Before long, Claudia hopes to display all sorts of edible art at Crisan, including her own edible jewelery.
So why the pastries? "You always have to support your art," Claudia says. "And I think this is the appropriate medium for that."
Hmm. Well today we tried some of the pastries, including a light flaky number filled with melted feta. It tasted like art to us.
Find It
Crisan
197 Lark Street
Albany, NY 12210
updated July 1, 2008
Tues - Sunday 10 am - 10 pm
closed Mondays
(518) 445-2727
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Comments
This is a great article, the edible art is beautiful.. BUT the pastries and croissants and Jilato (how ever you spell all that) all are amazing... TOP TOP NOTCH. Easily one of, if not, the best Bakery in the Capital District. and its only been open for a few days. I can see that this bakery will become a destination spot, even with parking issues of Lark St, bla bla bla... (probably even worth the ridiculous parking ticket fine: Crisan is that good!)
... said HRGREEN on Jun 7, 2008 at 10:28 AM | link
I agree. I was a bit doubtful what with the edible art that the place would be rather precious, but in fact the European-inspired pastries are sublime and very reasonably priced considering the superb quality (ingredients, taste, appearance). This bakery is a great contribution to the local food scene and worth the parking hassle of Lark St. Finally a truly excellent bakery in the Capital District. (Now if the others would get rid of the transfat vegetable shortenings in their so-called butter cream icings....)
... said susiebonifoy on Jun 7, 2008 at 4:12 PM | link
Tried the lemon ice on Friday - wonderful taste. I'm going back to try more gelato today after work.
Kathleen
... said Kathleen Lisson on Jun 9, 2008 at 3:32 PM | link
Congratulations Iggy and Claudia. I know you're hard works and talents will soon pay off with more great reviews and loyal customers. Naroc.
... said Martin on Jun 11, 2008 at 9:48 AM | link
Felicitari pentru Claudia si Iggy! Sunteti foarte frumosi in poza ;Unde sunt ceilalti? Va urez mult succes , multe comenzi de torturi,multi clienti si spor la treaba. Pentru Doamna si Domnul Crisan multa rabdare si spor la munca! Sorina tu sa ai grija de toti .Sa puneti mai multe poze sa va vad .Va pup pe toti si sa auzim numai de bine!!!!
... said flory iakab on Jun 11, 2008 at 2:41 PM | link
felicitari!
... said flori iakab on Jun 11, 2008 at 2:45 PM | link
Congratulations to Claudia and Iggy! You are very beautiful in the picture, Where are the others? We wish good luck, many orders of torture, many customers and spor at work. To Mr. and Mrs. Crisan spor lot of patience and work! Sorina you to take care of everybody. To put more pictures you see. Pup you all and to hear only good!!
(http://translate.google.com/)
... said chief on Jun 12, 2008 at 2:06 PM | link
felicitari!!!sa aveti succes cu afacerea voastra!!!va pupam pe toti!!!pune mai multe poze!!!ciao
... said daniela iancu on Jul 1, 2008 at 6:14 AM | link
To Claudia and Iggy, Today I tried a delicious apple streudel from Crisan, that my dear friends brought to me. The flavors were simply devine. I most enjoyed the fact that it was not too sweet and was able to taste and enjoy the other flavors. Good Luck and keep up the Great Work!
... said Dean on Jul 22, 2008 at 5:15 PM | link
OMIGOD!! THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!!! THE CRISAN BAKERY is the best place for Gelato, and the pastries are the best. Unusually beautiful and really good, with no artificial ingredients. The chocolate squares are sublime, and the apple strudel is the best I have ever had. The really amazing quality is worth standing in line for, and the people are sooo nice . A place to certainly treasure !! YAY!!
... said karenska salerno on Aug 4, 2008 at 8:35 PM | link
I'm never much for aesthetics, so I will only comment on taste: great stuff! And there's always something new to try. For such a small place they have an excellent variety. And they beat another popular bakery by leaps and bounds...I won't name names, but their initials are BN.
... said Another Dean on Aug 21, 2008 at 9:34 PM | link
One of our customers arrived at their Albany Art Room birthday party with the most spectacular cake I have seen. It was a very artistic interpretation of a painters palette made by the bakers/artists at Crisan.
... said Karen on Nov 3, 2008 at 8:24 AM | link
Felicitari,din partea noastra!Titus,Maria-Ana,Calin si Ada,Ionut
... said Titus Dobinda on Feb 22, 2009 at 2:51 PM | link
All I can say is "I'm hooked".... tried it after hearing so much about it from a co-worker and it is delicious, I try to stop by at least once a week...Albany's needed a bakery like this for quite a while....fabulous place...
... said Diana on Oct 11, 2009 at 9:03 AM | link
Awwww Sis..to think just a few years ago you were in our Kitchen making a crazy but delicious Ice cream cake for your host dads Birthday..lol And all of this schooling and you went back to your roots.. I always knew you would be something amazing and now look you two your two loves and made Art Into it. You and your husband look so cute, I miss you! Im so proud of you hun.. Mom and I love you and miss you like crazy..
Love. Kayla and Mom..
... said Kayla on Mar 8, 2010 at 1:38 AM | link
I've heard such wonderful things about Crisan Bakery. Hopefully the next time i'm in New York, I can make it there.
... said Rebecca Crisan on Aug 7, 2011 at 5:48 PM | link