Blueberry Thrill
There’s something in my blueberries.
A huge cinnamon roll.
Blake Lively blew up a small cafe that made big city dwellers cross that river. You know, the one that will host the Macy’s NYC fireworks this year?
The Hive is the cutest cafe that sits on the cutest corner. you’d think you were in a Nancy Meyers film. Except it’s in Hoboken, so order a cute boat. Locals go there for the deliciously grown-up lattes, play space and sincerely friendly service.
They started making regular cinnamon rolls around 1-2 years ago without much ado. Then, Ms. Lively (Mrs. Vancity?) enlivened the interest with a single IG story. She tried and loved their Blueberry Pancake Cinnamon Rolls while shooting a movie out there.
Cue the foodie lines.
The Hive has been serving up their regular cinnamon rolls for about 1-2 years. This is definitely a Kapha meal. The warm sweet softness makes this the quintessential comfort food. (Image: AKJAM Publishing)
In collaboration with something (or someones) named Sister Snacking, The Hive made these a limited endeavor starting mid-January 2024. Served only on weekends for about a month or so. They kept selling out in two hours or so into pre-opening. REcently, They served them up at Pop-Up Bagels NYC for a day and brought them back for June in Hoboken.
So, we finally had to find out what the big deal was.
The $cience
Most of us are Vata over here, so we lack the sweet craving genes that make us run out to the cinny hype.
The Magazine made it at home first because they are not into making treks for the weirdly perpetual food line trend.
We got Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Rolls and topped them with a blueberry maple syrup concoction (pictured above). We heated fresh blueberries with the syrup on a stove akin to a thick-ish compote.
It was delicious. The warm syrup softened the rolls and added that antioxidant touch.
A plus: The calories can be easily determined for those who didn’t dump Weight Watchers like Oprah. You can also control the amount of frosting.
In comparison, The Hive x SS roll consists of blueberry jam, frosting, maple syrup, and an oat crumble as a final topping.
Fat
Blueberries may help process lipids from the cinnamon rolls that add fat to your breakfast. With one caveat: Results from a 2023 study using blueberry supplements suggested that men may metabolize fatty acids more efficiently than women.
Brain
Blueberries may stabilized biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease. While blueberry supplements do not cause a decrease in amyloid-beta accumulation, they do stop an increase in mid-life. Polyphenols in blueberries may be able to lower neurodegeneration by preventing inflammation and oxidation.
Gut
The effects of the good stuff, like antioxidants, in blueberries depends on how healthy the micrbiome is. The critters in the colon convert anthocyanins in blueberries into phenolic acid. These byproducts are then used up by our body for regenerative and preventative processes like vascular health function and insulin regulation.
The Hive partnered with Sister Snacking to create a Blueberry Pancake Cinnamon Roll for a limited time. They used blueberry jam instead of fresh blueberries, which may be the reason behind initially offering them out of blueberry season. (Image: AKJAM Publishing)
Bottom Line
The Hive x SS rolls are good. Not thrilling. Not something you’ll think about for year’s to come. We actually found a similar recipe demo that predates the collab.
But, the power of celebrity to make you think that life will be THIS MUCH better really speaks louder than science.
Indulgence.
One roll is good for two people, we can do without so much frosting. Although, enough people seem to love the frosting for The Hive to sell it on its own.
If you are that way or feeling adventurous, visit the lovely people at The Hive even when they’re not doing rolls.