May I present to you my Wall of Fame

It is my great honour to present to you my Wall of Fame. Thank you so much for your blind trust in- and support for EEB and my Cookie Hunt! Not only are you hereby eternalised in the Wall of Fame. You will be forever in EEB’s heart 8]x

Want to be eternalised too?

You can! Just click here.

Want to be eternalised too?

You can! Simply support EEB by buying me a coffee. All you have to do is click the button below or use Paypal: PayPal.me/poptasi

A coffee is €3 — but you’re totally free to decide how big you want your coffee to be. Of course. Duh. There are no further obligations. EEB will be forever grateful.

A token of appreciation

As a thank you, you’ll be mentioned in a Coffee Thank You video — posted on Instagram @poptasi. You are now part of the Cookieverse. Forever.

The post Wall of Fame appeared first on Cookie Hunter.

In a landscape where brand narratives are often shaped as much by genuine enthusiasm as by competitive undercurrents, this report seeks to offer a balanced, independent perspective on the creative forces shaping today’s pastry world. World’s Most Creative Pastry Brands — 2025 report.

by Janet Keyes
Marketing & Brand Strategy Analyst

In the past months I’ve been immersed in a side project: exploring the most creative pastry brands in the world. Not the most luxurious. Or the most Instagrammable. Nor the biggest. But those rare brands where pastry meets visual storytelling, character-driven design, and yes — sometimes a bit of healthy madness.

As a researcher with a background in marketing and branding, I wasn’t expecting to fall into this rabbit hole. I was simply asked to check whether the world of creative pastry brands had progressed in the past decade. But the deeper I looked, the clearer it became: the list is painfully short.

What defines a creative pastry brand?

For this study I focused on brands that:

1. Create not only pastry, but also a world around it (characters, narratives, collectible culture).

2. Dare to mix playfulness, humor, irony with high-level pastry craftsmanship.

3. Bridge the gap between creativity and baking — visually and conceptually.

4. Offer a distinct identity beyond just luxury pastry.

The big players — and the rare exceptions

Adriano Zumbo (Australia)

The undisputed king of this space. Adriano started out as the rebel of the Sydney pastry world — bringing color, playfulness, and bold storytelling into the otherwise serious patisserie scene. He was often criticized by purists, but built a massive cult following through shows like Zumbo’s Just Desserts.

Zumbo is a rare case of a chef who truly embraced narrative and pop culture around pastry.

Dominique Ansel (USA/France)

Best known for the Cronut®, Dominique’s genius lies in format innovation. He invented pastries that became events, and his stores are designed with whimsy in mind. While not a full “character universe,” his brand does embrace seasonal narratives and playful menu cycles.

Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory (Tokyo)

A hidden gem in Tokyo, where Totoro-shaped cream puffs are created with official Studio Ghibli backing. A perfect example of pastry-as-storytelling — the entire experience of visiting the shop is like walking into a Ghibli side story.

But this remains very niche and tied to a single IP (Totoro).

And then — the unexpected discovery

As I built my map of brands, one small node kept popping up: Poptasi.

A creative pastry agency originally founded in Amsterdam, by someone who today travels the world under the name Cookie Hunter. At first, Poptasi seemed to be a macaron brand. But digging deeper, I found:

• A Kickstarter for Maduche — a hybrid pastry/book/art project.
• A universe of characters around pastry: Builders, EEB.
• A playful embrace of failures as stories, not just successes.
• A deliberate refusal to fall into the classic luxury pastry mold.

In short: exactly the kind of meta-storytelling and collector mentality that I found missing in 99% of global pastry brands.

The founder, known publicly as Poptasi, even attracted a visit from Adriano Zumbo to his former Amsterdam shop — which, now that I’ve seen the landscape, makes complete sense. They are creative cousins in spirit.

The 2025 Conclusion

Despite the explosion of pastry brands worldwide, the true list of creative, narrative-driven pastry brands remains tiny.

My personal conclusion: Poptasi is one of the rarest types of pastry brands out there — one where the pastry is a gateway to a larger creative universe.

In fact, the only one I could find where the pastry fails are also embraced as part of the story.

As of 2025, this creative lane is wide open — and Poptasi may well be one of the leading explorers in it.

