Tierra Caliente Bakery

Tierra Caliente Bakery

9496 Hammerly Blv. Houston, TX 77080

713-463-6633

Open seven days a week from 6:00am-10:00pm

http://tierracalientebakery.com/

The dark sky and the crisp air in January, created the ideal mood for a cup of coffee and fresh baked bread. If any food can be described as orgasmic, it would be the balance of crispiness and fluffiness of fresh baked bread. I looked around and I saw a sign that read Tierra Caliente Bakery right off Hammerly and Campbell next to the Seller Brothers. I jumped out of the car, walked toward the small corner shop and flung open the door. The alluring sweet aroma rushed up my nostrils. Like I had died and gone to bread heaven, dancing on fluffy clouds of bread. Well enough of that.

I did not realize that day, I would meet the kolache that would change my life. The golden, glazed bread caught my eye. I paid ONE  dollar for the kolache, and went to the car. I could not wait to take a bite into this golden brown, thin, crispy pillow of dough. My teeth sank in to this wonder, I felt a crunch as I bit the sausage, and a burst of juiciness filled my mouth. Followed by a punch of spiciness from the jalapeno, which did not overpower, then mellowed down with a hint of cheese. After eating this, I would judge kolaches with higher standards.

I continued going back to this bakery to pick up kolaches, but also tried their breads. They have a variety of breads ranging in textures, from the crispy Oreja to the fluffy and cheesy Cuerno de Queso. If a special occasion comes up, they also bake cakes. Their chocolate cake has a subtle sweet and bitter taste, not intense, but still satisfies the craving for chocolate. On the corner of the store, they have coffee and hot Abueltia cocoa. One day after work, I passed by this bakery. I could hardly contain myself, fresh baked bread straight out of the oven. My lucky day!  The bread is always fresh and baked in small batches each day. I have tried different breads; the only one that disappointed me was the cinnamon roll. It was a bit on the dry side and lacked gooiness.

Eating their bread, paired up with a cup of steaming, hot cocoa, just takes me back to a chilly winter morning in my mother’s house when she made hot cocoa and I would dunk spongy bread into it. This bakery brings those comforting memories, which many of us cherish.

So while driving down Hammerly, around the Spring Branch area, don’t overlook this small bakery.