Signature Dish: Cheesebread Co.

Welcome to the Q’Stoner food feature, Signature Dish! Once a week we check in with Queens restaurants and ask the owners about the all-time favorite dishes they serve. If you know of a dish you’d like to see featured here, please email emily@brownstoner.com.

The Spot: Cheesebread Co., Queens County Market and LIC Flea & Food.

The Deal: Since May 2013, the Cheesebread Co. has been selling its cheesebreads at the local markets, including the Queens County Market and the LIC Flea and Food. Christopher Krupnik bakes the small-batch pao de queijo, or Brazilian cheesebread, from a Harlem kitchen incubator, which helps small-scale food producers companies develop and grow.

Krupnik says he chose the location because he can “manufacture in small batches to control quality, ethical labor, and sustainability.”

Already, the bakery has expanded its operations to include selling frozen options at local grocery stores and is working on developing additional flavors.

The Dish: The traditional Brazilian pao de queijo uses sweet tapioca flour, organic dairy, and pecorino cheese to form round bite-sized puffs of bread. A vegan version substitutes ingredients such as almond milk to satisfy all the customers, and the whole grain rendition features New York State flour and grains.

Krupnik enjoys presenting at the flea markets and food fairs because it gives him an opportunity to showcase the fresh-baked product.

“We also offer a baking service at the markets and fairs to give you an education and taste of the product showing off its freshly baked qualities like the cheesy inside texture, fresh pecorino cheese smell, and the taste of fresh gluten free bread,” he says, ensuring that once you get a sample, you’ll be back for more.