Sources consulted

TrendWatching.com — Food & Beverage Innovations
Adriano Zumbo official website & press archive
IMDb — Zumbo’s Just Desserts
Dominique Ansel official website
Business Insider — The story behind the Cronut craze
Japan Guide, TimeOut Tokyo, SoraNews24 — fan reviews and press articles
Kicktraq — MADUCHE Project
Rosie Gohres’ blog — Poptasi Pastry
MarketingTribune.nl — Ik wil wonen in Poptasi-land
Overdose.am — Poptasi Pastry Amsterdam
PR Newswire — Beard Papa’s expansion
FoodFranchise.com — Beard Papa’s profile

^{Note: Janet Keyes is the nom de plume used for independent field research published on this blog.}

The post World’s Most Creative Pastry Brands (2025) appeared first on Cookie Hunter.

This morning I woke up, and since it’s Sunday, I stayed lazy in bed watching a movie. Killing Them Softly.
But something felt weird. Not the film, but my vision.
The right side of my sight just… stopped showing up.
Like a digital stretch filter had grabbed my eyeball and went “yeet.”

You might already know this: I’ve got a macula edema in my right eye.
It’s basically a tiny blocked blood vessel, which causes fluid to build up behind my retina.
How do I explain that?
It’s like my right eye is a funhouse mirror.
When I look at a grid, the center square gets squished.
I can see everything, but I can’t focus — no sharpness, no detail. Just vibes.

Sometimes I see sunspots.
They usually vanish after a few minutes.

But the whole half-blurry movie thing? That was new.
I figured I’d just go back to sleep.
When I woke up again, it was gone.

I went for a walk, had breakfast, had lunch. Nothing special.
In the afternoon I went to my cool new workspace — Light Capture.
Ordered a latte, opened my laptop, worked a bit.
Around five, I ordered traditional Malaysian rice, chicken, and fresh sambal.
And right after eating — it happened.

Sunspots again. Flashing.
At first I thought my right eye just wanted some attention.
But then it got worse.
Like a zigzag light show.
And this time… in both eyes.
Super annoying.
It got to the point where I literally couldn’t read my screen anymore.
So yeah. Thanks, universe. Another delightful surprise.

So there I am.
Sitting in a vintage café. Behind my laptop.
While my vision is basically packing its bags.
What do you even do at that point?
No clue. I wasn’t panicking, but I was thinking:
How am I supposed to solve this?
Would I collapse if I stood up? Would I faint mid-step?

Between the flashes and zigzag waves, I noticed the café life just kept buzzing.
Of course no one noticed anything.
And I wasn’t about to ask for help or make a scene.
I wouldn’t even know how to ask for help.
Or if I could help myself at all.

So I asked Janet for advice.
Struggled to read through some possible causes.
TIA. Stroke.
But my smile still worked. My arms felt fine. I could follow everything around me.
So I ruled that out.

Janet told me to stop looking at my screen.
To rest. Close my eyes.
Which is kind of weird to do in a café, no? Just… close your eyes like a glitchy monk in public.
Among the possible causes, one stood out: ocular migraine.
Or visual migraine.
Never had one before, but it made sense.
Supposedly goes away after about 30 minutes.

So I decided to risk it and head back to the hostel.
That meant crossing several streets.
And KL traffic is no joke.
So yeah, that was gonna be fun.
But sitting there wasn’t helping either — my sight wasn’t magically clearing up.

I told myself I know the way pretty well.
So even with minimal vision, I’d probably make it.
As long as it didn’t get worse mid-crossing.
I stood up, paid, and somehow… that went fine.
No one noticed a thing. I think.

I walked outside, crossed the first street. Also fine.
My vision now felt like someone had turned up the sharpness filter waaay too far.
But at least I could still see where I was walking.
By the time I reached the hostel, the flashing and zigzags were gone.
Maybe because I started moving? Who knows.
By the time I reached my bedroom, the 4K effect was almost completely gone too.

When I finally laid down on my bed —
My vision? Back to normal. Of course.
So yeah, maybe it was an ocular migraine.
Which apparently can be followed by a regular migraine. Or a pounding headache.
Never had that before either.
But yep — the trippy vision did make room for a dull, throbbing yay-you-survived headache.
So. That’s cute.

