When it comes to sweets, you don't need a storefront for people to know you're great, as GOOSE HOUSE BAKERY's Molly Rizzuto has proven since 2015.
Voted the best bakery on the Palouse, Rizzuto's at-home Moscow bakery is a popular choice for people looking to order specialty cakes, scones, bars, event platters, wedding cakes and more. Formerly a pastry chef in Portland, Rizzuto now bakes small orders on the Palouse six days a week.
While most people order through her website, if you want to try some of her creations out in the wild, you can drop by One World Cafe, where most days you'll find some of her scones, shortbread, biscotti and bite-sized minis.
"They're hard to describe — they look like mini cupcakes, but it's not cake," Rizzuto says of her bite-sized treats. "It's in between a candy and a dessert."
She also provides desserts for the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre's Met Opera series.
On any given day, Rizzuto may bake five to 15 cakes that people have ordered, or she's busy putting together platters of delicious treats for events at the University of Idaho or Washington State University.
Rizzuto says she particularly likes the local winter markets at the end of each year, when she gets to interact with her many customers in person every few weeks through the holiday season.
"That's super special, and I come away feeling super connected to my community," she says.
Head over to Pullman, and you'll find that Inlander readers love to peruse a new (to them) book at their favorite bookstore, BRUSED BOOKS. Pop out the back door and head across the street to enjoy a pint at PARADISE CREEK BREWERY, which readers again voted the best on the Palouse.
On campus, you might come across Lt. Col. Nick Jeffers, who was voted the best professor on the Palouse. Jeffers chairs WSU's Department of Aerospace Studies and teaches national security, leadership ethics, and the profession of arms. He's also the commander of the Air Force ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) at WSU and U of I, helping train students who want to become military officers.
"He's the best Aero professor, and an outstanding leader and role model," one reader wrote. "He is incredibly knowledgeable and conveys information really well in a way you can really understand."
Nearby, in Apartment Land — the ever-expanding neighborhood of apartments next to campus — readers said they find their favorite tacos at THE LAND. While the restaurant's daily menu is more focused on bar food favorites like nachos, loaded fries, burgers and salads, every week people turn up for their special Taco Tuesday menu.
The $2 and $4 margaritas can't hurt when it comes to bringing people in each Tuesday, but they also offer a selection of chicken, pork or mushroom tacos, each topped with cilantro, onion and housemade green or red salsa for just $1.75 each.
People also like to order the taco packs, says manager Brady Stephens. For $11.50, the Taco Fry Pack comes with six tacos and a portion of seasoned fries with limes on the side. Or, focus on the spirit of the weekly holiday and go for the plain ol' Taco Pack, which includes nine tacos for $15.75.
"The pork tacos are sooo tasty!" one voter made sure to comment.
BEST BAKERY
1st PLACE: Goose House Bakery, Moscow
2nd PLACE: Sugar Babe Bakery, Pullman
3rd PLACE: Flour Power Bakery, Pullman
BEST BOOKSTORE
1st PLACE: Brused Books, Pullman
2nd PLACE: BookPeople of Moscow
3rd PLACE: The Bookie, WSU
BEST BREWERY
1st PLACE: Paradise Creek Brewery, Pullman
2nd PLACE: Hunga Dunga Brewing, Moscow
3rd PLACE: Palouse Brewing Company, Palouse
BEST COLLEGE PROFESSOR
1st PLACE: Nick Jeffers, WSU Aerospace
2nd PLACE: Alexandra Teague, University of Idaho Creative Writing
3rd PLACE: Michael Salamone, WSU Politics, Philosophy & Public Affairs
BEST TACOS
1st PLACE: The Land, Pullman
2nd PLACE: La Casa Lopez, Moscow
3rd PLACE: Red Card Pub, Pullman
