D.C.’s Incoming Latin Market Will Have a Mexican-German Pastry Shop

The latest vendor added to La Cosecha, the Latin American market under construction in the Union Market district, is a Mexican-German bakery that will sell guava-stuffed crumb cakes, matcha conchas, and pig-shaped cookies made with piloncillo sugar.

Washington City Paper reported yesterday that Filos Bakery has signed on for a tiny, 145-square-foot stall in La Cosecha, which is supposed to begin opening in phases by August. Francesca Arienzo, a former lawyer with German and Italian heritage who was born and raised in Mexico City, started the business last year and already sells sweets online, at Shop Made in DC, and at farmers markets in Petworth and Van Ness.

On her website, Arienzo offers conchas, sweet shell-shaped breads that are ubiquitous in Mexico, in vanilla and chocolate. She also sells Vanillekipferl — German almond-butter crescent cookies — and streuselkuchen, a streusel crumb cake that comes plain or stuffed with poppy seed or raspberry. At La Cosecha, WCP reports, Arienzo will sling a true German-Mexican mash-up: guava-stuffed streuselkuchen.

A sample menu shared with WCP also included tres leches chake, cheesecake, cinnamon rolls, bolillo rolls, and cerditos de piloncillo, little pig-shaped cookies made with unrefined brown sugar.

At La Cosecha, people will eventually be able to pair Arienzo’s treats with rare coffee from Panamanian roasters at Cafe Unido or cold-pressed juices from the Colada Shop founders at Zumo. Restaurants coming to the complex include Amparo Fondita from Chihuahan D.C. chef Christian Irabien, a modernist Colombian place from chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, and vegan fine-dining venue from Bolivian chef Sebastian Quiroga.

• Surrender to Guava Streuselkuchen When FILOS Bakery Opens Inside La Cosecha [WCP]
• Retooled Latin Market In Northeast Will Highlight Chefs From Across the Region [EDC]
• These Panamanian Roasters Will Bring the Caviar of Coffee Beans to D.C. [EDC]
• Colada Shop Partners Will Bring a Pan-Latin Bar to D.C.’s Next Massive Market [EDC]