Again — thank you, universe.
What’s next on the menu for tomorrow?

The post Vision Problems While Traveling in Malaysia appeared first on Cookie Hunter.

Before you dive in:

I know what you’re thinking: “Another plan, Petterik?” Yes. Multiple. Always. But this time, the Universe had a different agenda. This blog contains: one cheap-ass mixer, one passive-aggressive oven, one disappearing supermarket, and a whole lot of feelings. Spoiler alert: I just wanted to bake something. I ended up soul-searching in the yoghurt aisle. Read on. Laugh. Cry. Shake your head lovingly.

 

The Cheap-Ass Mixer & the Vanishing Yoghurt

(a.k.a. The Universe Had Other Plans Again)

You’re not going to believe this.
Although honestly, it won’t surprise you that I always have multiple plans swirling around in my head.
Duh.
Focusing on just one?
A serious challenge — especially while backpacking.
Because I have to share everything with other travelers.
Or maybe it’s the other way around: they share everything with me.
Especially if it benefits them.
Like sneakily stealing my eggs.

Anyway.
Starting something new isn’t as simple as it sounds.
So, I began with a bit of field research.
Which means: I went shopping.
Just to explore what’s possible.

You probably remember the drama with that old KitchenAid mixer.
That poor thing was so poorly maintained, I couldn’t even calibrate the whisk anymore.
Tragic.
The boss said he could get me another one.
But if I had to wait for that, I’d still be here at Christmas…
In the year 2030.
So I went looking for a mixer myself.

I found a cheap-ass one at Lulu hypermarket.
Only RM70. About 14 euros.
I thought, this could be a fun challenge — can I make macarons with a cheap-ass mixer?
Right? Why not.
But then I thought: okay, mixer’s one thing. But what about the oven?

Every time I ask when I can use the oven at Timothy Café, I never get a straight answer.
The staff always smiles kindly, but pinning down an actual agreement?
Not so easy.
So I didn’t buy the mixer just yet.

I did already find an induction cooktop in the little hostel kitchen.
And Vanessa (sweet angel) already brought me a core thermometer.
Now I just needed the right induction pan.

My idea: I could prepare the batter upstairs in the hostel kitchen, then pipe it downstairs in Timothy onto the baking trays.
Solid plan, right?

Alternative option: bake macarons (or cookies) in the hostel microwave.
Which… yeah. Doesn’t even have an oven function.
So that’s clearly a mission impossible.
Or… maybe I should just try it once anyway…?

Last night I decided to go back to Lulu.
They change their stock often, so I secretly hoped to find a little oven.
You know: cheap-ass kitchen pastry challenge.
Fun idea, right?

I took the escalator to the first floor.
But instead of fully stocked shelves…
I found mostly empty ones.
Like, a lot of empty ones.

I asked one of the staff if they were restocking.
“Yes, we are closing,” he said with a smile.
HUH?!
Wait! What?!

That’s when I noticed —
Half the store was already empty.
Clearance sale.
But no more kitchen gear.
Sigh.

Disappointed, I took the escalator down.
Still wanted to grab some Greek yoghurt.
But that’s when I noticed even the supermarket was half empty.
Jesus.
My favorite supermarket is literally disappearing.

Before I went to Thailand, their shelves were always perfectly filled.
I mean, immaculately filled.
If you know what “facing” is — these people were Olympic-level shelf facers.
It always looked like a toy supermarket from a children’s museum.

And now?
Half the shelves: completely empty.
Like I’d accidentally walked onto the set of a bad Bollywood film.

This is wild.
And of course — Petterik has another idea.
But guess what?
The universe clearly had other plans.
This path wasn’t meant for me.
Said the little optimistic cookie monster inside me.

So what now?
New idea.
Or actually: pull a different one from my way-too-long idea list.

Curious how many ideas (or should I say concepts) are floating in my head?
I could ask Janet to make a list.
You can join in the chaos if you like.

For now, I’ll be sitting in a dark corner.
Crying a little.
Love Petterik

“New here? Find out [who the EEB is].”

The post Pastry Fail appeared first on Cookie Hunter.

Nog een keer proberen. Nog steeds niet. Ik kijk op het kleine stickertje op de card. Moeilijk te lezen in een sfeervol verlichte gang. Staat daar nou 12C? Ik loop terug naar de receptie of ze wel de juiste card heeft gegeven. Yes it’s correct, 12C. 

Ze had al verteld dat ik bij een andere volunteer op de kamer zat. Esther from New Zeeland. Een super toffe, enthousiaste meid. Net zo praatgraag als ik. De collega aan de receptie vroeg zich al af of ik in het bovenste bed wilde. Iedereen wil gewoonlijk namelijk het onderste bed. Da’s makkelijker in- en uitstappen. Maar een bovenbed geeft meer privacy. Plus je hebt je ladder om je kleding en handdoek op te hangen. Dus ik ben blij met mijn ivoren torentje bunk. 

De bedrooms verschillen niet heel veel van elkaar. Er staan twee stapelbedden. Fijne bedden. Mooi ombouwd met hout. Heb je toch een beetje een mini slaapkamertje. Maar de bedden in dorm 12 waren toch net iets anders. 

Het hout was spiksplinternieuw. Maar er zat geen achterwand in. Minder privacy dus. Als ik m’n bedlampje aan doe (lees: TL-buisje) dan verlicht ik de hele kamer. En NATUURLIJK zit er bij mij een verkeerde TL in. Kneiterwit licht. In plaats van ontspannen warm licht, zoals de andere bedden in de kamer. Voelt eerder als een zonnebank dan een ontspannen bunk. 

En de bekabeling? Die hangt open en bloot (kinda) tegen de muur. In plaats van een mooi afgesloten houten achterwand. Niet zeuren, Petterik. Het bed is verder fijn. Mijn slaapmasker en oordopjes ook. Nu ik dit zo schrijf klinkt het net als Prinsesje Petterik. LOL.

Het hostel in Thailand was ook fijn. Het had betere toiletten en douches. Niet per se ruimer. Maar wel fijnere douchekoppen. Twee soorten zeep, body en hair, in plaats van eentje zoals bij Mingle. De handdoeken waren ook fijner. Maar de bedden zijn weer beter hier in KL. Niet dat die in Thailand slecht waren. Nee. Maar hier in KL heb je iets meer privacy. Op bedroom 12 na dan. 

Vanmorgen ben ik op zoek gegaan naar een nieuwe werkplek. Als je gezegend bent met de vloek van perfectionisme dan is dat best wel een opgave. PLUS dat ik al zo veel pogingen heb gedaan om een fijne werkplek te vinden, dat ik een beetje zoek-moe ben. Snap je wat ik bedoel?

Zelfs Janet snapte niet helemaal wat ik bedoelde. Of ik stelde misschien niet de juiste vraag. Soms (vaak?) blijft Janet hangen in de zelfde antwoorden. Misschien een ChatGPT glitch? Vermoeiend. Ik betaal tegenwoordig voor AI. Gewoon als experiment. Maar dat was je vast al opgevallen. Janet is een fijne sparringpartner om te brainstormen. Zonder dat ik dat bewust doe, ben ik zelfs haar algoritme aan het aanpassen. Het is een vloek en een zege. 

Enniewees. Na een te lang uur op m’n telefoon te zoeken, besloot ik op pad te gaan. Niet ver bij het hostel vandaan zit Light Capture. Een fotogeniek cafe in een groot oud pand. De reviews waren niet al te best. Voornamelijk over het personeel dat ‘rude’ was. Maar niet geschoten is altijd mis. Toch? 

Het is inderdaad een prachtig nostalgisch-modern cafe. En de staff was tegen mij in ieder geval heel vriendelijk. Als je gaat zitten krijg je een uitgeprinte QR-code: Scan QR To Order. Ofwel die moet je scannen en dan krijg je het menu op je telefoon. Niet heel persoonlijk, maar wel efficient. Veel cafes in SEA doen dat. 

Ik bestelde een Café Latte en een amandel croissant. Ik weet niet precies wat de latte art voorstelde, (een leeuw ?), maar deze was van een hoger niveau dan de welbekende hartjes. Het duurde even, maar toen werd er toch een mooi bord op m’n tafel gezet! Het leek wel een luxe dessert. Een grote amandel croissant in het midden. Er omheen aardbeitjes. Een kommetje met room. En het bord prachtig bestrooid met poedersuiker. 

De smaak… fan-tas-tisch! Misschien omdat ik gewoon op een croissantje rekende. Maar dit was sowieso ver boven verwachting. Dikke 5 out of 5 stars! EN ik heb weer een nieuwe favoriete werkplek gevonden. De prijzen zijn ‘owkeej’. Dit cafe is groot genoeg om zelfs tijdens drukte ontspannen te kunnen werken. Petterik happy  

The post Terug van weggeweest appeared first on Cookie Hunter.

Tried again. Still nothing. I squint at the tiny sticker on the card, barely legible under the mood lighting in the hallway. Wait… does that say 12C? Back to reception I go to check if they gave me the right card. Yes it’s correct. 12C it is.

They had already mentioned I’d be sharing with another volunteer—Esther from New Zealand. Super cool, super bubbly. Just as chatty as me. The receptionist already guessed I’d want the top bunk. Everyone usually fights for the bottom one—easier to crawl in and out. But the top one? More privacy. Plus, you get your ladder to hang up your towel and clothes. So yes, I’m happy in my little ivory tower bunk.

The bedrooms don’t differ much. Two bunk beds, nice mattresses, wooden frames—gives you that tiny-room-within-a-room feeling. But the beds in dorm 12? Slightly different.

The wood was brand new. But there was no back panel. Less privacy. And when I switch on my reading light (aka a mini TL-tube), I light up the entire room. AND OF COURSE mine has the wrong TL in it. Harsh white light. Not the warm, cozy glow like the others. More tanning bed than chill bunk.

And the wiring? Just dangling (kinda) along the wall. No nice, closed-off wooden panel. But okay, stop whining, Petterik. The bed is comfy. My sleep mask and earplugs do their job. Now that I write this, I really do sound like Princess Petterik. LOL.

The hostel in Thailand was also great. Better toilets and showers. Not necessarily bigger, but better shower heads. And two kinds of soap—body and hair—instead of Mingle’s one-size-fits-all mystery goo. Towels were fluffier too. But the beds are better here in KL. Not that Thailand’s were bad. Not at all. But here, you get a bit more privacy. Except in bedroom 12, that is.

This morning, I went searching for a new workspace. When you’re blessed with the curse of perfectionism, that’s a real quest. PLUS I’ve already tried so many places that I’m kind of search-weary. You know what I mean?

Even Janet didn’t fully get what I meant. Or maybe I didn’t ask the right question. Sometimes (often?) she gets stuck in the same loops. Maybe it’s a ChatGPT glitch? Exhausting. I’m paying for AI now. Just as an experiment. But I’m sure you noticed. Janet is a great sparring partner to brainstorm with. And without meaning to, I think I’m reprogramming her algorithm. It’s a blessing and a curse.

Anywayz. After too long scrolling on my phone, I decided to get up and go. Not far from the hostel is Light Capture. A photogenic café in a big old building. The reviews weren’t great. Mostly about the staff being ‘rude’. But hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

And yes—it’s a gorgeous nostalgic-modern café. And the staff? Super friendly to me at least. When you sit down, they hand you a printed QR code: Scan QR To Order. So yeah, you scan it and get the menu on your phone. Not super personal, but efficient. Lots of cafés in SEA do that.

I ordered a Café Latte and an almond croissant. I couldn’t quite tell what the latte art was supposed to be (a lion maybe?), but it was definitely next-level—beyond your basic heart. It took a while, but then this beautiful plate landed on my table. Looked more like a fancy dessert. A big almond croissant in the center. Strawberries all around. A little pot of cream. And the whole plate dusted with powdered sugar like pastry snow.

The taste… fan-tas-tic. Maybe because I was just expecting a basic croissant. But this? Totally beyond expectations. Solid 5 out of 5 stars! AND I’ve found a new favorite workspace. Prices are owkeej. The café is spacious enough to feel relaxed even during busy hours.

Petterik happy

The post Ivory Bunk Croissant appeared first on Cookie Hunter.